Bolinger to serve as parade Grand Marshal, Marlowe as VIP

The 2pm Veterans Day Parade travels Central Avenue from Methodist Church to Sonic

LAFOLLETTE, TN (SPECIAL TO WLAF)- Vietnam veteran Ed Housley, chairman of the 2024 Veterans Day Parade, announces that Colonel Marvin Bolinger, U-S Army retired, is serving as the Grand Marshal for the parade and that Colonel Bolinger will be joined by Captain Rose Marlowe as a VIP.

Col. Marvin Bolinger served with the 101st Airborne as an Infantry Platoon Leader and Company Commander during the Vietnam War and as the Deputy Commander of the Deployment Command at Fort Campbell during Desert Storm.  Upon retirement, he returned to East Tennessee and was instrumental in forming the local Vietnam Veterans Chapter that is the fastest growing chapter of Vietnam Era Veterans in the United States. Some of the projects the local chapter has created are the street banners program honoring our local heroes, the yard banners, scholarships for students from Campbell County High as well as Jellico High. The local veterans are constantly looking for ways to give back to their community, including the sponsorship of the Veterans Day Parade.

Captain Rosemary Marlowe grew up in La Follette and attended the University of Tennessee where she received her nursing degree.  After working at the UT Hospital for a period of time, she decided she wanted more and volunteered to join the Army as a nurse.  She served in Vietnam as a Trauma Nurse.  It is uncertain how many lives of injured soldiers were saved due to the work of Captain Marlowe and her medical team. Captain Marlowe is a very active member of the local Vietnam Veterans Chapter.

Both Bolinger and Marlowe will lead the Veterans Parade today beginning at 2 pm.

There a couple new features for this year’s parade including special ceremonies when the parade reaches the 1st Street-Central Avenue intersection. Spectators are encouraged to view the parade from the Central Avenue section of Downtown to enjoy the special ceremonies honoring our veterans.

Those special activities include:

All banners honoring our local heroes will be placed in the parade.  volunteers are being sought to carry the banners. as the banners approach First and Central, a 21-gun salute and taps will be played as we honor those veterans who are no longer with us.

Also, all local veterans are encouraged to march in the parade to give spectators a chance to thank the veterans for their service.  The veterans will gather in the Carl Pierce Furniture parking lot and march to Russell Towers; just a few short blocks.  For those veterans who might be uncomfortable walking, transportation will be provided.

Additionally, a planned “swearing in ceremony” for new Marines will also be conducted at First and Central.

Lots of military vehicles will be included, if they are available. Many of the vehicles are currently being used with Helene Hurricane recovery.

A fly over is also planned, and of course, local bands and scouts and politicians will be in the parade.

Please help make this veterans day parade the best one ever. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-11/09/2024-6AM)