News
April 1, 2008
Salute To Our Troops Set For Saturday
Have your place well in advance of 10 a.m. Saturday morning. That is the message from the organizers of the “Salute to Our Troops” celebration that is the largest military parade in North Carolina’s history.
Parking will be free in City of Raleigh garages before 10 a.m. There is a charge of $7 after that time.
The festivities will start promptly at 10 a.m. with a flyover straight up Fayetteville Street by F-15E Strike Eagle jet aircraft from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. This flyover will signal the start of the parade that will feature:
- Personnel from the Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, North Carolina National Guard and each service’s reserve group;
- Military bands;
- Drill teams;
- Honor guards;
- Vehicles, including military armored personnel carriers, mobile missile launch systems, medical transport equipment and other tactical assets;
- The USO mobile unit;
- The Broughton High School junior ROTC;
- Floats featuring the members of military families; and,
- Marching bands from universities, colleges and high schools from throughout North Carolina (including Raleigh’s Athens Drive and Broughton and a composite of approximately 200 student musicians from Wake County high schools).
A detailed map of the event festivities is available here (pdf).
Two native North Carolinians who were awarded the Medal of Honor will be part of the parade. They are Command Sgt. Maj. Robert M. Patterson (Ret.) and Corporal Rodolfo Perez Hernandez (Ret.) Sgt. Maj. Patterson was awarded the Medal of Honor In October 1969 from President Richard Nixon for his service with the Army’s Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry, 101st Airborne Division, in the Vietnam War. Cpl. Hernandez was awarded the Medal of Honor in April 1952 from President Harry Truman for his service with the Army’s Company G, 2nd Bn., 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team during the Korean War.
The parade will head north from the intersection of Fayetteville and Davie streets to the Capitol, then north encircling the state government complex. The end of the parade marks the start of a day-long celebration of the “Salute.” The activities include:
- 11:30 a.m. – static display area on Jones Street between Wilmington and Blount streets, of equipment used by the military, including weaponry, armored vehicles, marine rescue, climbing walls and other equipment;
- 11:30 a.m. – five NASCAR show cars sponsored by the Army, Air Force, National Guard, Budweiser and AT&T will be on display in the parking lot south of the Governor’s Mansion. A driver’s simulator will be offered with the AT&T car;
- 11:30 a.m. – military personnel and their families will be invited to enjoy rides, games, slides and an obstacle course;
- 11:30 a.m. – center stage will feature musical entertainment provided by the USO of North Carolina;
- 12:00 p.m. – military personnel and their families will be served lunch produced, prepared and presented by the Pork Council of North Carolina and served by volunteers;
- 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. – the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and the N.C. Museum of History are open to the public free of charge. Marbles Kids Museum will be open free of charge to military personnel and their families; and,
- 7:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. – the Carolina RailHawks will host the opening night of their soccer season as WakeMed “Military Appreciation Night” will provide tickets to military personnel and their families.
A detailed map of the event festivities is available here (pdf).
The “Salute to Our Troops” is being organized by the North Carolina Bankers Association. “We felt that it was not only appropriate but long overdue to show our thanks to the men, women and families of the U.S. military for all they do for our country,” said Thad Woodard, the association’s president and CEO. “Let’s show our pride in what it means to be Americans as well as North Carolinas from the nation’s most military friendly state.”
The event is supported by an array of businesses, including: Golden Corral, the North Carolina Pork Council, First Citizens Bank, Food Lion, First Charter Bank, Anheuser-Busch, Harris Wholesalers, RBC Centura, BB&T, AT&T, Carolina RailHawks, Rex Healthcare, SunTrust, LumenGraphics, Consolidated Theaters, Capital Broadcasting, DowntownRaleigh.com, Orringer-Lam Entertainment, USO-North Carolina, FedEX-Kinko’s Cary, Hendricks Auto Group, Coca-Cola Consolidated and New Century Bank.
For detailed information on the parade and the day’s events, visit www.SaluteOurNCTroops.org.
Prepared by:
Jayne Kirkpatrick
Director
Public Affairs Department
For More Information Contact:
Van Krebs
Project Director / Salute To Our Troops
Public Affairs Department
222 West Hargett Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
919-781-7055
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