B-1 Will Roar Over Parade Honoring WWII Veterans


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For Immediate Release: Friday, September 7, 2001

For More Information: Bob Mercer or Mike Mueller, 773-3212

Parade Seating Reserved For WWII Veterans, Spouses

-- 137 Entries Kick-off Sept. 15 Dedication of WWII Memorial --

(Pierre) – World War II veterans, their spouses and their escorts will have a special blocks-long area of the state Capitol complex reserved for them to watch the parade that kicks off the dedication of South Dakota's new World War II Memorial in Pierre on Sept. 15.

"We want to make the day as special as we can for them, after all they did for us," Gov. Bill Janklow said.

The 137 entries begin their parade down Capitol Avenue at 10:50 a.m. CT. The first entry, the South Dakota National Guard Command Group, is scheduled to pass in front of the Capitol building at approximately 11:05 a.m.

A B-1 bomber from Ellsworth Air Force Base is scheduled to fly over the parade route at an altitude of about 1,000 feet and roar past the Capitol at about the same time the first entry arrives there.

Parade entries range from World War II fighting vehicles and veterans groups to approximately three dozen high school and college bands. If lined end to end, the entries would be 22,000 feet long -- approximately four miles. The parade route itself covers 1.75 miles, running along Capitol Avenue from Poplar to Monroe streets.

Organizers estimate the parade will last approximately two hours. The formal dedication ceremony at the World War II Memorial is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. CT. The memorial is on the northwest corner of Capitol Lake next to the Capitol building. World War II veterans and spouses will have reserved seating at the dedication ceremony. Shuttle service will be available to help them move from the parade viewing area to the memorial seating area.

Veterans and spouses planning to attend the parade and dedication events can register in advance, if they have not already done so.

Advance registration can be accomplished by calling the special toll-free telephone number 1-866-WW2-VETS (1-866-992-8387). By registering in advance, they will receive information and name tags that serve as passes to the reserved seating areas. Registration will be available at information booths on the Capitol grounds.

For people wanting to watch the parade but unable to attend, the parade and dedication will be broadcast. Further details of the broadcast plans will be announced in the next few days.

Attached is the most recent list of parade entries in order of scheduled appearance. (Updated 9/7/01)

List of Parade Participants

(Parade entries and their order subject to change)

  1. South Dakota National Guard Command Group  
  2. Multi-service Color Guard  
  3. South Dakota National Guard 147th Army Band, Mitchell  
  4. Michael J. Fitzmaurice, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient  
  5. General Patrick Brady, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient  
  6. South Dakota’s Congressional Delegation—Sen. Tom Daschle, Sen. Tim Johnson & Rep. John Thune  
  7. 88th Troop Command, Brookings (Colors, Marching Unit & Equipment)  
  8. 109th Engineer Group, Rapid City (Colors, Marching Unit & Equipment)  
  9. North Dakota National Guard 188th Army Band  
  10. 147th Field Artillery Brigade, Sioux Falls (Colors, Marching Unit & Equipment)  
  11. South Dakota Air National Guard Marching Unit, Sioux Falls  
  12. U.S. Marine Corps Band, Albany, GA  
  13. Ellsworth Air Force Base Marching Unit  
  14. U.S. Army Reserve – "The Priest" (self-propelled howitzer)  
  15. Ringneck Pheasant & Ringneck 1/2  
  16. T.F. Riggs High School Emerald Regiment, Pierre  
  17. Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, SD Chapter 1  
  18. VFW Post 2038, Pierre  
  19. VFW Post 2038 Auxiliary, Pierre  
  20. Stanley County High School Band, Fort Pierre  
  21. Michael J. Fitzmaurice South Dakota Veterans Home, Hot Springs  
  22. 13th U.S. Infantry Company D, Sioux Falls  
  23. Flandreau High School Band  
  24. Battleship South Dakota Memorial Foundation  
  25. American Legion Post 160, Hill City  
  26. American Legion Post 148, Conde  
  27. Lower Brule Sioux Tribe Veterans’ Association  
  28. American Legion Post 76, Veblen  
  29. American Legion Post 283, Chancellor  
  30. Redfield High School Band  
  31. Georgia Morse Middle School, Pierre  
  32. American Legion Post 135 & VFW Post 8530, Gettysburg  
  33. White Lake High School Band  
  34. American Legion Post 4, Mobridge  
  35. American Legion Post 301 Auxiliary, Draper  
  36. Dells of the Sioux Band  
  37. American Legion Post 89, Presho  
  38. American Legion Post 157, Vivian  
  39. Lyman High School Band, Presho  
  40. Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Veterans’ Affairs  
  41. American Legion Post 173, Philip  
  42. Beresford High School Band  
  43. Toronto Community Club Memorial  
  44. Dr. Joe Dondelinger, Augustana College  
  45. Richard Girard, Beresford, driving World War II Military Jeep  
  46. Corsica/Stickney Joint Marching Band  
  47. The Society of 40 et 8  
  48. American Legion Post 23, Garretson  
  49. Northern State University Marching Wolves, Aberdeen  
  50. American Legion Post 281, Batesland  
  51. American Legion Post 61, Canova  
  52. Mount Vernon High School Band  
  53. South Dakota 4th Degree Knights of Columbus  
  54. American Legion Post 110, Wessington  
  55. American Legion Post 14, Wessington Springs  
  56. Wessington Springs High School Band  
  57. South Dakota Elks Association  
  58. American Legion Post 79, Onida  
  59. 40 et 8 Voiture 481, Mitchell  
  60. Central High School Band, Rapid City  
  61. Wakpa Waste Hoka (Good River Singers), Eagle Butte  
  62. American Legion Post 146, Colome  
  63. Marine Corps League, Department of SD  
  64. University of South Dakota Marching Coyotes, Vermillion  
  65. American Indian Veterans Inc.  
  66. Cassandra Johnson, Sioux Falls, Miss Teen South Dakota 2001  
  67. Deuel High School Band, Clear Lake  
  68. American Legion Post 292 & Auxiliary, Tulare  
  69. Crow Creek Sioux Tribe – Hunkpatz Oyate Lodge  
  70. American Legion Post 52 & VFW Post 6897, Armour  
  71. Armour High School Band  
  72. Merchant Marine Veterans – SD, MN & NE  
  73. Navy Armed Guard  
  74. Stevens High School Band, Rapid City  
  75. American Legion Post 266, Tea  
  76. American Legion Post 77, Blunt  
  77. Groton High School Band  
  78. American Legion Post 8, Pierre  
  79. American Legion Post 179, Kennebec-Reliance  
  80. American Legion Post 138, DeSmet  
  81. Menno High School Band  
  82. VFW State Commander Ken Jorgenson & Auxiliary Commander Gloria Forten  
  83. Gordon Weston Indian Veterans Lodge, Flandreau  
  84. American Legion Post 139, McIntosh  
  85. Edmunds Central High School Band, Roscoe  
  86. American Legion Post 308, Eagle Butte  
  87. VFW Post 5094, Selby-Java  
  88. American Legion Post 237 and Auxiliary, Gayville  
  89. Gayville-Volin High School Band  
  90. American Legion Post 150, Avon  
  91. Prairie Rattlers Antique Auto Club, Fort Pierre  
  92. Central High School Band, Aberdeen  
  93. American Legion Post 220, Herrick  
  94. Disabled American Veterans, Department of SD  
  95. Disabled American Veterans, Pierre  
  96. 40 et 8 Voiture 522, Pierre  
  97. Lincoln High School Band, Sioux Falls  
  98. El Riad Shrine Motor Corps, Sioux Falls  
  99. State Publishing & Printing Co., Pierre  
  100. VFW Post 2755, American Legion Post 92 & 40 et 8 Voiture 1556, Redfield  
  101. South Dakota Civil Air Patrol Wing  
  102. Cenkota Republican Women, Pierre  
  103. South Dakota State University "Pride of the Dakotas," Brookings  
  104. Half Track & M 118A Jeep  
  105. American Legion Post 11, Wagner  
  106. VFW Post 2750, Mitchell  
  107. Milbank High School Band  
  108. American Legion Post 186, Eureka  
  109. American Legion Post 37, Bryant  
  110. Yankton High School Band  
  111. American Legion Post 57, Rockham  
  112. American Legion Post 140, Salem  
  113. American Legion Post 230, Aurora  
  114. American Legion Post 238, Oelrichs  
  115. Watertown High School Band  
  116. American Legion Post 46, Custer  
  117. VFW Post 628 & Auxiliary, Sioux Falls  
  118. Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe Native American Veterans Association & Vietnam Veterans Association  
  119. Sisseton High School Band  
  120. Street Masters of Pierre  
  121. VFW Post 1776, Huron  
  122. Huron High School Band  
  123. VFW Post 3499, Spencer  
  124. American Legion Post 115, Platte  
  125. Estelline High School Band  
  126. Vietnam Era Veterans Association  
  127. American Legion Post 59, Wolsey  
  128. Huron University Screaming Eagles Marching Band  
  129. American Legion Post 302, Manderson  
  130. Britton High School Band  
  131. Budweiser Clydesdales  
  132. Central South Dakota Riding Association  
  133. Frontier Army Infantry Unit, Lake City  
  134. Siouxland Singers, Dell Rapids  
  135. Bison Public Schools and Veterans  
  136. South Dakota National Guard Museum, Pierre  
  137. South Dakota American Legion Band