HOMECOMING FOR TROOPS SET AT JACKSON ON JULY 4

JACKSON -- A "Welcome Home" celebration for veterans of Desert Storm and their families will be held as part of the Jackson Jaycees' Fourth of July celebration.

The celebration will begin at 9 a.m. with a parade to the Jackson City Park. A recognition ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. at the park.

The Welcome Home celebration was organized by the Desert Storm Task Force.

Don Strohmeyer, chairman of the group, said the task force was initially formed by area veterans, especially Vietnam veterans, who wanted the men and women serving in the Persian Gulf war to come home to a celebration.

"They wanted to welcome them home properly," Strohmeyer said.

Other businesses, organizations and individuals have since joined in the plans.

Strohmeyer said: "The major problem we ran into was that most groups are not coming home as a unit. Then we started trying to find a time to have an area-wide celebration. Again we ran into a lot of conflicts."

The task force decided to follow President Bush's request to honor the troops on July 4, Strohmeyer said.

He said representatives of the Jackson Jaycees attended a task force meeting and said they would cancel their Fourth of July celebration rather than conflict with a welcome home activity.

"We thought, `Why don't we have our activity in conjunction with theirs,'" Strohmeyer said. "The scheduled Fourth of July celebration was a perfect time and place to honor area troops.

He said the celebration is meant to recognize all the service men and women from Desert Storm, and the task force is asking that people contact them with names of returning veterans.

"Not only will our returning troops will be recognized," Strohmeyer said, "but area groups of veterans from previous conflicts will also be honored."

Speakers for the ceremony will be veterans of Desert Storm, Strohmeyer said.

"We don't have all the details worked out," he said. "But we expect to have about five people talk about their experiences."

A flag ceremony and patriotic songs also are on the program. But Strohmeyer said most of time will be devoted to recognition of veterans.

To submit a name for recognition at the ceremony, contact the Jackson Chamber of Commerce at 243-8131.

In conjunction with the task force's celebration, the Southeast Missourian newspaper will publish a Welcome Home section July 3 featuring photographs of Desert Storm veterans.

Photos with name, rank and city will be included in the special section at no cost. Family members who wish for their service men and women to be included should deliver photos to the Southeast Missourian office, 301 Broadway, before June 17.

For more information about submitting photographs, call 335-6611.