HOMECOMING PARADE COMBINES WITH VETERANS

More than 30 veterans units will be featured in the Southeast Missouri State University homecoming parade Saturday.

The parade begins at 9 a.m. at Capaha Park.

"We think it's great to be a part of the university's homecoming parade," said Burt Lehman, secretary-treasurer of the Joint Veterans Council.

For the first time, the city's annual Veterans Day parade will be combined with the university's homecoming parade, featuring about 200 units.

"Homecoming is a wonderful opportunity to both welcome home our alumni and to honor our area veterans for their service to our country," said Jane Stacy, director of alumni services.

Retired Air Force Col. Charles Woodford, past commander of the American Legion, will serve as the parade marshal for the veterans units.

Highlighting the veterans units will be two motor units of Pearl Harbor survivors. "We think it is a special privilege to have them in our parade," said Lehman.

George Slavens, a past national commander of the Pearl Harbor Survivors, will ride with the unit.

Lehman called the survivors "a dying breed. Those fellows really took it on the chin for the United States of America. They are a fiercely proud group of individuals and very much deserve our recognition."

Veterans units in the parade include a POW/MIA flag corps, a VFW color guard, the National Guard, the American Legion, Area Vietnam Veterans and Support Group, the Gold Star Mothers who have lost sons in action, the Army ROTC, representatives of the Missouri Veterans Home, and the Vietnam Veterans Motorcycle Club.

Two bands, the River City Rodders and antique fire trucks and cars will also participate in the veterans' component of the parade.