Posted on 05/19/2004 8:38:16 AM PDT by RonDog
REDONDO BEACH MEMORIAL DAY PARADE AND TRIBUTE COMMITTEE PRESS RELEASE May 19, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Redondo Beach Memorial Day Parade & Tribute Committee welcomes the USS Sacramento to Redondo Beach for the Second Annual Redondo Beach Memorial Day Parade and Tribute, as the ship makes a liberty visit to our city beginning Friday, May 28 through Tuesday, June 1.
To welcome the USS Sacramento Reverend Bhagavan Friend, Chairman and Founder of the Redondo Beach Memorial Day Parade and Tribute will present 16 golf certificates donated by Donald Trump and the Ocean Trails Country Club, 145 tickets donated by the Dodgers to a Dodgers game, and a long list of local businesses that will graciously provide discounts to the crew of over 600 while they are in town. The Happy Clam will provide 2 for 1 drinks for the crew upon their arrival and Hennessey’s Tavern in Riviera Village will host a Navy night on Sunday, May 30. All are welcome to attend. The Elks Club and the Redondo Beach Fire Fighter’s Community Relief Fund will be hosting a BBQ in Veterans Park for all the sailors after the parade and tribute.Members of the community are invited to "adopt" a sailor by hosting him or her for a home cooked meal, or by taking a sailor to lunch or dinner. Anyone interested in hosting a sailor should call (310) 798-7876. We also encourage community members to pick up the tab if you see a sailor out or just stop and offer words of thanks.The King Harbor Yacht Club will host a private reception for the Captain his Officers and Chief Petty Officers on Friday, May 28, 2004. There will be a dockside welcome with the 42nd Highlanders Regimental Pipes and Drums, music by the Hyperion Serenadors and Harpist Pandora Victor. Mayor Greg Hill will present the Captain with a Key to the City. The Ceremony will end with a Bell Tolling by Captain Lloyd Reeves on his S-44 Submarine Replica. Members of the press that wish to cover this event should make a reservation by calling Reverend Friend at (310) 540-6044.
Captain Mike Manazir of the USS Sacramento will be one of our parade Grand Marshals, and will speak at the Tribute Ceremony after the parade. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in May 1981 and was designated a Naval Aviator in April 1983. He has completed nine extended deployments to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf and amassed more than 3,000 F-14A/D flight hours and 900 carrier-arrested landings. Captain Manazir has been awarded the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, two Strike Flight Air Medals, three Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals, two Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals and various unit, service, and campaign awards.
Local Marine Sgt. Major Peterson will also be a Parade Grand Marshal, in honor of the Enlisted men and women of the Armed Forces who have sacrificed so much on our battlefields. He graduated from Santa Fe High School in California in 1967. Enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1968, Sgt Maj Peterson served with Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment as a rifleman and grenadier and operated out of Vandegrift Combat Base in the northern region of South Viet Nam. He is currently assigned to 3D ANGLICO in Terminal Island, California.
Over 100 other participants include the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, City Officials, Veterans Groups, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Community Groups and local businesses. The Sacramento Sailors recently returned from an eight-month deployment to the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism as part of the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group. 65 of these sailors will be marching in the parade.The parade will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Catalina Avenue and Knob Hill in Redondo Beach, travel down Catalina to Torrance Blvd., and end in Veterans Park for the Tribute Ceremony. The Reviewing Stand will be at Pearl and Catalina. A Tribute Ceremony will follow at 11:30 at the Bandshell in Veterans Park where there will be a 21 Gun Salute to Honor America’s Fallen Heroes, a flyover by two F/A 14 Fighter Jets at 11:45 a.m. We want to notify the community that the flyover will be quite loud and sudden. Children and pets should receive special attention and care. The Ceremony will also include Speakers, Patriotic Music and a United Benediction by members of different Faiths throughout the Community. The Redondo Beach Memorial Day Parade & Tribute Committee invite the Community to come join us in Honoring America’s Fallen Heroes, who have Sacrificed everything for our Freedoms.For more information contact: Reverend Bhagavan Friend (310) 540-6044; cell (310) 722-7576; or go to www.rbmdp.com or e-mail parade@patriotcities.us
For more information on the Sacramento or the Navy please visit: Sacramento's web page at: http://www.sacramento.navy.mil; Navy web page at: http://www.navy.mil; or the Commander, Third Fleet web page at http://www.c3f.navy.mil.
To welcome the USS Sacramento...Thanks to a few well-placed PHONE CALLS by FReeper (and Navy Dad) doug from upland. :o)...145 tickets donated by the Dodgers to a Dodgers game...
Ex-Hippie's Memorial Day Parade a Smash!
For some reason, Redondo Beach had never had a Memorial Day Parade, and this year ex-hippie Friend was determined to change that. It wasn't easy, but in eight weeks he carried the event from concept to completion with his exceptional organizational skills.
See My Video of the Event!
Our own RonDog helped, with his sterling promotional and logistical skills.
To get into the spirit of the event, you really have to see my video of the event, but here are a few stills to whet your appetite.
Rev. Friend, shown above at the start of the parade with his bagpipers.
Redondo Beach parade, organizers ready
[FReepers join pro-USA ex-hippie MONDAY (5/26/03) 10 am]
Posted by RonDog
On News/Activism 05/25/2003 11:19:45 PM PDT with 16 comments
Daily Breeze [Torrance, CA] ^ | May 25, 2003 | Josh GrossbergRedondo Beach man tries to ‘atone’ with Memorial Day parade
[ex-hippie convinces city to honor vets]
Posted by RonDog
On News/Activism 05/07/2003 6:25:18 AM PDT with 24 comments
Daily Breeze ^ | May 6, 2003 | Eddie North-Hager
Freeper Update: Armed Forces Parade, Torrance, CA
vanity | 5/16/04 | moodyskeptic
Posted on 05/16/2004 12:33:15 PM PDT by moodyskeptic
I stood behind the baracade next to a Vietnam Vet, a Marine who was crying between shouts of "God Bless You!", as young soldiers paraded by. Similar shouts of Thank You were heard all around, as the huge crowd clapped for active US military, reserves, WW2 vets, Vietnam vets, medal of honor recipients, flying aces and much more.
He apparently felt this parade was for him, too, and it was. Obviously, the crowd was belatedly thanking all Viet-era vets for their service. When the annnouncer related of the drama of a 'Nam hero riding in a classic Detroit convertible, the audience roared approval.
Here in Southern California beach cities, you can get the lonely feeling that you are the only conservative in town. The popular local culture mimics Hollywood, liberal drivel 24/7. Imagine the joy in attending a giant family-oriented parade honoring our soldiers, in fact, the country's largest and oldest such parade: the Torrance Armed Forces Day Parade.
The Pacific Ocean is a mere two miles down Torrance Blvd. which ends at the Redondo Pier. The temperature is a perfect 70 degrees, the sky a brilliant blue. Thousands of families are lining the 3 mile parade route with camp chairs, picnics, American flags. Smiles and laughter and pride.
A Freeper's dream, all well-behaved patriotic citizens with no screeching liberals or stubborn hippie throwbacks. People patting police on the back. Tatooed teenagers saluting the troops. This is like a huge counter-demonstration to the heavily-covered war protests and gay rights parades. I imagine there are precious few Kerry voters in this throng.
I sidle up to a policeman and ask how's the security? He chuckles and replies, "Look at this crowd, they don't create trouble. Not one fistfight. They even pick up after themselves, there's no trash for the cleanup crews tonight." All the cops are wearing big smiles.
As an Abrams tank stops in the street to swivel on it's turret and raise and lower it's big gunbarrel, the children shriek in delight as Army reserves throw out candies. Suddenly two F-14s roar overhead, just above the treetops. The crowd erupts in cheer and clapping. A family with a dozen friends wear t-shirts emblazoned with a photo of their sibling/friend, a Marine currently in Fallujah.
This seems like a pleasant dream to me. I can't believe the pride I feel in my fellow citizens. I feel as if I stumbled into a parallel universe, one that supports our troops, thanks our vets, loves the flag and raises respectful children. I am stunned.
On further thought, I shouldn't be stunned. This America is here, quietly existing under the media radar, going about it's business and living the dream of freedom... doing what it always does.
God bless America indeed.
-- snip
Any pictures to post?Here is one from LAST YEAR's parade:
M198 Howitzer and M1A1 Abrams TankCLICK HERE for the rest of hat thread
God bless America indeed.
Indeed, thanks for bring tears to my eyes :)
God it is days like this, that I am so proud to Be an AMERICAN!
Southern California PING!!!
I will be there...was part of Party for the President last month.
The Redondo Beach Memorial Day Parade & Tribute Committee welcomes the USS Sacramento to Redondo Beach...See also, from www.sacramento.navy.mil/news/photo:
There's a restaurant down by the power plant that had such a reputation as a pick up spot that the locals called it "The Spread Onion".
Now that is a familiar picture...See also, from OUR VISITING SHIP:
I saw the Sacramento several times when I was on the Nimitz.Glad to see that they are getting some recognition...
See also THESE folks from LAST YEAR's parade (courtesy of daviddennis):
Over 100 other participants include the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, City Officials, Veterans Groups, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Community Groups and local businesses......including a MARCHING BAND from Bellflower High School:
...a flyover by two F/A 14 Fighter Jets...That would probably be THESE guys:...will be quite loud and sudden.
A Tribute Ceremony will follow at 11:30 at the Bandshell in Veterans Park...From digivideoplus.com:...where there will be a 21 Gun Salute to Honor America’s Fallen Heroes...
Or maybe these guys...Thanks, calcowgirl!
That could be them, too.I couldn't quite tell EXACTLY what they looked like when they buzzed the Armed Forces Day Parade last week in Torrance...
...as their flyover was almost at "tree top" level......and they really move FAST when they are that low!
It's a good thing that they are on OUR side. :o)
Thanks, KIIS-FM!
WELCOME TO THE 102.7 KIIS FM
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
If you have a community event/charity event which you would like to add to the KIIS-FM Community Calendar, submit your request with all relevant information, plus a contact name and number to our Public Service Director: Please use the headline 102.7 KIIS FM Community Calendar. Thank You.
EMAIL: Chet Hearring
PHONE: (818) 845-1027
FAX: (818) 845-6397-- snip --
REDONDO BEACH MEMORIAL DAY PARADE AND TRIBUTE COMMITTEE
Monday May 31
Reverend Friend, Chairman and Organizer, and the Redondo Beach Memorial Day Parade & Tribute Committee, will present the Second Annual Redondo Beach Memorial Day Parade and Tribute, on Monday, May 31, 2004 beginning 10:00 a.m.
The parade begins on Catalina Avenue and Knob Hill in Redondo Beach, travels down Catalina to Torrance Blvd., and ends in Veterans Park.
Some parade participants include the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Veterans Groups, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Community Groups, and much more. We are proud to welcome the USS Sacramento, a Navy Ship, to our shores for the Parade and Tribute.
Captain Mike Manazir of the Sacramento will be one of our Parade Grand Marshals. Sgt. Major Peterson of the Marine Corps will be our second Grand Marshal. A Tribute will follow at 11:45 in Veterans Park where there will be a 21-Gun Salute to Honor America’s Fallen Heroes, a flyover by two F/A 14 Fighter Jets, speakers, Patriotic Music and a United Benediction by members of different Faiths throughout the Community.
Come join us in Honoring America’s Fallen Heroes, who have sacrificed everything for our Freedoms. For more information call (310) 540-6044 or go to www.rbmdp.com
Perhaps a few FReepers could ALSO thank Chet for promoting our parade - HERE (hint, hint):Chet Hearring (chethearring@clearchannel.com)
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