WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM NOVEMBER 3-9, 2021 UCW 15
e annual Veterans Day Parade
in downtown Fayetteville will kick
off Heroes Homecoming week.
Cumberland County Veterans Coun-
cil created Heroes Homecoming in
2011 as a way of showing all veterans
that the community remembers and
appreciates their courage, sacrifice
and everything they did to defend
our freedom.
e parade was canceled in 2020
and all events were limited to being
virtual. is year, everything is back
and in-person.
e overall theme this year will be
honoring the Armed Forces medical
personnel and first responders who
served on the front lines over the
past 18 months during the COVID-19
pandemic.
Grilley Mitchell, president,
Cumberland County Veterans Coun-
cil, said that the council decided to
honor the medical forces earlier
this year.
"ey were the ones who were on
the front lines treating people and the
COVID situation. Not just nationwide
but worldwide," Mitchell said. "ey
are the heroes of today because they
were there on the frontlines doing
what was required of them to take
care of the sick."
e parade will feature several high
school marching bands, a number of
JROTC groups, military equipment,
various organizations, color guards,
churches and groups such as the
Shriners. ey will also feature mem-
bers of the Fort Bragg community, in-
cluding the 18th Airborne Corps and
the U. S. Special Operations Com-
mand.According to the Cumberland
County Veterans Council, there are
about 52,000 veterans that live in
Cumberland County.
at doesn't include the Fort Bragg
population of 545,926 soldiers and
their 70,000 family members.
e two honorees this year are
Sgt. Maj. Jacob "Jake" Roth and 1st
Sgt. Lawrence "Bud" Wilson. Both
Roth and Wilson are Korean War
Prisoners of War.
"ey are my heroes. ose two
guys are living heroes," Mitchell said.
"ey are living legends that you get
to actually thank them in person for
their sacrifice. I work with both of
them, every time I'm with those guys,
it's an honor and pleasure to be
with them."
e parade will kick off Nov. 6 at
10 a.m. and will take place on Hay
Street by the Airborne and Special
Operations Museum and end at Cool
Spring and Person Streets, behind the
courthouse.
Following the parade will be the
City of Fayetteville's Veterans Day
Ceremony at the North Carolina
Veterans Park.
Spectators are recommended to
arrive early in order to find parking.
Mitchell asks that people come out,
have a good time and show appre-
ciation to the military and the city's
veterans.
EVENTS
with NC Lt. Governor
Mark Robinson
50/50 Ra e
For more info: Email hokegop@gmail.com
Above: Paratroop-
ers from the 82nd
Airborne Divison
march in the 2019
Veterans Day Pa-
rade. Left: A specta-
tor arrives early for
a good seat a the
2019 Veterans Day
Parade. (Photos by
Linda McAlister)
Veterans Day Parade returns
downtown
by HANNAH LEE
HANNAH LEE, Assistant Editor.
COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin-
gweekly.com. 910-484-6200.
Cape Fear Bands and Ensambles per-
form at the 2019 Veterans Day Parade.
(Photo by Linda McAlister)
