VFW marches toward Veteran's Day

Under the leadership of Fallbrook Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1924 Commander Mitch Chandler and a 15-member Fallbrook Citizens Committee, plans for the Veteran’s Day parade and celebration for Saturday, November 11, are shaping up to be a big event day for Fallbrook.

The time of the parade is 10:30 a.m. down Main Avenue, starting at Fallbrook Street. The Grand Marshal this year is Robert Bartz. Bob is a US Army Korean veteran. He spent 45 years as an aerospace engineer; 35 of those years were with McDonnell Douglas, where he helped design and build the USAF F15 fighter jet. Bob retired as a vice president and moved to Fallbrook in 1990. Bob has served as an elected officer of the VFW Post 1924 and as their Quartermaster for the last 14 years. Almost daily he has volunteered for many veterans’ causes and community events since moving to Fallbrook.

Starting at 11 a.m. will be the formal ceremony in the Village Square at Main and Alvarado. Master of Ceremonies will be Commander Chandler, and the Camp Pendleton 9th Communication Battalion will provide the military color guard and massed national flag unit. Rev. Art Blodgett, pastor of Community Baptist Church, will offer the invocation and benediction. Phyllis Bush of the VFW Women’s Auxiliary has organized patriotic music by the Fallbrook Chorale and Kathleen Lawson will bring 50 students from Bonsall Elementary School to entertain the audience. Colonel Bob Krone (USAF, Ret.) will also speak. Parking will be available behind the Art & Cultural Center. Merchants will be open.

The VFW Post 1924 will serve lunch at 12:15 p.m. at 1175 Old Stage Road.