Wounded serving as parade guard
A group of wounded military personnel from Fort Irwin, Calif., will serve as honorary grand marshals for the annual Veterans Day parade on Wednesday.
Sponsored by the Stars and Stripes Foundation, the wounded soldiers will represent the Pentagon's Warrior Transition Program, said Billy Stojack, the parade's senior adviser.
The parade, which features 125 entrants, will start at 10 a.m. and will proceed north on Fourth Street from Gass Avenue to the entrance of the Fremont Street Experience.
Stojack said the foundation has also brought in Vietnam War heroes Richard Marcinko and former Army Staff Sgt. Jon R.Cavaiani.
Marcinko is a retired Navy SEAL who led successful operations on the Mekong Delta and later became the first commanding officer of SEAL Team Six, the Navy's premier counter-terrorist unit.
Cavaiani was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Vietnam in 1971 when his camp at a radio relay site came under intense enemy fire. He volunteered to remain behind to direct helicopters into landing zones to evacuate most of his platoon.
According to his citation, Cavaiani allowed his comrades to escape while he stood up and covered them with machine gun fire. He was wounded numerous times.
Cavaiani also supported the American Heroes Challenge competition on Saturday and Sunday at the Desert Sportsman Rifle and Pistol Club to raise money for the Las Vegas Veterans Memorial.
Contact reporter Keith Rogers at krogers@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0308.
