LHS veterans honored, remembered at Best of Times V reunion

TOP PHOTO: LHS Veterans make the trek from the old post office to First Street.

LAFOLLETTE, TN. (WLAF)-Though it rained during Saturday morning’s LaFollette High School “Best of Times V” parade, the rain stopped just in time for the special ceremony to honor LHS veterans.  WLAF’s Charlie Hutson shares his photo gallery HERE.

Many of those who graduated from LaFollette High School between the years of 1955 to 1975, and served in the military, gathered for coffee and doughnuts at the Postmark Theater (old LaFollette Post Office).  As that gathering unfolded, the families of four soldiers who died in Vietnam assembled at Common Ground Coffee Shop. The families of George Heatherly, Robert “Corky” Huddleston, Bill Long and Dickie Reagan met in honor of their soldiers.

The veterans left the old post office and marched up South Tennessee Avenue and onto East Central Avenue to the staging area at First Street.  When they turned the corner, the group was met with confetti and streamers giving them “the welcome home they didn’t get,” Marvin Bolinger said.”  Bolinger, event organizer, is a Vietnam veteran and a member of the LHS Class of 1965.

Once the veterans arrived at the center stage at First Street, the Heatherly, Huddleston, Long and Reagan families were escorted to their seats.

“After contacting the Pentagon to notify it of the ceremony, the all-class reunion was designated as a commemoration service.  With this designation, Gold Star Family Pins were given to the surviving members of the servicemen who died
in Vietnam,”Bolinger said.

That was followed with a 21-gun salute by the Campbell County Honor Guard “in honor of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice,” he said.

As this concluded, a recognition service was held for those who served and returned.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 09/20/2021-6AM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF WLAF’S CHARLIE HUTSON)