Honoring America’s Veterans Announces Parade Grand Marshals

World War II, U.S. Merchant Marines Junior Engineer William Keim, Scottsdale, AZ. Keim joined the U.S. Merchant Marines in 1943 at the age of 17. After training at Sheepshead Bay, N.Y., he shipped out of San Francisco to Pearl Harbor, where he worked as an oiler in the engine room, and brought food, arms, and ammunition to troops. He spent over a year in the Battle of the Atlantic, where he was awarded the Convoy Cup Medal for service in an active war zone.

Korean War, Navy Yeoman 3rd Class William Merdick, Peoria, AZ. Merdick enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1951, where he was stationed at the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic Headquarters in Norfolk, VA. During the Korean War, he had top-secret clearance for the United States.

Vietnam War, Army CW04 David Hunt, Waddell, AZ. Hunt was drafted into the U.S. Army in October 1966 when he was assigned to the 82nd and 101st Airborne (ABN) Division in 1967. In 1968 Hunt was wounded and sent back to the states where he was then discharged from active duty at Fort Lewis, WA. After a brief stint in the Coast Guard, he joined the Army Reserves and as an Army Criminal Investigation Command he was deployed to Iraq and Kuwait. He then served as the commander and operations office until he retired from the Army reserve as Chief Warrant Officer 4, on Feb. 1, 2008.

Cold War, Army veteran SP4 Nancy Fassbender, Gold Canyon, AZ. Fassbender joined the Army National Guard in 1975 where she worked as a mechanic on the Huey helicopters. She was honorably discharged in 1978 as an E4 and became a board member and historian for the Pinal County Veterans Memorial Foundation. Fassbender is the author of the book, “My Fallen Hero.” She is also an honorary member of East Valley POW Chapter and a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart chapter 2560.

Desert Storm, U.S. Army Veteran SP4 Thomas Kendra, Scottsdale, AZ. Kendra enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 17 in 1987 as a Specialist 4 Infantry soldier. After basic training, he was stationed with the 101st Airborne division as an assistant gunner for a 60mm mortar squad where he progressed to become a squad leader. As a member of B company 3/327th Infantry, he participated in special company training courses, frequently acting as opposed forces for the Mechanized Infantry trained at Fort Knox. He also attended the Air Assault School, Combat Lifesavers Course, and Primary Leadership Development courses. Kendra was discharged from Active Duty as an Infantry Squad Leader just 10 days after Iraq forces invaded Kuwait after being one of the first to have boots on the ground in Saudi Arabia.

Afghanistan War, Army/Navy Staff Sergeant, Rosa Regalado, Chandler, AZ. Regalado joined the military in 1999 as the only female in her family to join the U.S. Navy. She completed three combat tours in the U.S. Navy and six combat tours in the U.S. Army, holding multiple jobs as an operation specialist, medical operations, and automated logistics specialist. After enduring many injuries from combat, she retired from the service in 2008 as a Staff Sergeant, and has continued work in the medical and dental field.

Iraq War, Marine Corps Sergeant, James Wolfenden, Phoenix, AZ. Wolfenden joined the Marine Corps in 2003 where he was passionate about serving after 9/11. He served in multiple combat deployments in Fallujah and other hot spots during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and he served as a professional marksmanship instructor and a recruiter in New York City. Wolfenden received numerous combat-related awards and was honorably discharged after more than eight years of service with a rank of Sergeant.

Celebrity Grand Marshal, American Former Baseball Outfielder, Luis Gonzalez, Scottsdale, AZ. Luis Gonzalez is an American Former Baseball Outfielder who played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball. He is one of the most popular figures in Diamondbacks history and is in his 14th full season in the Diamondbacks front office and ninth as Senior Advisor to the President, CEO, and General Partner.