Carnival to salute U.S. veterans
MATT BALDWIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 11 years, 1 month AGO
Matt Baldwin is regional editor for Hagadone Media Montana. He is a graduate of the University of Montana's School of Journalism. He can be reached at 406-758-4447 or [email protected]. | January 10, 2015 7:25 PM
Expect plenty of red, while and blue at this year’s Whitefish Winter Carnival.
Organizers have decided on the theme of “America the Beautiful” to honor U.S. veterans at the annual Grand Parade set for Feb. 7 in downtown Whitefish. More than a dozen veterans from each branch of the military will be honored as grand marshals.
“We’ve tried to get some representation from every branch and every conflict, from World War II forward,” Winter Carnival board member Paul Johannsen said.
Bill Burg has led the effort in recruiting local military members to participate in the parade — a task he was happy to take on.
“The fact that we are saluting all veterans — everyone I’ve asked said they would love to represent their branch,” Burg said.
“We’ll have a wide range of backgrounds — from 70 years ago to the present.”
The Marines will be well represented.
Among the oldest is Bill Fratt of Kalispell, who served in the Marines during World War II. He retired as a private first class with three Purple Hearts.
Also representing the Marines are Don Kaltschmidt and Ret. Capt. Wayne Bolton, 82, who is a survivor of the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War.
Retired Navy SEAL commander Ryan Zinke made a commitment to participate in the parade prior to being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Burg said Zinke will honor that promise and return to Whitefish for the weekend of festivities.
Wayne Marshall also will represent the Navy.
Tim Grattan will represent the Army, having served during the Vietnam War as a military adviser. Grattan later developed Grouse Mountain Lodge and the south course at Whitefish Lake Golf Club.
Leslie Washer and Ray Riel will represent the Air Force.
The National Guard will be represented by Farren Spivey and Jody Spivey and the Coast Guard by Jim Morrell.
A bus from the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls will be featured in the parade, and the Military Order of the Cooties will march in uniform. The order is a nonprofit veterans service organization also known as “The Honor Degree of the VFW.”
Among the parade entries will be a Bradley fighting vehicle from the National Guard and other military vehicles.
ARTICLES BY MATT BALDWIN
Avalanche warning issued for Northwest Montana mountain ranges
The Flathead Avalanche Center reports a rash of close calls in the backcountry over the last week as dangerous avalanche conditions persist in Northwest Montana.
Avalanche danger continues for Northwest Montana mountain ranges
The Flathead Avalanche Center reports a rash of close calls in the backcountry over the last week as dangerous avalanche conditions persist in Northwest Montana.
Glacier park plans express shuttles, parking limit at Logan Pass
Reservation system to access Going-to-the-Sun Road ends
In an effort to make Logan Pass more easily accessible, Glacier National Park is rolling out a new ticketed shuttle system this summer that includes early morning express routes up Going-to-the-Sun Road, while also limiting parking at the pass to three hours beginning July 1.