Battlefield High School band to march in national Memorial Day parade May 27

On Monday, May 27, members of the Battlefield High School’s marching band, the Marching Bobcats, will unfurl and carry a large American flag in the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C., to honor our United States veterans. The nationally televised parade begins at 2 p.m. at Constitution Ave. and 7th Street.

“It’s a huge honor to have members of the Battlefield Marching Band participating in this year’s National Memorial Day Parade,” Matthew Brodt, Battlefield Director of Bands, was quoted as saying in a news release. “As an Army veteran myself, this event has deep meaning to me and should be special for all Americans.”

Don Shanks, an Air Force veteran, who is cochair of the band’s fundraising campaign to travel to Normandy, France, in 2014, was also quoted in the news release.  “The students and their families will have the opportunity to honor those who have fought for our freedom, and we look forward to thanking them personally.”

Members of the Marching Bobcats will march near the front of the parade procession, wearing grey Normandy Campaign t-shirts. They, along with their families, will be available for interviews at the end of the parade route, where they will be thanking visiting veterans personally, the news release stated.