Today in Wheeling History: May 16—Armed Forces Day parade draws crowds in downtown Wheeling (1959).
Wheeling turned out in large numbers on the afternoon of Saturday, May 16, 1959, to watch the city's Armed Forces Day parade wind through the downtown streets. The holiday itself was still relatively new: on August 31, 1949, Defense Secretary Louis Johnson announced the creation of Armed Forces Day to replace the separate Army, Navy, and Air Force Days, stemming from the unification of the armed forces under the newly created Department of Defense. President Truman declared May 20, 1950, the first Armed Forces Day.
Wheeling's 1959 parade formed in front of the Wheeling Elks Club and proceeded west on Fifteenth Street, south on Chapline, west on Sixteenth to Market Street, north on Market to Tenth, and west to Main. Receiving the salute at the reviewing stand at Sixteenth and Market Streets was Navy Captain C. Lee Spillers, who also served as parade chairman. Among the dignitaries on the stand was Wheeling's own Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, Henry N. Nickerson. Born December 2, 1888, Nickerson earned his Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism during street fighting in the United States occupation of Veracruz, Mexico, on April 21, 1914, where he was wounded multiple times while leading a squad under fire.
The parade featured two tanks and vehicles from the U.S. Army’s 4th Medium Tank Battalion, 68th Armor; Army National Guard armor; and Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard marching units. Bands from Triadelphia High School, Union High School, Linsly, and Central Drum and Bugle Corps performed. Spectators lining Market Street enjoyed sunny skies and warming temperatures. The "News-Register" the following day published a full photo spread of the festivities. Among those photographing the parade was noted Wheeling filmmaker Ellis Dungan, who was shooting footage for his 1959 documentary "Wheels to Progress." The "News-Register" even ran a photograph of Dungan perched atop a city trash can to get his shot.
To learn more: Flickr - Ohio County Public Library (https://tinyurl.com/3nrw5udr) (https://tinyurl.com/4496pfjv), Wheeling News-Register (https://tinyurl.com/4daymsf2), Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/u2secubz)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wheeling News-Register
Wheeling turned out in large numbers on the afternoon of Saturday, May 16, 1959, to watch the city's Armed Forces Day parade wind through the downtown streets. The holiday itself was still relatively new: on August 31, 1949, Defense Secretary Louis Johnson announced the creation of Armed Forces Day to replace the separate Army, Navy, and Air Force Days, stemming from the unification of the armed forces under the newly created Department of Defense. President Truman declared May 20, 1950, the first Armed Forces Day.
Wheeling's 1959 parade formed in front of the Wheeling Elks Club and proceeded west on Fifteenth Street, south on Chapline, west on Sixteenth to Market Street, north on Market to Tenth, and west to Main. Receiving the salute at the reviewing stand at Sixteenth and Market Streets was Navy Captain C. Lee Spillers, who also served as parade chairman. Among the dignitaries on the stand was Wheeling's own Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, Henry N. Nickerson. Born December 2, 1888, Nickerson earned his Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism during street fighting in the United States occupation of Veracruz, Mexico, on April 21, 1914, where he was wounded multiple times while leading a squad under fire.
The parade featured two tanks and vehicles from the U.S. Army’s 4th Medium Tank Battalion, 68th Armor; Army National Guard armor; and Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard marching units. Bands from Triadelphia High School, Union High School, Linsly, and Central Drum and Bugle Corps performed. Spectators lining Market Street enjoyed sunny skies and warming temperatures. The "News-Register" the following day published a full photo spread of the festivities. Among those photographing the parade was noted Wheeling filmmaker Ellis Dungan, who was shooting footage for his 1959 documentary "Wheels to Progress." The "News-Register" even ran a photograph of Dungan perched atop a city trash can to get his shot.
To learn more: Flickr - Ohio County Public Library (https://tinyurl.com/3nrw5udr) (https://tinyurl.com/4496pfjv), Wheeling News-Register (https://tinyurl.com/4daymsf2), Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/u2secubz)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wheeling News-Register
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