Four Grand Marshals selected for the Troy, Ohio 4th of July Parade!

"Four vets named grand marshals for parade from the Troy Daily News
BY RON OSBURN
StaffWriter

The committee to select a grand marshal for this years July 4th
Parade had narrowed its choices down to four. All four were worthy
and deserving and exemplified the characteristics of service and patriotism,
said Celebrate July 4th Parade Committee chairman Stephen Larck.

So, the committee selected all four Paul Sarber, Carl Phillis,
Ray Snapp and Marion Adams as Grand Marshals of this years
parade. All four are Miami County residents and World War II veterans.
These men are the reason why we are a nation today, Larck told
about 65 family and friends who gathered for the announcement
inside the Hayner Cultural Center in Troy Thursday evening. Each man was introduced and received a plaque in recognition, and each spoke briefly about their service during the 45-minute gathering. Im glad I served my country. Id do it again, said Snapp, of Troy, who earned 5 Battle Stars and a
Purple Heart for service in the U.S. Navy on the heavy cruiser USS
Pensacola during the war.

Since 1995, Snapp has become well-known for his annual presentations
on the history of World War II to 8th grade students at Troy
Junior High School. He also said he is working on establishing a local
museum dedicated to veterans of World War II.

Adams, of Covington, served in the U.S. Navy on an LST (Landing
Ship Tank) during the bloody and decisive battle of the war in
Europe, the D-Day Invasion of France. I was on 12 beaches in four
days (during the invasion), and each time we hit a beach, it was
worse than the first, Adams recalled. I turned 21 on June 11, 1944,
on a beach in Normandy. And this past June 11, I turned 86, he said
proudly.

Real Lucky
Sarber, of Troy, served 34 months during the war in the U.S. Army, spending 17 months in the U.S. and 17 in Europe, including time in Germany. He said he was
on his way to join the invasion of Japan when the U.S. dropped atomic
bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end the war.

Prior to his service, Sarber said a trip to Indiana was as far as he had ever
been outside of Troy.

Phillis, 87, of Troy, served from 1944-46 in a Navy Air Wing unit stationed in
Alaska. Today, hes well known locally as the fiddle player for the popular local band, Rum River Blend. It floored me when I heard. But it sounds like
fun, Phillis said of being selected as a grand marshal, as he accepted congratulations from well-wishers. He said he has eight grandchildren, 18 greatgrandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren, and after the ceremony, had his photo taken outside the Hayner Center with five
generations of his family. I feel real lucky today, he said.

Deserving Committee vice-president Sue Campbell, also a Concord Township Trustee, said the committee was unable, and unwilling, to overlook any of the four nominees. They are all so wonderful, so deserving, so we chose all four, she said. Larck said more than 70 units have signed up for this years parade, which begins at 9 a.m. at the Hobart Arena parking lot. The parade travels east on Staunton Road to North Market Street and over the bridge to Public Square, then west on West Main Street to the Troy Miami County Public Library. For more information or to enter this years parade, access the groups Web site at www.CelebrateJuly4th.org, or call Linda at 339-4338."