Leesville To Hold Christmas Parade For Redeployed Soldiers

The city of Leesville Louisiana will be holding their "I'll be Home for Christmas" parade for redeployed soldiers from Fort Polk.

It will be the largest military parade in the city since 1943 and it all happens this Saturday Dec. 10th. Here are all the details:

Senators and possibly the Governor of Louisiana will attend this Christmas Parade for the soldiers. Kim Reischling from the Fort Polk Public Affairs Office released this information about the events.

Leesville, Louisiana is hosting the largest military parade seen in the city since 1943, when thousands of soldiers who had participated in the Louisiana maneuvers were honored before they deployed overseas. It's all a part of the "I'll Be Home for Christmas,"celebration hosted by the city Dec. 10.
About 4,000 Fort Polk Soldiers from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division; 115th Combat Support Hospital; 383rd Movement Control Company; 705th Explosive Ordnance Company; and 46th Engineer Battalion will march in a parade along with 71 other floats.
Activities begin from noon to 3 p.m. with a "welcome honor party" hosted by the Vernon Parish Chamber of Commerce, at the field west of Leesville High School's Wampus Cat Stadium. The city expects to feed more than
6,000 people at the honor party. A change of command ceremony for the
4-10 takes place at 3:30 p.m. at the Wampus Cat Stadium. Due to space limitations, the change of command is by invitation only.
The Christmas Parade will follow the change of command ceremony, led by
4,000 marching Soldiers and a Purple Heart Float to honor Wounded Warriors. Merchants and community members along the parade route will honor Soldiers with flags and confetti, reminiscent of one of the ticker tape parades taking place after World War II. Grand marshal for this year's parade is retired Col. William (Bill) Howerton of Leesville.
Media wishing to cover this historic event can contact the Vernon Parish Chamber of Commerce at 337-238-0439 or the Fort Polk Public Affairs Office at 337-531-1392.
Event stats:
-- DVs attending include Senator David Vitter, possibly Governor Bobby Jindal and MG Mark Milley, Commander of the 10th Mountain Division
-- Local businesses and organizations have donated money to fly members of our surviving families - 65 family members in total - here to watch the ceremonies and to be honored. Their hotel rooms have been donated by several area hotel owners.
-- Local businesses and service organizations have donated food to feed the Soldiers and their family members:
- 3,600 lbs of Smoked Brisket (300 briskets)
- 1000 Smoked boudin sausage
- 500 Bar B-Q chicken
- Gumbo for 1,500 people
- Chili for 300 people
- 1,100 Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- Red Beans/Rice & Dirty Rice for
- Cookies for 1000
- A giant flag cake to feed 5,400 (20-foot by 40-foot
- 8,000 bottles of water
- 2,400 cans of soft drinks
- 960 cans of ice tea