Veterans Day Parade grand marshal announced

Nov 2, 2016

A former Marine and longtime educator at Wareham Middle School will serve as the grand marshal for the Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 11.

On Tuesday, Selectmen said Dan Minkle, who retired as Wareham Middle School Principal in June, would have the honor.

“This would be a good reason to come out of retirement,” Minkle told board members.

A well-known figure in the community, Minkle served for 30 years as an educator, administrator and principal at the middle school. During Minkle’s final three years at the school he was principal.

Minkle is a veteran himself, having served in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years. In 1977, he left the Corps as a staff sergeant, but continued to serve in the Marine Corps Reserve. He settled in Wareham in 1986.

Chair Judith Whiteside praised Minkle for being a role model to students.

“He was responsible the last several years for putting the American flags along Viking Drive,” said Whiteside. “It was a wonderful display of patriotism, but also a wonderful example to set for the kids.”

Wareham’s Veterans Day Parade starts at 10:30 a.m. in Besse Park near Narrows Crossing. The parade route will go up Chapel Street and end on Viking Drive. Following the parade there will be a ceremony at the veterans memorial between Town Hall and the Multi-Service Center.