105th annual West Side Veterans Memorial Day Parade details announced

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KINGSTON — The 105th annual West Side Veterans Memorial Day Parade will step off at 10:30 a.m. sharp on Memorial Day, May 27, honoring America’s fallen heroes.

Commander Gary Isaac from the Black Diamond American Legion Post 395 and Commander Chuck Pavlick from the Anthracite VFW Post 283 — both in Kingston — are co-Chairs of the parade.

The parade will begin at Kingston Corners and proceed to the Forty Fort Cemetery, where the annual program will be held honoring all fallen veterans of all wars.

As always, a large crowd is expected to line the parade route and attend the ceremony at the Forty Fort Cemetery.

Grand marshal

Rich Pries, past commander of the Black Diamond American Legion Post 395 in Kingston, who has helped coordinate many of the past parades, has been selected as this year’s grand marshal.

Pries proudly served in the United States Marine Corps from 1968 through 1971.

He also served as commander of the Black Diamond American Legion Post 395 in Kingston for five tours — longer than any commander since the post was chartered in 1919.

Commander Pries was also the person who started the “Homeless Veteran Fund” at the Kingston American Legion — now called the “Veteran Assistance Fund.”

Pries accomplished getting a number of homeless vets out from under bridges and wooded areas back into main stream society. He said gaining their trust wasn’t always the easiest thing to accomplish, but his perseverance proved worthy of his effort.

Pries and his wife of 51 years, Diane, have four sons — Erik, Corey, Kris and Nick; daughters-in-law, Berdina (Erik), Joanie (Corey) and Heather, (Kris); two grandchildren, Megan and Hunter Pries.

Featured speaker

Anthony Dicton will be the featured speaker at the Forty Fort Cemetery service.

Dicton, of Kingston, is married to Rebecca Dicton and they have a son Asher, 11; and a daughter Eden, 9.

Dicton has worked as safety, security and career coordinator; transportation director; and principal at Wyoming Valley West School District, where he was a teacher since 2002.

Dicton served on Kingston Council from 2013-2020.

He served as District Department Chair of Social Studies 2010-2020; varsity track coach, 2001-2017; varsity cross country coach, 2011-2017.

Dicton enlisted into the U.S. Marine Corps in 2004; completed Field Artillery School in 2006; awarded Meritorious Mast 2006, 2007; served in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006-2007; promoted to Corporal 2008; Certificate of Commendation, 2009 and 2010; promoted to Sergeant 2010; honorably discharged in August 2012.

Dicton is a graduate of Wyoming Valley West, 1994; received a B.S. degree in Secondary Education from Penn State University, 1999; a Master of Education, California University of Pennsylvania 2018; and he earned a Superintendent Letter of Eligibility in 2023.