Join us for a hometown parade in Incline Village! Sponsored by IVCBA and the Rotary Club of Tahoe-Incline, this local event invites the entire community and visitors to celebrate by being IN the parade or being a spectator. The best viewing is on Southwood across from Incline Bowl and on Incline Way by Incline Middle School, Parasol Building, and in front of the Rec Center and the Village Green.

Themed Local heroes Veterans, military personnel, firefighters, peace officers, teachers, health care, and other community workers are represented. Don’t forget parents; superheroes are welcome too!

Be in the parade! Types of entries include floats, classic cars, walking groups, street performers, musical groups, county, fire department, and sheriff’s office vehicles…. all are welcome.

Participants and groups of all kinds are welcome! Schools, youth groups, service clubs, nonprofits, car clubs, Veteran and military groups, your neighborhood friends. Email julie@ivcba.org with questions.*

2023 Local Heroes Parade Marshal – Don Morrison Lt. Col. USAF (Retired)

Don’s Air Force career began in 1956 when he opted for upper division AFROTC at UC
Berkeley, qualified for pilot training, and with a commitment for six years of active duty. Don was commissioned upon graduation from Cal with a BS in mechanical engineering in 1958, and reported for active duty in San Antonio, TX, on his birthday, Dec. 18, that year. Nine-teen fifty-
nine was spent in Texas in Primary and Basic pilot training and Don pinned on his wings in Jan. 1960. He was fortunate to be assigned to his first choice for advanced training in F-100 Super
Saber tactical fighters with survival school at Stead AFB in Reno and the remainder of 1960
learning the fighter business at Williams AFB, AZ, and Nellis AFB, NV, flying the Hun (F-100).
Training included air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons delivery, plus delivery of nuclear
weapons.
After a terrific New Year’s Eve party in 1960 at home in Berkeley, Don, and 13 other Hun pilots
departed Travis AFB on New Year’s Day for tours in Japan. Don’s assignment was to Misawa
AB up on the Northeast Pacific Coast of Honshu (weather similar to Tahoe). Primary mission for
Huns at Misawa was cold war nuclear alert about one week out of three in Korea. In April 1963
Don was assigned to England AFB, LA, where four Hun squadrons supported Cold War
missions on four-month temporary duty tours in Turkey, Philippines, and Taiwan. During the tour
to the Philippines Don’s 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron was re-deployed as the first jet fighter
squadron at Danang at the real start of the Vietnam War in August 1964. In early 1965 Don left
active duty and began a short job search within the aviation industry
When Don left active duty he still wanted to fly, but declined offered pilot jobs with commercial
airlines. He joined the MA Air National Guard flying older F-84F fighters then Huns when the
Huns came home from Viet Nam. Don’s flying days were over in 1975 in Huns with CTANG
when he was traveling way too much to Asia and did not believe he could stay proficient in high
performance fighters. Don completed twenty-one years as a reservist working as an admission
counsellor with local high school students for USAF Academy.
In real life, Don took a job with Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Engines in CT in 1965 and spent 32
years with PWA and GE Aircraft Engines in commercial engine sales traveling the world. Don
was introduced to Judy Barnard in summer 1966 when she was home, halfway through a two-year contract teaching school for the Air Force in Germany. The following year Don courted
Judy long distance as he traveled back and forth to Frankfurt working with a cargo airline. In
In August 1968 Judy and Don wed in Manchester, CT. Their 55th anniversary is this year. They
have two sons, Robb and family in Incline, and Greg and family in Reno. Don ran out of jet fuel
in 1997 and retired from GE in Cincinnati, OH.

Growing up in Berkeley, CA, Don spent many family vacations at Tahoe, and after a few visits,
Judy agreed that they should retire to Incline Village. They first purchased a McCloud condo in
1990 for vacations and holidays and bought their home in Incline shortly after retirement.
Earlier in his retirement, as a Rotarian, Don tutored at the middle school and the high school. He
joined the U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary in Tahoe City and was a founding member of Incline
Marine Auxiliary, a group of about twenty volunteers that assisted WCSO Marine 9 patrol and
rescue boat with their missions on Lake Tahoe. Don also participated for several years in the
Citizens Emergency Response Team (CERT). Don is a past board member and a current
member of the IV/CB Veterans Club.

Volunteer Opportunities: We need volunteers for several committees: The organizing committee, community decorating, Parade staging, Community Fair set up and tear down, and more!