This year’s Grand Marshals for the Vernal
4th of July
Parade are brothers who have lived most of their lives in the Vernal area. Boyd Merrell will be 93-years-old
on July 7th
and his brother, Dallas Harold Merrell, will be 87-years-old
on July 9th.
At the age of 18, Boyd was drafted into the Navy on December 12th, 1944, to serve in WWII. He was preparing to ship out on the battleship Washington when he became ill with the Mumps and his hospital stay kept him from being on the battleship when it sailed. He spent the remaining time of his enlistment serving in the shipyards in Bremmerton, Washington. He returned home in the summer of 1946, married Erma Nickell of Vernal and the couple raised a wonderful family. He worked as a Mechanic in the Vernal community for over 50 years. Dallas Merrell enlisted at the age of 19 during the Korean Conflict. He served in the Coast Guard for 3 years. Dallas then served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the eastern states, came home and married Marilyn Wills of Roosevelt. The couple raised a large family and Dallas worked for the United States Postal Service for 28 years. Both men are grateful for their freedom as Americans!
