As is true every year, the Vernal Chamber’s 4th of July Parade spread patriotism and excitement. The Terra Academy float won the Most Patriotic award. The Bailey Family’s float, A Time to Be Proud, was awarded the Best Flag Display. Dinosaur Expeditions float, Sharing America’s Rivers, won the Little Patriot Award and the Jensen Pumpkin Festival’s float, Life is a Circus, was awarded Most Unique. The Grand Marshall for the parade was Earl Woolley. Earl was born in Vernal in 1925. Earl joined the Coast Guard after Pearl Harbor was attacked. After being released from the Coast Guard he returned to Vernal and then joined the Army, spending most his career with the paratroopers. He served in the Korean War and received the Distinguished Service Cross Medal. The Honorary Grand Marshall for the parade was Robert Marvin Singleton. Robert was born in Vernal in 1916 and enlisted in the Marine Corp in 1942. He was wounded twice and was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for action at Tarawa. He was wounded again in Okinawa in 1945 and received two Purple Hearts. He returned to life in Vernal and was married to Flora Merkley in 1946. The couple raised a family and ran a business together. Robert passed away in 1981 at the age of 65. Grand Marshall Earl Wooley rode in the parade accompanied by a cutout of Honorary Grand Marshall Robert Singleton.
