DOD POW/MIA historian to be grand marshal of 2023 Rockville Memorial Day Parade

UPDATE: The Rockville Memorial Day parade and ceremony have been canceled due to inclement weather

Local Silver Spring resident and U.S. Department of Defense historian Stephen P. Johnson has been selected to serve as Grand Marshal of the 2023 City of Rockville Memorial Day Parade. The parade and ceremony will begin at 9:00 AM tomorrow, Monday, May 29, at Rockville Town Square with a musical tribute by the Rockville Concert Band and Chorus. A ceremony will be held at 9:30 AM, and the actual parade will start at 10:30 AM. Roads that will close for the parade will begin to shut down at 6:00 AM Monday, and will reopen at 2:00 PM.

The parade begins at N. Washington Street and Martins Lane, and heads south on N. Washington Street. Next, the parade turns left onto Beall Avenue, right on Maryland Avenue through Rockville Town Square, and left onto E. Montgomery Avenue. Free parking will be available at the Metro lots, Rockville City Hall lots and Montgomery County Courthouse jury lot. Paid parking will be available for $5 in the Rockville Town Square garage, which can be accessed from Route 355 or North Washington Street from 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM on Monday, May 29.

Grand Marshal Johnson works as a civilian employee in the DOD's POW/MIA Accounting Agency. He volunteered for the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy’s Personnel Accounting Consolidation Taskforce in 2014. As an enlisted member of the Air Force from 1977-1984, Johnson attained the rank of staff sergeant. His selection continues the City tradition of asking a local veteran or active military member to serve as the City's Grand Marshal, and lead the Memorial Day festivities.