Veteran’s Day Parade 2011

Citrus is one of our country’s largest Veteran’s Day Parades

What an amazing day.  I am honored to have been able to participate in the parade this year.  My daughter walked with me along the route and my son played in the Citrus Springs Middle School band.

The theme of this year’s parade will be military aviators. The Grand Marshal will be a personal hero to my family and myself Capt. Richard Tangeman USN (Ret), who was a RA-5C Vigilante Naval Aviator and who was POW at the Hỏa Lò Prison during the Vietnam war.

Captain Tangemen born in 1940 and raised in New York City. He graduated from New York University and joined the Navy in 1964. After receiving his aviation wings, he trained and deployed on several cruises aboard the USS Independence and the USS Enterprise. While on combat deployment to Vietnam, his RA5C Vigilante was shot down and he was captured on 5th May 1968. As a Prisoner of War for five years, he had the honor of serving with then lieutenant Commander John S. McCain.

After repatriation, he was sent by the Navy to obtain an advanced degree in Mathematics at Florida Tech—now called the University of Central Florida. After earning his degree and one year as a flight instructor, he transitioned to fly the A6 Intruder and made several overseas deployments aboard the USS America and the USS Independence. After tours in Washington and Orlando he attended the Naval War College where he simultaneously received Master’s Degrees in Strategic Planning and Foreign Relations. He subsequently served two tours of duty in the Pentagon within the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. His last tour of duty was in the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

Captain Tangeman retired on 31 years of service and moved to Crystal River, Florida where he taught at Crystal River High School teaching Calculus and College Algebra and Trigonometry and also coached four sports to District Championships. He was named Crystal River High School Teacher of the Year in 1998 and retired in 2002 to pursue voluntary tutoring and coaching.

Captain Tangeman military awards include, but are not limited to, the Defense Superior Service Medal, three Legion of Merit Medals with Combat V, two Bronze Stars with Combat V, two Purple Hearts. A Meritorious Service Medal and numerous Air Medals.

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