Helmbrecht chosen as Corvallis Parade Grand Marshal

by John Dowd

This year’s Corvallis Memorial Day Parade will be the area’s 104th annual event, and one of its greatest honors is to be appointed the Grand Marshal. This year, Donald Helmbrecht was given that honor, but wants everyone to remember the real reason for the day: to remember the fallen.

For Helmbrecht, the day really is sacred. He has been with the Corvallis American Legion Post 91 for six years, and has participated with a Legion in general for at least 30 years. For him, remembering those who never came home is important, not just because there is a day for it, but because he himself saw service.

Helmbrecht served in the U.S. Army doing various jobs, but started in operations and intelligence. Eventually, he was shipped to Vietnam to work with heavy artillery. After that, he served in Berlin and eventually South Korea. He has been married 52 years to his wife Arlene, who he married in Berlin. Helmbrecht served for seven years, then held various other jobs until giving 26 years to the United States Postal Service carrying mail. 

At 75 years old, one of the first things Helmbrecht said during an interview was that, though he was honored to be selected, there were “other guys older I would have liked to see” as the grand marshal. He feels he could have been chosen down the line because he has more time, but is nevertheless humbled to be recognized.

“I get to ride in the Jeep instead of marching around the block,” said Helmbrecht in jest. However, for Helmbrecht, the point of Memorial Day is that it “is a day that we should honor those that didn’t come back from the wars. That’s most important.” 

Helmbrecht expressed worry that Memorial Day may be “lost on a lot of people, nationwide.” Fortunately, he is happy to see so many veterans in the valley that are keeping Memorial Day strong in Ravalli County. 

Helmbrecht is an acting officer with American Legion Post 91 this year, and will be again next year. He also serves in the post’s Honor Guard and puts out and maintains the fatality markers along the roadsides throughout much of the county. His area includes the Veterans Bridge on Highway 93 all the way to Bell Crossing, then from the crossing, along Eastside Highway through to Fairgrounds Road, along with all the side roads in between. He cleans and weeds around the markers, as well as repaints and repairs the markers before Memorial Day every year.

He also judges and presents the awards for the Corvallis Memorial Day Parade. Every year, he tries to see the parade participants in a new light, and to pick new winners every year so everyone gets a chance and so it is not always the same winners every year. 

The parade starts at 10 a.m. at the blast of the cannon. The Saturday before, the American Legion will place American flags at the cemetery in Corvallis. On Memorial Day, they will return to the cemetery at 12 noon for the Honor Guard to do a 21-gun salute, which Helmbrecht will participate in. There, they will also read off all the names of the veterans. According to Helmbrecht, there will be over 500 names, and every year that is growing. Later, members of the Women’s Auxiliary will place a wreath in the water near Woodside Bridge to honor those that lost their lives while serving in the Navy. 

“I hope everyone has a great time and enjoys the spectacle,” said Helmbrecht. “There’s a lot of work that goes into Memorial Day.” He also hopes everyone remembers why they are getting a day off.