Paris, Tenn.–The Henry County Memorial Day event will be held at 9 a.m. Monday morning with Quinn Chapel AME Pastor Dr. John Dandridge as speaker.
The Service will be held an hour later than in other years and social distancing guidelines will be observed, according to County Veterans’ Services Officer Bob Nolan. The Tennessee State Guard will present the colors and conduct military honors and this year’s singer will be Terri Pardon, he said.
It will be held outdoors on the Henry County Courthouse lawn.
In addition to being a minister, Dr. Dandridge has had an illustrious military career, serving over 22 years in the U.S. Army. He comes from a military family, with both parents buried in Arlington Cemetery, his son is a wounded warrior and his brother was the sole survivor of the Iran-Contra helicopter crash.
Dr. Dandridge had a wide variety of operational deployments and assignments as a senior communications officer with the following: 82d Airborne Division, 18th Airborne Corps, Special Forces, 5th Allied Tactical Air Force, Joint United States Military Advisory Group, United States Forces Korea, 3rd Fleet Support Group, United States Southern Command, United States Military Training Mission, Defense Nuclear Agency, National Security Agency, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Pentagon.
He joined the Armed Forces at the age of 17 and has served in several nations around the world, including in Latin American, Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East.
He survived numerous operational conflicts, including in the Gulf War (Desert Shield/Storm) and two tours in the Middle East. In his last capacity he served as a Senior Warrant Officer at Army War College.
He earned numerous Service and Joint Service medals, ribbons and awards; the Legion of Merit, several campaign medals, professional tabs and Identification badges, just to name a few.
He is married to Dr. Janie Dowdy, who also is a minister, and they have five children and 15 grandchildren. He also is an author.