May 1, 2007 By Steve Ferris 2 min read

An Army general will return to his Fayette County roots and serve as one of the marshals of the 74th annual Americanism Day parade today in Uniontown. Maj. Gen. Frank G. Helmick, whose father was born in Grays Landing in Nicholson Township, will co-marshal the parade, which begins at 7 p.m., and be the main speaker at a dinner at American Legion Post 51 on North Gallatin Avenue.

Helmick is the commander of the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, which is based in Vincenza, Italy.

Helmick will share the parade marshal honors with Fayette County Commissioner Joseph A. Hardy III and his daughter, Maggie Hardy Magerko.

City police will begin closing streets at 6:30 p.m. for the parade, which will begin at Uniontown High School on East Fayette Street.

Joe T. Joseph, the American Legion’s Americanism Day chairman, said the procession will travel west, the opposite direction that traffic flows, on East Fayette Street after departing the school.

The seven-division parade will turn right onto Morgantown Street and then make another right onto Main Street.

Again traveling the opposite direction that traffic normally flows, the parade will proceed on Main Street to Gallatin Avenue where it will turn left and end just beyond the reviewing stand in front of the Legion.

Joseph said the parade will be held regardless of the weather.

He said Helmick will spend the morning touring the county courthouse and visiting Grays Landing.

For invited guests, the American Legion is having a reception at 4 p.m., dinner at 4:45 p.m. and a program, in which Helmick will be the main speaker, at 5:15 p.m.

The parade will be the grand finale.