The Tamaqua 2014 Memorial Day Parade will be held 10 a.m. on May 26.

Steve Daderko of Tamaqua has been named grand marshal of the parade.Daderko enlisted in the U.S. Navy on June 19, 1944. He completed boot camp in Sampson, N.Y., and was sent to amphibious training in Coronado, Ca.He was assigned to the newly commissioned USS Navarro (APA-215) troop transport. Aboard the Navarro, he was assigned to deck division and was part of a three-person crew that operated Higgins-type landing craft to shuttle troops and supplies from the ship to the beach.During his time onboard, the Navarro participated in the invasion of Okinawa, transport of B-29 ground crews from Seattle to Guam, and various other support operations.After Japan surrendered, the Navarro transported occupation troops from the Philippines to Japan and participated in Operation Magic Carpet, returning troops from the various Pacific islands to the United States. During his time on the Navarro, Daderko trained and qualified as a Carpenters Mate Third Class.He was discharged in December 1946.Daderko was married to Eleanor Dalto, who passed away in 2002, and the couple had three sons: Stephen of Lake Hauto; Gregory of Overland Park, Kansas; and James of Tamaqua.The parade will form in the last block of East Broad Street in the area of the former CVS and Maff Motors.The Poppy Queen will be Courtney Kovatch, daughter of Joseph and Angie Kovatch of Nesquehoning.Kovatch is the granddaughter of Joseph and Florence Kovatch and Eugene and Margaret Perla. She attends seventh grade at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic School, Lehighton, and is a junior auxiliary member of the American Legion, a Girl Scout Cadet of Troop 34096, Nesquehoning, and a member of 4-H in Mahoning Valley.Also featured will be Tamaqua BPW's Young Woman of the Year, Emily Ward, daughter of Thomas and Ruth Ward of Tamaqua.She is a senior at Tamaqua Area High School and will attend Philadelphia University in the fall for fashion merchandising and management. Ward is a member of the National Honor Society, the French National Honor Society, and a recent winner of both the Elks Award and the Fisher Memorial Award.Also participating in the parade this year is Hannah Miller, Schuylkill County's Dairy Princess. Miller is the daughter of Russel and Christine Miller, Tamaqua. She is in her second year at LCCC's nursing program, works at the Tamaqua Public Library, and belongs to the West Penn 4-H Club.Any organizations interested in joining the parade can do so by contacting Art Connely at 570-668-5370.