Ceremony Speakers

Kenneth (Rock) Merritt—President, 508th PIR Association

Rock Merritt has served five terms as President of the Association and he proudly leads it here today.

Rock retired from the Army in 1977 - - as the Command Sergeant Major of the Eighteenth Airborne Corps.  He is the only man to have served twice as the Eighteenth Airborne Corps Command Sergeant Major.

Rock started his 35 year Army career in 1942 at Camp Blanding with the 508th PIR. He served with distinction in all of its campaigns including parachute assaults into Normandy and Holland.

Rock is one of the very few Army paratroopers with 200 parachute jumps. Rock Merritt is one of only five men selected to serve more than 30 years in the Army.