U.S. Naval Academy Silent Drill Team taking part in Southeast NC Veterans Parade

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — For the first time since the Southeast North Carolina Veterans Parade started in 2017, the U.S. Naval Academy’s Silent Drill Team will perform its precision maneuvers as part of this year’s parade.

The marchers step off at 11:00 a.m. on November 11th on Third Street in downtown Wilmington. The parade follows a route along Third Street from Hanover Street to Market Street.

The Silent Drill Team, also known as the Jolly Rogers, is among about 90 units scheduled to march in the parade.

The Jolly Rogers are also scheduled to perform during pre-parade activities starting at 10:00 a.m. in front of City Hall on Third Street in downtown Wilmington.

“The idea and goal of the Silent Drill Team is to show the best of the United States Naval Academy Brigade’s teamwork and discipline,” Brian Lee McClain said. “We are exemplars of those qualities.”

The demonstration drills include team members spinning rifles, weighing a little more than 10 pounds, with fixed bayonets and throwing the rifles over their heads.

“We have one full routine that we usually do for parades at the academy,” McClain said. “If we’re constrained by time, like a football halftime where we’re given a specific amount of time and it’s shorter than our parade performance, then we have an auxiliary performance that is shorter on time but hits a lot of the high notes of the main performance.”

The team has two main uniforms – a black uniform with gold buttons that run up from their waists to their necks, and full white uniforms. The Jolly Rogers will be wearing their black uniforms in Wilmington.