The City of Alamogordo wishes to thank and to honor all the military troops who protect this nation and our freedom. Armed Forces Day is Saturday May 17th.
Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of Armed Forces Day on August 31, 1949. President Truman issued a presidential proclamation for the holiday on February 20, 1950. The first Armed Forces Day was celebrated May 20, 1950. The theme was "Teamed for Defense."
To celebrate Armed Forces Day, the City will hold the 32nd Annual Saturday in the Park, May 17th & 18th; Saturday 8am-6pm; Sunday 8am-3pm. We will have food, crafts, information booths, and Military displays. Local entertainment will be provided by Round Sound Records.
Gus Macker 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament
By Cynthia Pierpoint, Special Events Coordinator
The City of Alamogordo will be hosting the Annual Gus Macker 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament in conjunction with Saturday in the Park, our Armed Forces Day Celebration honoring local military members and Department of Defense civilians who have deployed this year. This year’s events will be held on 17 and 18 May 2008 with the opening ceremony at 8:00 am at Washington Park.
The original "Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament" was started in 1974 by Scott McNeal, (alias Gus Macker), on his parents’ driveway basketball court in Lowell, Michigan. It started with eighteen friends playing competitively for $18.00. The tournament continued to grow and in 1987, took to the road because of tremendous demand. Since 1987, the Macker tour has expanded, holding 972 tournaments with over 2.2 million players, male and female from 7 years old to 50+, and more than 23 million spectators enjoying family fun.
The Armed Forces Day Celebration, also being held at Washington Park will pay tribute to our local Holloman AFB, German Air Force, National Guardsmen, and civilian warriors who deployed this year. Over the course of this year approximately 1,300 of our military community were deployed in harm’s way, for anywhere from 3 to 12 months, and to many different locations. For more information on how you can be a part of this event call 439-4142.
