05/24/2026
Memorial Day Parade Grand Marshall
The Stoneham Veterans Committee is pleased to announce James Frederick White, as the Grand Marshal in the 2026 Memorial Day Parade. After decades of service to the Veteran community, along with an impressive military career, the Committee unanimously voted for his recognition, with this decision.
Jimmy is a long time resident of Stoneham. He was born at the New England Memorial Hospital in 1944, went through grade school at the East School and Junior High, graduating with the Stoneham High School Class of 1962 . After High School, Jimmy enrolled in the original Coyne Technology and Electric in Boston, to train to become an Electrician. Soon after graduating, he was drafted in 1965, and began his career in the United States Navy. He chose to volunteer for the submarine branch and trained as a Nuclear Reactor Operator. During this training, professors from Harvard, MIT, and Annapolis came to meet with, and train those in this specialized program.
He participated in six patrols in three years of his Navy service, and states that he has spent over a year of his life under the ocean's surface. He earned several accolades during his tenure including the Diesel Submarine Medal, the Nuclear Submarine Fuel and Ballistic Missile Medal, and the Honorable Discharge Navy Pin.
He participated in several important missions during the Cold War Era. On one particular mission aboard the USS Guam, the Gemini 11 Astronauts were brought aboard his ship after landing in the ocean on their mission. Years later, a stroke of coincidence occurred when he and local Navy SEAL Veteran Don Tocci, a best friend of his, realized they had been aboard the same ship during this mission.
After his Honorable Discharge in 1970, Jimmy went on to work at the Maine Yankee Construction Acceptance Coordinator. Jimmy has been very active in both the American Legion Post #115 and VFW Post #620 over the years. He has marched in the Legion Honor Guard in the Memorial Day Parades for many years and served as Chaplain and also was the Commander of Stoneham VFW Post 620 from 2015 to 2016.
Jimmy lives in Stoneham and has a son Derek and grandson Kyle who are also local. He is honored to be the Grand Marshal, and carry on this tradition of service to Stoneham.