Grand Marshal Named For Darien's 2021 Memorial Day Parade

Information via the town of Darien

DARIEN, CT — Pete Kenyon has been announced as the grand marshal for Darien's Memorial Day parade, which is scheduled to take place later this month.

According to a news release, Kenyon served on active duty in the pacific from 1963 to 1966 aboard USS Bausell (destroyer DD-845.) While attached to the seventh fleet, they engaged in plane guard duty, naval gunfire support (shore bombardment), search and rescue operations, amphibious task force escort duty, formosa patrol and anti-submarine patrols.

Kenyon qualified as a surface warfare officer, a command duty officer, tactical action officer, officer of the deck (both fleet activity and independent steaming), CIC watch officer and JOOD. His assignments included electronics officer, CIC officer, intelligence officer and administrative officer.

After active duty, Kenyon served in the Navy Reserve service from 1966 to 1985, mainly in convoy duty units, and with three short tours on reserve destroyers and a final tour on the Naval War College Reserve Staff. He had two tours as a commanding officer (VTU and NCSO).

Kenyon serves as the executive officer of the Navy SEAL RDAC, an all-volunteer mentoring program to place recruits in the SEAL program. This program has a success ratio of 73 percent graduation rate. He also serves on the Navy League of the United States, CT Council board.

Kenyon's community service included 14 years on Darien's RTM, six of which he served as moderator, 10 years on the Environmental Protection Commission, including a stint as chairman. He is on the boards of the Darien Old Timers Athletic Association and the Middlesex Genealogical Society.

Kenyon is a member of Saint Luke's Parish (served on the vestry, the usher ministry and the community supper ministry), the Piedmont Club, the Darien Men's Association and the Darien Community Association.

He and his wife, Kathy, raised four children, all of whom live within three miles and went through the Darien Public School System. They have six grandchildren.