2026 Texas Veterans Parade Grand Marshals
World War II Veteran Paul Hilliard
Paul Hilliard, former Chairman of the National World War II Museum in New Orleans and World War II dive bomber veteran from Lafayette, Louisiana, will be the Grand Marshal of the 2026 Texas Veterans Parade in Corsicana, Texas. He flew 45 combat missions in the Pacific Theater during the Second World War. The parade takes place on Saturday, November 14, 2026, with a Medal of Honor Banquet being held the night before at Navarro College. The mission of the Texas Veterans Parade is “To honor Texas Veterans from all wars and conflicts, and to educate children/students about Freedom, Liberty and the sacrifices of Veterans.” Previous Grand Marshals include Medal of Honor recipients William Swenson and Mike Thornton, as well as World War II Veteran Sam Meyer last year.
Born in 1925 in rural Wisconsin, Hilliard enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps at age 17 (with his mother’s permission). He served as a gunner and radioman aboard the two-seat Douglas Dauntless dive bombers in the Pacific Theater. He flew 45 combat missions (primarily in the Philippines campaign) and received the Distinguished Flying Cross (twice) and the Air Medal with six bronze stars. His life story is the subject of the 2024 biography Dauntless: Paul Hilliard in WWII and a Transformed America by historian Robert Citino.
Texas Veterans Parade CEO Aaron Johnson said, “How exciting that we have one of the last World War II Veterans from Louisiana as our Grand Marshal. Paul Hilliard received the Distinguished Flying Cross twice and used his GI Bill to earn a law degree from the University of Texas in 1951.” Mr. Hilliard worked for the famous Texas oil man H.L. Hunt before founding the Badger Oil Company in Lafayette, Louisiana, where he long served as chairman emeritus. Coming with him to Corsicana will be his wife, Madlyn (Boustany) Hilliard, his son-in-law, Jeff Scurlock, and Jeff’s wife, Kathryn Scurlock. Kathryn is the daughter of Madlyn. In June 2025, the Museum publicly celebrated his 100th birthday. Hilliard joined the World War II Museum Board of Trustees in 2006. He served as Board Chairman (2018–2020) and helped guide the completion of major campus expansion projects, including the Hall of Democracy.
He was the first and only WWII veteran to hold the chairmanship of the famous Museum in New Orleans.
Texas Veterans Parade Founder Lee William “Bill” McNutt said, “I have had the honor of knowing Mr. Hilliard for over 20 years. He and his son-in-law Jeff Scurlock and I were at SMU together. Paul did what the greatest generation did best. He did his duty and came home to employ others by building a great oil and gas company. America needs more selfless heroes like Paul Hilliard.”
Vietnam Veteran John Robinson
Born on Christmas Day in 1949 in Corsicana, Texas, John R. Robinson has spent a lifetime serving his country, his community and his family.
A 1968 graduate of Wortham High School, John was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1970. After training as a rotary-wing helicopter repairman, he served in Vietnam with Alpha Company, 159th Aviation Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, where he worked on CH-47 Chinook helicopters. His military service also took him to Fort Hood, Germany and Fort Bragg before he completed his service in 1978.
John and his wife, Diana, married in 1971 and have built a wonderful family together, including two children, Michael and Melissa, and four grandchildren.
John’s commitment to service continued throughout his civilian life. He spent 17 years with Central Freight Lines, five years with Riley Transport and 16 years with the Texas Department of Transportation before retiring in 2014.
For more than four decades, John has given back to his community as a volunteer firefighter with the Retreat Fire Department. He has also volunteered with the American Red Cross for 11 years and is a charter member and current Secretary-Treasurer of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1009, the Navarro Rifles.
Since 1986, John has served as an alderman for the City of Retreat, demonstrating an extraordinary commitment to civic service.
Today, John and Diana enjoy retirement, traveling and spending time with their children and grandchildren. Yet John remains dedicated to helping others—a commitment that has defined his life and earned him the respect and gratitude of countless people throughout his community.
A soldier. A firefighter. A veteran. A public servant. A husband, father and grandfather. John R. Robinson is, above all, a man who has spent his life serving others.