Marine Week officially kicks off Wednesday as hundreds of service members arrived in Nashville.
Some 800 Marines will be in town throughout the week, where they will take part in a 9/11 ceremony, conduct demonstrations of various missions, and help out with community events.
They have equipment like helicopters and tanks on display at Riverfront Park, near Ascend Amphitheater.
Wednesday morning, a bugler played “Taps” in honor of Lance Cpl. Tyler Overstreet, who was killed in Iraq when an IED blew a vehicle carrying him and several other Marines.
Overstreet was from Gallatin and left behind a fiance and a 3-month old son.
"October the 23rd, 8 pm the knock on the door changes everything," recalled his mother, Jana Rigsby, "life will never be the same and there is a large part of the soul that is missing." Overstreet's Gold Star Family was honored along with him during a wreath ceremony.
Every morning of Marine Week officers will salute a different fallen comrade from Middle Tennessee.
An opening ceremony began at 6 p.m. in Public Square Park. For a complete list of events, visit USMarineweek.com.
