A Grateful Town Remembers

Town flag at half staff Amherst town center

Over 100 people of all ages and walks of life turned out at the VFW Post 754 this morning -- including police, fire, politicians, veterans and families -- to honor and remember all those who have paid the ultimate price to keep us free.

A reminder of course that freedom is never free and must be defended with utmost vigilance, as the men and women of our armed forces have done for 240 years.

 Master of Ceremonies Selectman Doug Slaughter.  Flowers from SB and Boys & Girl Scouts

Guest speaker Ray Elliot, who served four years in the South Pacific, reminded the crowd how far we've come as a nation in the past 100 years.

 Ray Elliot

His father before him, William S Elliot, a Buffalo Soldier, had served in France in WW1 after white commanders in the US refused to lead black soldiers in battle because they questioned their intelligence and bravery.

 William S. Elliot

His all black squadron would go on to win the highest honor France could bestow on troops -- black or white.

Even on that infamous December 7th, "a date which will live in infamy", the US army was still segregated.  Ray Elliot told the hushed audience he was once chased down by a white crowd in Biloxi, Mississippi when he strayed outside the black district, fearing he would be lynched.

Black troops would flash each other a "Double V Victory" sign using both hands to indicate not only victory over the Axis powers trying to enslave the world, but also as a sign of victory over racism at home.  

At the conclusion of his speech, which had centered around respect, he was given a standing ovation.

 State Representative Ellen Story

In her last appearance at a Memorial Day ceremony as our State Representative  Ellen Story reminded us that this somber ceremony tradition started out soon after the Civil War when citizens would visit cemeteries to leave flowers on the graves of the fallen, both Union and Confederate.

Veterans Agent Steven Connor

Steven Connor announced The Healing Wall, a portable version of the iconic Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. will be coming to the Eastern States Exposition this August.

The names of all 58,307 troops killed or MIA, out of 3 million who served during that controversial conflict, are inscribed on the wall so we as a nation can never forget them.

Today we also remembered all those Amherst residents who served their country, lived to tell about it, but have passed away since our last Memorial Day:

 

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Remembering Those Who Gave Their All

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Almost 200 everyday citizens of all ages gathered at the 60+ year old War Memorial Pool to honor and remember those who gave their "last measure of devotion," so we can enjoy all our days ahead.  

Less than 1% of our fellow Americans now serve in the military, and only a minuscule percentage of them will die in the line of duty.

Not overly comforting for the spouse, parents, sons and daughters, extended family, friends and neighbors of those unlucky few.

So once a year, for all too brief of time, we come together as one to show our appreciation; lament the loss; and renew the vow to never forget.

Never, never, never.

The Parade started in town center under threatening skies, led by VFW Post 754 and American Legion Post 148 joint Color Guard, and wound its way the .6 miles to the War Memorial Pool.

 Color Guard (escorted by APD)

AFD rolls through town center

APD marches through town center

Girl Scout Troops

Hopkins Academy Marching Band

A bevy of blue

Representative Ellen Story addresses crowd.  Select Board and Town Manager seated

The always haunting "taps"

Sacred West Cemetery:  flags dot the graves of those who served throughout Amherst history

So Future Generations Remember

Reverend John Balcom, a WW2 vet, at the podium enthralling a young listener 

While the Amherst Memorial Day parade portion of the remembrance is a brief affair, taking only 10 minutes to clear town center, the ceremony at the War Memorial Field is a lot longer and far more somber.



But the solemn event was still punctuated by unscripted reminders of what our freedom represents:  the rights of children to grow up in a land that respects individuality, allowing you -- nay, even encouraging you -- to stand out from the crowd.

 A young spectator checks the volume levels on a speaker for the Town Manager

A photogenic young lad strikes a prayerful pose

Amherst town leaders do what leaders do:  lead the parade thru Amherst Town center

Girl Scouts and a dog

 

Rounding a corner at War Memorial Field

Good sized crowd in attendance

VFW and Legion Color Guard, APD salute

Representative Ellen Story reminds the crowd that 750,000 Americans perished in the Civil War

 

Amherst Regional High School Chorale 

AFD Chaplain Bruce Arbour gives keynote address

Long Remembered

 Southwick cemetery a little before noon

Under a picture perfect clear-as-the-eye-can-see blue sky with just enough breeze to bring the flags and pendants and "colors" snapping to life, today was a Memorial Day to remember.  As they all should be.

Counting Hadley's parade yesterday I managed to attend three small town Memorial Day celebrations -- Amherst, Hadley and Southwick -- and if my kids were queried  Hadley would probably win "best in show" but only because of the quantity of candy thrown from the procession.

Kids scramble for candy

Marching bands, police, fire, military, tractors, trucks, antique cars, boy scouts, girl scouts, politicians all marching before crowds of thankful cheering spectators.  The only thing missing -- thanks to the "sequester" -- were those magnificent war birds screaming low and fast in tight formation causing all eyes to instantly snap skyward. 

And instantly make you think, "Thank God they are ours."

Memorial Day without a flyover is kind of like an Irish wake without a toast. 

Amherst

 

Amherst Color Guard

APD

 

AFD

Veteran Agent, Amherst Politicians

Hadley

 

UMPD

 

Boy Scouts

 

Hadley Politicians and Senator Rosenberg

Tractors

Antique Truck

Remember

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Remembering Misty

As millions of Americans from sea to shining sea marked the day with somber ceremonies commemorating those military men and women who gave up their lives in service to our country, the Ghost Bike reappeared for the one-year anniversary of the untimely demise of lone cyclist Misty Bassi, heading to work on a bright sunny Memorial Day morning only days after graduating from Umass (also her employer) unfortunately fated to interact with a distracted driver who fled the horrific scene.

The family recently endowed a scholarship to University Without Walls so others can pick up where Misty left off.

The Springfield Republican reported

But above all, she's remembered in the hearts and minds of friends, family and many who never met her: Misty is the Poster Child reminding us that those we hold most dear, without warning or regards to fairness, can be suddenly ripped away...forever.

History should always note and long remember...

As we prepare for this most memorable of solemn holidays to honor those who gave their "last measure of devotion" keeping us free--perhaps it is time we consider imbuing another day with this ritualistic reinforcement designed to make Americans momentarily pause and, hopefully, to remember.

Especially since the state is considering eliminating two hack holidays for some state employees--Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day.

How about remembering that stunning morning.

Yes perhaps for any of us alive of an age old enough to understand rudimentary communication, 9/11 is forever seared into memory; a combination of shock, horror or perhaps guilt over feeling relieved it was not you or a loved one aboard those airplanes or trapped in those burning buildings.

But time creeps forward, so someday 9/11 will be a distant memory. We pause now to remember all those who perished for their country over our entire history. A hundred years hence none of us will be around to remember.

Hopefully we will have passed it down to our children and told them to pass it down to their children the awful damage inflicted that otherwise gorgeous Tuesday morning in America.

Declaring 9/11 a national holiday will go a long way to ensure that. And what better state to start than Massachusetts, where half the four planes--the two that created the most carnage--debarked from?