[00:00:08] On behalf of the town of Swampscott and our veterans community, I want to thank you for joining us here today as we join to honor the men and women of the United States Armed Forces who gave their lives in service of this great nation. Today is a sacred day of remembrance. A
[00:00:25] day set aside for a grateful nation to pause and reflect on the cost of freedom and the sacrifice carried not only by those who fell in service but also the families, friends, and communities who continue to carry their legacies forward. As we mark the 250th anniversary of our
[00:00:42] nation and 25 years since the beginning of the global war on terror, we remember Americans from each generation of service from Lexington and conquered to the Pacific to the beaches of Normandy, from Korea, Vietnam,
[00:00:59] and to Iraq and Afghanistan. Generations of Americans answered the calls, the call to serve. Generations of Swamp Scott residents joined service and answered that call, knowing full well the risks, and far too many never
[00:01:14] returned home. We must recognize that for many veterans and gold star families, Memorial Day is deeply personal. Behind every name engraved on the monuments that we see or we speak aloud their names at ceremonies is a story, a family, a future left
[00:01:32] unfinished and a life given in service to something greater than themselves. Today we remember. Let us pray. Almighty and loving God, we give you
[00:01:47] thanks for this day, for this time of remembrance, for this gathering. We give you thanks for the men and women who served when the armed forces of our country and
[00:02:02] in the day of decision gave all. We give you thanks for their service. We give you thanks for who they were
[00:02:19] and what they meant to their families back home. We ask that you would comfort and heal all of those who mourn those who have died in military service in our community in the communities around our
[00:02:35] commonwealth and our nation. God, we give you this time and ask that your blessing would be upon us. For this day, we remember with gratitude and give thanks those who gave
[00:02:51] up. Amen. >> I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
[00:03:08] justice for all. Oh, say can you see by the dawn early light,
[00:03:23] what so proudly we held at the twilight last gleaming whose broad stripes and bright stars
[00:03:42] through the perilous fight. Or the ramp parts we watched were so gallently
[00:03:58] streaming. And the rock is red glare. The bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night
[00:04:18] that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star spangled bender yet away?
[00:04:38] Or the land of the free and the home of the brave.
[00:05:01] Thank you so much, Scout. Uh, please be seated. I I once again I want to make special note to thank our veterans organizations. As I mentioned, DAV chapter 64, VFW Post 1240, American
[00:05:19] Legion Post 57, and uh special welcome to the Captain Jennifer Harris, uh Marine Corps Lead, Detachment, Honorable Few 1302 for being here today. And I want to as I you know, when you see the these sort of events, we we we have veterans, we have people from the from
[00:05:34] the community. I think having the children involved is such a incredible tradition here that I love to see. So, I want to thank the organizations uh by name as well. Um, the Girl Scouts Junior, Brownie, Daisy Scouts of Ocean Bay, Swans, uh, BSA Troop 53, and Cub
[00:05:50] Scout Pack 55. If I could give them just a special round of applause for everything they do, they uh this week and this this whole month,
[00:06:06] if it weren't for the community, the the work we've been able to to do, if you look around Swampscott, again, please do go up and down Monument Avenue, you look at the flags that are up and you see the names of the fallen, all of them uh that those heroes since 911. Um, and far too
[00:06:22] many of us probably have either family or friends on there that we know. Well, it was not only we we it was a joint I I said it was a team effort, you know, from the the police department making sure we were safe. The fire department was out there helping us put it on. And by the way, the fire
[00:06:38] department helped us flag so many graves here in the cemetery this week. Uh whether the the scouts came out and and and I just think it's indicative of what happens. You know, I've been the director of the this district, the Lynn Swampscott district since 28 uh 2018 and
[00:06:53] I just think it's it's it's not surprising and I just want to say thank you to the community because the the community really does in a very real way come together to honor veterans. So, I want to say thank you for that. So, give yourselves a round of applause for that.
[00:07:10] And since uh thanks are going around, I think as I mentioned the Swampscott police uh fire department, uh the town administrator Nick, his office was invaluable uh select board um and I and I think we always talked, you know, Gino, but I want to say thank you to Gino for all the work. He was here at 8:00 this morning opening this up, but
[00:07:27] uh his crew over here at the cemetery, Will and those guys, they really have helped us immeasurably. Thank you. and and while we're here, you can see them around town picking up trash cans and doing the work that allows us to enjoy this community the way we do. So,
[00:07:44] thank you to them. Uh I mentioned the uh fire department, I mentioned the police department, but every day uh they help us and I think one of the things they do with our job is more than just uh ceremonial. Uh we help veterans every day. We try to and we couldn't do it without them, whether it's a veteran in
[00:08:00] need or or them giving us a heads up on veterans who need help. And I want to say thank you to them very much for that. So with that, I think it's in um fitting our first uh speaker today is the chair of the select board. I'd like to call forward Katie Field to say a few
[00:08:16] words of greetings of the town and thank them for everything they do. >> Good morning everyone. Thank you for being here today as we gather in as a community this Memorial Day. I'd like to
[00:08:32] thank our state rep. Jenny Armeni for joining us and also Danielle Leonard, Marielleen Fletcher, Wayne Spritz, Ted Douly, our current select board members, and former board member David Gishman, who uh his departure is the reason I'm standing here today and not him. So,
[00:08:47] thanks David. Uh today is a day of remembrance, a day of pause and reflect on the courage, sacrifice, and service of the women and men of our armed forces who gave their lives in defense of our country and the freedoms we hold dear. Their
[00:09:04] sacrifice is the greatest gift one can give and it is our responsibility to ensure their memory lives on. Say the emotional one up. Sorry. For me, this day is also deeply personal. I would especially like to remember my
[00:09:20] cousin, Army Sergeant Steven J. Duzio of the Vermont Army National Guard, who was killed in action on August 22nd, 2010 in Afghanistan. Um, Steve served with honor and courage and unwavering sense of duty. Like so
[00:09:36] many of our fallen heroes, he represents the very best of our nation. Today, we honor Steve, Army Specialist Jared Raymond, Marine Captain Jennifer Harris, and all those who never made it home. I wish David were here. Um, we remember
[00:09:53] not only how they died, but how they lived with bravery, commitment, and love for country and love for one another. May we never take for granted the freedom secured through their ultimate sacrifice. On behalf of the town of Swampscott,
[00:10:09] thank you to our veterans organizations, our veteran service team, our volunteers, and everyone who helped make today's ceremony possible. And to all our veterans and military families here today, thank you. Thank you for your service, your strength, and for your
[00:10:25] ultimate sacrifice,
[00:10:41] >> Katie. Thank you so much for that. Thank you for sharing because I think a lot of people in this room have stories just like that. So, I think that's really what this day is all about. So, thank you very much. One more time. Our next speaker has been a fixture at
[00:10:58] every event we have, even when she's been hobbled by injury. Um, I I think we're proud to have her involved. She's been nothing short of astounding in how much help she's brought and how many times she reaches out for us to see if there isn't something more she can do, whether it's here in the legislature. So, I want to I
[00:11:14] want to say thank you and welcome uh State Representative Jenny Armeni.
[00:11:29] Good morning everyone. It's great to be with you. Um and Katie, thank you so much for that. Thank you for bringing that home for me. Um and I think for all of us. Um I bring greetings from Senator Brendan Kiteon
[00:11:47] who sadly couldn't be with us today. He has six communities he represents. So he is running around. Um but he sends his best and um it is an honor to to take a moment
[00:12:04] to talk about the people who gave their last measure of devotion for our freedom. You know, Memorial Day is not a celebration. It's a commemoration. And in this 250th year of our republic,
[00:12:22] it's also an opportunity to think about how these sacrifices across so many generations shaped who we are as a nation. Civil war tore us apart and bound us
[00:12:37] back together. And at Gettysburg, Lincoln beautifully framed that sacrifice as the last full measure of devotion. Victories in two world wars birthed the American century.
[00:12:53] General Douglas MacArthur elevated soldiering to the divine. He said, "The soldier above all other men is required to practice the greatest of religious training,
[00:13:08] sacrifice." As many of you know, we lost our way during Vietnam. We did not appropriately honor the sacrifices of those service members. But we learned our lesson.
[00:13:25] those who executed operations Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, they were treated differently. We ask a lot of those who wear our uniform, said President George W. Bush during Enduring Freedom.
[00:13:42] We ask them to leave their loved ones, to travel great distances, to risk injury, even to be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice of their lives. They are dedicated. They are honorable.
[00:13:58] They represent the best of our country. And we are grateful. But generational sacrifice is not just about victory or defeat. The legacy of the fallen soldier transcends the scorekeeping of military history.
[00:14:15] Rather, the unbroken chain of American sacrifice and service is what binds us together. Our personal or political differences are secondary. President Bush hit on it. They represent the best of our country.
[00:14:32] Katie hit on it, too. Stories of fellow Americans committing to something greater than their own self-interest reminds us of who we are. the values that define our national character, the qualities that have enabled us to build a society, however
[00:14:49] flawed, based on the dignity of all people. In late December of 1967, a new P was brought to American soldier Budday's cell in Vietnam. This one was strapped to a board, his
[00:15:06] body broken, bayonet injuries untreated. Bud Day didn't think the guy would live. "I've seen some dead that looked at least as good," he said. "Until Bud caught his eyes." "His eyes,"
[00:15:23] Bud said, I'll never forget, were just burning bright. I started to get the feeling he was going to make it. Those burning bright eyes belong to none other than Navy Lieutenant Commander John Sydney McCain
[00:15:39] III. The rest of McCain's story is well known. But that fire in McCain's eyes was a uniquely American fire, inspired by a long history of courage and commitment to human freedom.
[00:15:56] The same fire burned at Valley Forge, Antidum, the Argon Forest. Omaha Beach, Pork Chop Hill, Quesan, and Fallujah. It is the fire of sacrifice and we are
[00:16:12] here today to honor it and to the extent that we are able to use it as inspiration in our own lives of service to our families, our communities as we work to bridge the divides in our country.
[00:16:28] We must never forget that we are the heirs of that fire. The spark lives within each of us as Americans. Our charge is to light it. Thank you.
[00:16:54] It's now my pleasure to call forward Gil Bastra to sing America. Please feel free to join me. Such a
[00:17:10] beautiful song. Oh beautiful for spacious skies for amber waves of grain
[00:17:28] for purple mountain mesties above thy fruited plain America
[00:17:43] America. God shed his grace on thee and crown thy good with brotherhood
[00:18:03] from sea to shining sea. Thank you.
[00:18:20] Well, if that don't give you goosebumps, thank you very much, kid. And thank you for everyone singing along. Really proud. I'm I'm truly honored to introduce our keynote speaker today. Brigadier General Tom Sers served as
[00:18:37] commanding general of the Massachusetts commanding land component commander for the Massachusetts Army National Guard where he was responsible for training, preparedness, and mobilization of Army forces in Massachusetts. in support of their warf fighting
[00:18:52] mission and as joint task force commander for a large number of state emergencies in support of civil authorities. Brigadier General Sers. His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with four Oakleaf
[00:19:07] Clusters, Joint Service Commenation Medal, Army Commenation Medal with three Oakleaf Clusters, Air Force Commenation Medal, and the Iraqi Campaign Medal. He's also he's the president of the board for Military Friends Foundation
[00:19:23] which was kind enough to sponsor the flag display on Monument A today uh for the week and or for um that we do every year and uh I think I've had an opportunity to work with him and see it. He just he's an incredibly inspiring individual. I'm sure it had nothing to
[00:19:38] do with the fact that you started off as enlisted, sir. But ladies and gentlemen, we're proud to have him here with us today. General Tom Sers. Well, before before I begin, I want to
[00:19:55] recognize those two young ladies and their beautiful voices. So, please give them another I I would not attempt something like that just for public safety. Uh because it uh more likely than not that this
[00:20:10] building would come tumbling down. But ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, fellow veterans, gold star families, and citizens of Swampskin, good morning. It's a profound honor to be here in a beautiful town by the sea.
[00:20:25] I'm always amazed as I come down and uh kind of pass through the town hall and get right to that kind of the seaw wall there. It's just a great area. But I'm Brigadier General Tom Solers. As was mentioned, I'm United States Army retired. I'm also the president of the
[00:20:41] Military Friends Foundation which is located right here in Swampskin. And I'll tell you the community has embraced the foundation and assist us in many ways and I appreciate that very much and sincerely do. But above all, I'm humbly
[00:20:57] standing before you as a fellow American to speak on the true c cost true cost of freedom. Today we don't gather to celebrate. Today we gather to remember. Memorial Day was born from the
[00:21:12] wounds of the Civil War when citizens first decorated the graves of the fallen. Massachusetts has always been at the heart of that tradition. From Lexington Green through the global war on terror. Swam's own monuments and
[00:21:29] honor roles stretch from the revolution to that global war on terror. They're more than just bronze and stone. They are silent witnesses to your town's character and history and most importantly contribution.
[00:21:46] These names were once your neighbors, students, friends, and family. Today they speak to us. They remind us that liberty that we enjoy is not a birthright, but a debt that we must
[00:22:03] constantly repay. I think often of the men and women I served with in Iraq. I remember the raw, quiet courage I witnessed daily. Courage that didn't come from a textbook or a lesson taught,
[00:22:19] but from a profound commitment to one another. They were the sons and daughters of towns exactly like this one. People who simply believed in something greater than themselves. As a commander, I learned early the cost
[00:22:36] of war isn't found in strategy or territory gained. It's found in the empty chairs at the dinner table. It's found in gold star banners and windows, in the strength of spouses raising children alone, and in the lifelong
[00:22:53] weight carried by those who did not come home and the comrades that did not. That is the price of our democracy, the price of freedom. These brave souls gave their tomorrows
[00:23:09] so that we could have our today's gold star families here. I know that for you, every day is Memorial Day. Your loved ones are not forgotten. Their service is not an abstract concept to
[00:23:24] us. We stand with you. We grieve with you. and we promise to carry their legacy forward. To my fellow veterans, thank you for your service and for your resilience
[00:23:40] you show every day. To the young people here, look at the monuments and the flags around you. This is your inheritance. Guard it well. Freedom requires constant
[00:23:57] active defenders, whether in uniform or engaged in your local community. Look down Monument A at the field of heroes. I hope you had an opportunity to see that today. I spent a few minutes
[00:24:12] there this morning myself and I was quite quite impressed. Shine bit of a shining spot in Swam Swamscott despite the weather this morning. But they stand in formation today just as our fallen once stood, silent,
[00:24:31] disciplined, and powerful. Let us live our lives worthy of their sacrifice. Let us teach our children the true meaning of gratitude and service. May God bless the memory of our fallen.
[00:24:46] May he watch over those who currently serve. And may God forever bless the United States of America. Thank you.
[00:25:07] >> Uh one more time. Thank you very much, General St. you know, um, consistent with what we've been talking about a little bit or I've been talking with the microphone about teaching our children about the the intergenerational responsibility we have
[00:25:24] to ensure that that next generation knows whether they whether they serve or not because less than 1 half or 1% of this country wears a uniform. now that we know as a community to teach our children that that's a service that needs to be honored that that as you
[00:25:40] mentioned sir requires that it be honored and I think here in Swampscott I can think of no better example of uh when I talked about the skeletons earlier uh in the back he's in in taller than everybody now um Adrien Leaport if I could get a round of applause for Adrien real
[00:26:04] Most of us know there's a cannon here in the cemetery that was in need of some repair and uh we've been trying to figure out a way to get it done for a long time. It still was in need of repair. Um Adrian went out there with his his
[00:26:19] his uh Eagle Scout project. And if you go out there, please, I encourage you if it if the rains too much today, go out there sometime soon, check it out. It's just an incredible the the wheels have been refurbished. They they coordinated with someone in Pennsylvania to do the wheels. He's re refurbished so much of that. It looks so so much it's a it was
[00:26:37] a World War II French cannon. And around it around it are the are the stones of World War I veterans from the town of Swamskott many of whom s served in the Yankee division as you as you know um which I was proud to serve in Afghanistan with and I think that that's
[00:26:55] how we instead of saying that we remember how we remember how we we turn that into action and I want to one more time on behalf of the community and the veterans and the and soon yeah thank you
[00:27:12] not not only for doing that, but for the reason you do it. He's heading off to VMI this year for college. So, one more time for Adrian, I'm going to make you and and hopefully before he leaves, the Rotary has done a great job. They're going to put a a stone there. They're going to uh fund a stone there that uh
[00:27:29] lists all the all the veterans that are buried in that particular area. So, stay tuned for that. But I think that none of that would have happened if it weren't for the work of Adrian. So, thank you so much. Um, thank one more time. Give it to me.
[00:27:45] So, and now I I uh this is one of my favorite parts of any program where we play the medalley of service songs. Um, so as you hear the song, if you if you recognize it, uh I will say it so in case you don't recognize it, you'll know it. But whether you served in the in the
[00:28:02] military or you have a family member that you're here supporting that served in the military, we ask that you stand if you can. If not, raise your hand while that's while that service song is played. So ladies and gentlemen, the medal of service,
[00:28:22] the United States Army.
[00:29:04] the United States Navy Heat. Heat.
[00:29:45] the United States Marine Corps. Heat.
[00:30:04] Heat.
[00:30:28] the United States Air Force.
[00:31:09] the United States Coast Guard. Yeah. Heat.
[00:31:43] Thank you. Be seated. One more time for the services. And and as I look around, I know there's a lot of people in the community here. I want to mention uh from uh uh from Swans
[00:32:01] Lynn's school committee member Tristan Smith is here. Thank you for being here Tristan so much. It's now my pleasure to call forward
[00:32:16] Henry Henry Schneider from the Boy Scouts and he's going to read a poem in honor of our 250th birthday as a nation. The conquered hymn. >> Uh, by the rude bridge that arched the
[00:32:33] flood. Their flag to April's breeze unfurled. Here once the embattled farmer stood and fired the shot heard round the world. The foe long since in silence slept like the conqueror. Silent sleeps. And time the ruined bridge has swept.
[00:32:50] than the dark stream which seawward creeps on this green bank by this soft stream. We set today a vote of stone that memory may their deed redeem when like our Cyrus our sons are gone. Spirit that made those heroes dare to die and
[00:33:06] leave their children free. Bid time and na nature gently spare the shaft we re we raise to them in thee.
[00:33:28] Now, in honor of all of Swampscott and America's Fallen, I'd like to call forward Jacqueline Raymond, Goldstar Mother of Army Specialist Jared Raymond and Raymond Harris, Goldstar Father of Captain Jennifer Harris.
[00:33:46] for a moment of silence and lay a wreath in honor of the fallen.
[00:34:14] Please, please. I now ask you to uh please join us. Please rise. Join us in a moment of
[00:34:30] silence followed by taps.
[00:36:04] Please be seated. Amazing
[00:36:22] grace, how sweet the sound that saved a rich like
[00:36:43] I once was lost but now am found. Was blind
[00:37:00] but now I see. I'd now like to call forward Reverend Mark Templeman for the closing prayer.
[00:37:22] Gracious God, we give you thanks for this day, for this time, for all of those who have gathered, for the remembrances and reflections. Help us go forth from this place in peace.
[00:37:38] Help us go forth from this place with a deeper understanding and desire to live our lives in service and in sacrifice to others. For we give you thanks. We give you praise. We give you thanks for all
[00:37:55] of the soldiers, men and women who served and died for this great nation. In hope we wait. In peace we wait. For we too shall dwell with them in your eternal habitations. And we give you
[00:38:12] thanks and praise this day. Amen. Uh this concludes our program. Uh the VFW post 1240 has invited everybody back
[00:38:27] to the post for for a coalition today. Uh with that I I would ask once again um preaching to the choir in a place like this seems redundant but I would say that I know that this room will move forward. I think that's what we need to do is make sure that our friends and
[00:38:43] family understand what Memorial Day is all about moments like this. Please uh feel free to uh check out our monument app for the it's just it's inspiring and I thank you for being here and uh I'll see everyone on Veterans Day. Thank you.