Town of Foxborough Honors World War II Veterans
O
n October 20, 2020, the Town of Foxborough held a special ceremony to honor its hometown World War II veterans. A small parcel of town owned property was officially designated as World War II Memorial Corner. A maple tree was planted and a bronze plaque installed to memorialize the location and to honor past and present WWII veterans who called Foxborough their home. Four of the seven surviving veterans from Foxborough were present at the event; Charles Bridgham, United States Army Air Corp.; Joseph Serveiri, United States Marine Corp.; Josephine Miller, United States Marine Corp.; and Kenneth Gay, United States Army. Although their ages ranged from 95 to 99, the honorees in attendance stood as tall as they did in 1942, as the color guard from the Foxborough Fire Department marched in. The national anthem was sung by local artist Amanda Carr, who also performed a moving rendition of America the Beautiful at the closing of the ceremony. Veteran Services Director Ally Rodriguez introduced the veterans and thanked them for their service to our country. She stated, “I couldn’t think of a better tribute than to plant a tree in honor of their service, to show how much they are loved, appreciated, and honored. As the tree grows, so will the love and respect we have for our Veterans. Children will see the tree grow and ask questions about the plaque and therefore a new generation will grow to honor those who came before them. This memorial will be cherished for decades to come. Every time we drive by it, we will remember the sacrifices those heroes made.”
NOVEMBER, 2020
Speakers at the event included State Senator Paul Feeney, Representative Jay Barrows, Town Manager William Keegan, Jr., and Chair of the Board of Selectmen Mark Elfman. Keegan offered his appreciation to the veterans saying, “We are so fortunate to have amongst our community these servicemen and women who answered a call at a time when their contribution meant so much. This dedication today is a small token of our appreciation for their contribution to this community and to this country.” In order to comply with COVID-19 restrictions on outdoor gatherings, the dedication was reserved for family and close friends of the living WWII veterans. Although the crowd size may have been limited, the pride and respect felt by all the attendees towards these heroes of “The Greatest Generation” was boundless. n
“BUY FROM THE ADVERTISERS IN CONSTRUCTION OUTLOOK”
49
