Bedford’s Memorial Day observance offered the opportunity to honor all veterans generally and to hear the personal memories of friends or family members of those who served.
Events included ceremonies at Bedford High School, a parade to the World War I Memorial, and additional honors at Veterans Memorial Park.
Paul Purchia, chair of the Patriotic Holiday Committee that organized the Memorial Day events, welcomed people and introduced the JROTC cadets. Four cadets held roses in remembrance of fallen veterans to honor their service, including Army Private First Class John D. Hart and Marine Lance Corporal Travis R. Desiato, for whom the Route 225 bridge over the Concord River was named on Friday, May 25. Three rifle volleys by the Hanscom Patriotic Honor Guard and Taps was sounded with an echo from a second bugler.
Despite very gray skies and intermittent rain sprinkles, the parade stepped off as planned from Mudge Way. Following the police escort, the Bedford Police & Firefighter Honor Guard accompanied the Grand Marshals, 93-year-old Henry Miranda and Bedford Historical Society President Don Corey. Other parade units included the Bedford Minutemen; Keynote Speaker Col. Roman L Hund, Commander of the 66th Air Base Group at Hanscom Air Force Base; the Hanscom Air Force Base Patriotic Honor Guard; the BHS JROTC Marching Unit; the American Legion and VFW Auxiliaries; members of the Patriotic Holiday Committee; dignitaries, state and local officials; the BHS Marching Band; and Veterans, some of whom reside at the the Bedford VA or at Bedford Green.
Again, three rifle volleys sounded, followed by Taps and its echo.
As the procession neared the Veterans Memorial Park, the air filled with the fifes and drums of the Bedford Minuteman Company as they played “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” and “When Johnny Comes Marching Home.”
Row upon row of white plastic chairs, damp with the rain, awaited the crowd. Nobody minded the water — it was easily wiped away. More than 150 people assembled for the ceremony. The rostrum faced 13 flags flanking the entrance corridor; one more was at half-staff on the flagpole.
Noting that fallen veterans were the reason for the day, Purchia said,” Their sacrifice has kept us a free people.”
The speaking program began with Selectmen Chair Bill Moonan. Any speaker, Moonan said, has a terrible challenge in providing words equal to the occasion, even President Abraham Lincoln who remarked on that problem at the Gettysburg Cemetery. But the effort must be made, Moonan said, because of the debt owed to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. “It is this that motivates us” every Memorial Day, he said. Even those who died would wish that no future generation ever has to make the same sacrifices they did.
Rep. Ken Gordon began by thanking all who make the program possible, including Purchia, saying “he has been making it look easy” for the 15 years he has served on the Patriotic Holiday Committee.
For the Hart-Desiato bridge dedication, Gordon said, he originally thought perhaps not many would attend a Friday afternoon ceremony. However, about 250 people came. (Gordon attributed that estimate to a Bedford Fire Department official.). He also noted the presence of the Desiato and Hart families in the Veterans Park audience.
That Memorial Day is intensely personal was also the thesis of the two student essays on the theme of “Some think Memorial Day is all about parades and BBQs, do you agree?” Neither one did.