Memorial Day events pay tribute to fallen heroes

By David Tanguay
Special to The Windham Eagle

Memorial Day is the national day set aside in our very busy calendar to honor, to remember, those who have fallen in the defense of our great country. It is much more than a three-day weekend to party with friends and family. It is more than the official start of summer. It is a time to remember.

More than 950 flags will be placed on the graves of
Windham's fallen veterans as part of the American
Legion Post 148's celebration of Memorial Day
this year. Other activities include a parade, a
gathering and observance at Windham High School
and a picnic at the Windham Veterans Center on
Memorial Day, May 29. FILE PHOTO  

This year, the American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 has its own set of memories as it celebrates 85 years of service to our veterans and the Windham community. The post remembers it founders, World War I veterans, leaders in the community, who established the post in 1938 to honor one of their own, Lt. Charlies W. W. Field, who was killed in action while leading a charge against an enemy machine gun emplacement.

The post founders, included Roland Ward, Commander (Windham), Charles J. B. McSwigin (North Windham), Fredrick Lovett (Windham), Harold W. Joy (Windham), Herman P. Haskell (Windham), Sherman T. Lord (Windham), Frederick H. Akins (Windham), Robert A. Partridge (Windham), Maurice L. Rogers (Windham), Harland G. Ward (South Portland), John W. Dahlgren (Windham), Joseph H. Gorrivan (Windham), Ernest Tobin (South Windham), Adolph Secord (Windham), E. Dean Pray (Windham), Harlan D. Freeman (South Windham), George W. Andrew (South Windham), Harry L. Lombard (North Windham), Lawrence H. Hutchinson (North Windham), Ralph W. Nowell ( South Windham), Luther A. Estes (South Windham), Roscoe J. Lowell (South Windham), Harold Varney (Windham), Samuel E. Whitten (South Windham), and Edward McKay (South Windham). Their names are still familiar to many in the town. We remember them as well.

The Field-Allen Post will be conducting its traditional Memorial Day festivities on behalf of the Town of Windham and are asking the community to increase their involvement with floats or decorated vehicles to replace some of the more traditional entries that may not be available. At one time in the past the Memorial Day parade was the largest parade in town. Let’s make this year’s parade an event to remember.

The preparation for the Memorial Day events starts in early May when the flags that are to be hung on the utility poles around town are assembled and made ready. Since 2005, the Legion has placed 100 flags around town in preparation for the summer and Memorial Day. The flags are going up this year with the support of the town and use of a bucket truck. The flags fly until Labor Day.

Also, during the week before Memorial Day, on May 20, teams of veterans will cover the 22 smaller cemeteries in the town with veterans buried there to replace and place flags on the graves of our veterans. On Saturday, May 20, weather permitting, teams of veterans and community members will meet at 9 a.m. at Arlington Cemetery in North Windham (adjacent to the Fire Station) to place the final 350-plus flags on the veteran’s graves. For any families or groups interested in helping, this is a great opportunity for the community to have a teaching moment and share in the flag program. At Smith Cemetery, the town is fortunate to have a group of young cadets from the Windham High School who will place over 200 flags at the cemeteries at the rotary.

Next on the list is Memorial Day, Monday May 29. This is the busiest day with multiple events and several opportunities for the community to get involved. The town’s parade kicks off at 9 a.m. from the Town Hall on School Road and proceeds onto Route 202 in the direction of the high school. The best vantage point for viewing is from the area around the intersection of Windham Center Road and Route 202. As previously noted, this year the Legion is asking for business and community support to make the parade truly memorable by marching (or walking) in the parade, entering a float or decorated vehicle, or offering a ride to a vet who may not be able to walk the distance.

There is a need for open vehicles (convertibles preferred) to provide rides for some of our less ambulatory, senior veterans. The Korean War-era M-37 truck used by the Jr. Cadets at Windham High School will be made available for our veterans as well and we ask that if any vet would like to join us in the parade, please give us a call and we will find room for you. The parade is not limited to a specific war era, any veteran who would like to march with the Legion, VFW, and DAV component is welcome. All groups or individuals desiring to join the parade should meet and check in by 8:45 a.m. in front of the Town Hall on School Road. Advanced registration would be helpful. When you arrive, you will receive a location in the parade. If you march, please do not throw items that may draw young individuals into the line of march or traffic.

The parade is a short march from School Road to the Windham High School lower parking area and terminates at the Town’s Veterans Memorial (Flagpole). At 10 a.m. the Memorial Day Ceremony commences. Our guest speaker this year is U.S. Air Force Colonel Bob Chapin. The Master of Ceremonies will be Post 148 Commander Tom Theriault.

Ceremonial events will include WHS band selections, wreath laying, the bell tolling for our lost veterans this year and the ceremonial burning of flags removed from veterans’ graves, followed by the traditional rifle salute and taps.

Last on the agenda is an open house at noon at the Windham Veterans Center with a picnic-style luncheon open to the public hosted by the Field-Allen Post. There will be a brief wreath ceremony prior to the picnic in the Windham Veterans Center Memorial Garden. Following the ceremony, a picnic luncheon will be provided.

All the events noted are open to the public. The Post sincerely hopes that you can find the time to join us for one or more of these events over the Memorial Day period and help us celebrate the years of service by the Legion to veterans and the community. To volunteer support or register an entry in the parade please contact the Post 148 Adjutant at 207-892-1306. <

Deceased veterans

Please note that the veterans listed may not be a complete list of the Windham fallen since last Memorial Day, it is based on local obituaries, and reflects the Legion losses as well as the veterans who had an affiliation with Windham.

David Buglar- USA (Post 148), Richard Daigle -USA (Post 148) , Frank DeLica- USN, Lawrence Egan (Post 148), Lewis Golden-USA, Irvin Gottsch-USCG, Herbert Hanson-USA, Earl Harnden- USAF (Post 148), Norman Harmon-USA, Timothy Horan-USAH (Post 148), Peter James USN (Post 148/Post 10643),Herluf Madsen-USN (Post 148), Paul Martinage-USN, Mertin “Tim” Moody-USA, Bob Miele USA (Post 148), Fred Michael USA (Post 148), Alvin Myers USA (Post 148), Arthur Nielsen USMC (Post 148), John Pearson-USA (Post 148), Gustavo G. Perez Jr.-USN, George Ricker-USA/NSA, James Roberts USCG (Post 148), John Brown Staples-USA, Mark Trimble USN (Post 148), Morton Verrill-USN, James Vollkommer-USAF.