News

A day to remember our veterans

By Danielle Rines
Staff writer
Published: November 10, 2009

NEWBURYPORT — The Veterans Day Parade honors those who served the country, especially in time of war. But this year a couple of Vietnam War veterans — Kevin Hunt, director of Veterans Services, and Frank Cashman — plan to make it even better than it has been in the past.

"This parade goes back about 20 years," Hunt said. "We just try to enhance it by having members from the community involved."

Hunt said many people were involved in setting up the parade; however, he gave special recognition to Cashman for his ideas and time.

Cashman, who also helped with the Memorial Day Parade, is an eight-year Newburyport resident and veteran who served on a destroyer and ammunition ship from 1969 to 1973 during the Vietnam War.

"I'm hoping to see awareness increase among people in the town," he said. "We want to build the parade up so it can become bigger."

The Veterans Day Parade will form at the CVS on Pond Street at 10:15 a.m., then proceed at 10:45 to City Hall, with Cub Scouts from Pack 21 handing out flags.

At 11 a.m. at City Hall, the Rev. Christopher Ney of Central Congregational Church will give the invocation, then read the names of all Newburyport veterans who passed away this year.

Barron Brissett Jr. of Newburyport, an Army veteran, will then sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" accompanied by the NHS band, something Hunt is looking forward to.

"He has a beautiful voice — it's inspirational when he sings," Hunt said.

The Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Nick and Daniel Bennet, whose father Charlie is a two-tour Iraq/Afghanistan Army veteran.

After local elected officials speak, the parade will continue up State Street, ending at Veterans Cemetery about 12:15 p.m.

Following the benediction by Ney, students from the River Valley Charter School will recite "Flanders Field," a poem written during World War I. Veterans Day marks the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I.

Cashman said that this was the part of the ceremony he was most looking forward to.

"The heart of the ceremony is really at the cemetery; it's a solemn occasion and it's right to being saying that poem and those words and highlight the solemnity," he said.

Hunt wanted to express his gratitude to everyone who worked on the parade and said that everyone is invited to come say thank you to the veterans tomorrow and should feel free to join in and share this special day because it's a day that everyone should remember.

"I hope that people recognize that there are people who made a sacrifice, some a supreme sacrifice, that allowed the country to continue as it is, and that the veterans get a chance to see that appreciation from people. It's a sense of reciprocity that I hope comes out of it," Hunt said.

BY THE NUMBERS

1,100 — veterans living in the city of Newburyport

200 — veterans of WWII living in Newburyport, 82 years and older

2.8 million — veterans who fought in Vietnam

390 — Vietnam War veterans dying daily

350,000 — Vietnam veterans left, 54 years and older