Veterans' Day observed solemnly and musically here Thursday

by Dan McClelland

Dozens of Tupper Lake citizens gathered on a sunny Thursday morning to pay tribute with their thoughts and prayers to all American veterans and particularly those who gave their lives to defend this nation's freedoms.

Tupper Lake Honor Guard member Ray Bigrow hosted this year's observance and introduced the Rev. Richard Wilburn who offered by opening and closing prayers this year.

“Heavenly Father, we do thank you for the opportunity to gather here this day to celebrate those who have served and who continue to serve during these times of conflict and dissension. We pray for unity and we know that we are united in spirit here in this place. Bless all of those who have served!”

Mr. Bigrow announced the Tupper Lake High School Band, under the direction of Laura Davison, would perform the national anthem- and it did in rousing fashion.

Mr. Bigrow led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance.

He introduced that day's guest speaker, our county legislator and mayor, Paul Maroun. He said Mr. Maroun was retired from the U.S.Navy as a commander. He was mobilized after 911 and served three years in Washington, D.C. at the defense intelligence agency's headquarters.

Mr. Maroun began by telling the crowd that part of his message that day may be familiar, as parts of it were included in an address he gave here on Veterans' Day 2010. It was entitled “It Really Doesn't Matter.”

“Good morning friends of veterans, families of veterans and most importantly: All of the veterans gathered here in Tupper Lake; to honor all of America’s veterans.

“I could tell you the basic history of the 11’s: the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. The war to end all wars, but I won’t.

“I could tell all of you that Tupper Lake has always had an impressive group of men and women who have sacrificed life and family to defend their country, but I won’t.

“I could tell you story after story of men and women veterans from here and around America who exercised heroic deeds to save their comrades in battles around the world- from New Guinea to Germany, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, but I won’t.

“I want to focus on these words, “it really doesn’t matter.” While attending a Marine Corps ball here in Tupper Lake a few years ago, I looked around the room; there were a lot of Marines, but there were veterans from all of the branches there- talking, dining, and enjoying the ceremonies and camaraderie of the moment. Their branch of service really didn’t matter.

“Whether a veteran was in battle, behind the lines, in the air on the sea or on the ground; whether a vet saw action or sat behind a desk; whether the vet swabbed a deck, loaded bombs or served chow; it really doesn’t matter.

“What matters is this, the common bond all veterans share is an oath all vets take in which they swear their willingness to die if necessary defending America and our way of life.

“As General Patton said in one of his speeches: we eat, sleep and die, if necessary, as a team defending America and what we stand for.

“You know, an airman working on a wing of a transport plane doesn't seem so important. But until you are flying in that transport plane at 30,000 feet and you see a dozen screws fly by the window, then he's the most important airman that you have ever known.

“At General Colin Powell's funeral a few days ago, his son Michael told a story about how he and his dad entered a PX. They saw a captain making a sergeant salute him repeatedly. General Powell asked the captain what was going on. The captain replied: 'sir, he failed to salute me as he passed. So I'm making him salute me 100 times.'

“General Powell replied: 'Okay, but you be sure to salute him back 100 times because we are a team when we show respect to each other and to every vet.'

“I was at a local pub in Tupper Lake a little while ago and there was a young man and woman there who were sailors, stationed in Virginia.

“I was introduced as the mayor and that I'd served in the Navy and that I'd retired as a commander. As soon as I said that, they both stiffened up as they were at attention. I told them please stop that. We were all members of the Navy. Seamen and petty officers are what keep the Navy moving. We were all on the same team as we all are today. It really didn't matter our rank as long as we all worked together for the Navy and for America.

“To close I want us all to remember several things: our veterans are today in places we wouldn't want to be, doing things we wouldn't want to do. -And please remember this: it really doesn't matter what branch of the military a veteran serves or what their designator said they are supposed to do. We are all on the same mission. God bless all our veterans and all the people here today and God bless America.”

The high school band then played the medley of anthems from each branch of the armed forces- a popular element at each Veterans Day ceremonies in the past decade or so when the students have performed.

The performance was met this time too with loud applause.

When the wreath-laying portion of the program begam, Councilwoman and VFW Commander Tracy Luton placed the first wreath that morning on behalf of her organization.

Ray placed a wreath at the monument on behalf of AmVets Post 710.

Veteran William “Steve” Stevenson laid the wreath on behalf of American Legion Post 220.

A wreath donated by the Tupper Lake Honor Guard was placed in front of the war memorial by its commander, Mike Larabie.

Trustee Leon LeBlanc placed a wreath on behalf of the Adirondack Leathernecks Marine Corp League.

A handful of girl scouts of Northeastern New York, led by new Gold Award recipient Libby Gillis placed a wreath on behalf of their troop.

Dan Santerre and Tom Arsenault presented a wreath on behalf of Knights of Columbus Council 2177.

Mike Russell laid a wreath on behalf of his colleagues in the Tupper Lake Fire Department and Paul Maroun placed another on behalf of the Village of Tupper Lake.

The local girl scouts returned again to place the Town of Tupper Lake's wreath and Joanne Wilber placed the Woodmen Lodge wreath at the war monument.

The honor guard then fired three volleys, as is customary here.

The ceremony concluded with two more songs by the high school band and a closing prayer by Pastor Wilburn.

“Taps” this year was ably performed by Lowden Pratt.

Guests were invited back to the VFW Post 3120 for refreshments after the 17-minute ceremony.

The veterans groups here also staged a brief ceremony that afternoon at Mercy Living Center to honor the veterans there.