By Beth David, Editor
The Fairhaven Select Board voted in June to make Fairhaven a Purple Heart Town, a designation to honor those who have been wounded or killed combat in service to the country. On Sunday, 8/8/21, the official designation was marked with a ceremony at Fairhaven’s Veterans Memorial Park on Route 6.
Town officials, veterans, and members of the public attended the ceremony that also unveiled the new highway signs that by now have been placed at all entrances to Fairhaven.
Fairhaven Veterans Agent Brad Fish thanked the veterans and Purple Heart recipients who attended the event. He also thanked Kathy and Sherry Lopes who spearheaded the effort to make Fairhaven a Purple Heart town.
“Thank you for all you’ve done for this,” Mr. Fish told Kathy Lopes. “You got this started and this is what it’s created.”
Mr. Fish recounted the number of Fairhaven residents killed in wars since the Civil War. He thanked Donald Tucker for attending, noting that Mr. Tucker’s brother [Francis] was killed in WWII, and was one of the Fairhaven’s first Purple Heart recipients.
Mr. Fish also noted the presence of James Leal, a Korean War veteran; and Lisa Rodriguez, the mother of LCpl Matthew R. Rodriguez who was killed in Afghanistan on December 11, 2013.
Marine veteran Roger Fredette spoke to the crowd of about 30, recounting briefly how he was wounded in Vietnam. Mr. Fredette said he was patrolling rice paddies near Da Nang when a mine “went off” and he and three of his squad were wounded.
“Basically, that’s how I got wounded in Vietnam,” said Mr. Fredette. “And I made it through and I’m
glad I’m here. Thank you.”
Veteran Frank Faria kept it short, saying his friend’s father, a WWII vet “was my true hero.”
Vietnam Veteran George Brownell, Sgt. at Arms VFW Post 2892 Fairhaven, thanked everyone for showing support for this “very, very important mission that we’re on, to get this to be a Purple Heart Town.”
Mr. Brownell also thanked and honored the Purple Heart recipients present and those who could not make it.
“It’s very important because their sacrifice and devotion to service is exemplary,” said Mr. Brownell.
“Whether you laid on the battlefield incapacitated or were wounded and returned to duty, you were awarded a small purple ribbon to go with your campaign ribbons on your chest,” said Mr. Brownell. “You also got a dark blue box with a cameo inside it presented to you, generally by an officer. And you got one line on your DD214 showing that your service included a purple heart. God bless all of you. Thank you for your service and devotion.”
Sherry Lopes read the official proclamation from the Select Board, which reads in part that the town of Fairhaven and the community have “great admiration and the utmost gratitude for all the men and women who have, and are, selflessly serving their country and this community in the Armed services.”
Whereas veterans have paid “the high price of freedom” and have “been vital in maintaining the freedoms and way of life enjoyed by our citizens” and many have given their lives while serving, and many have received the Purple Heart Medal as a result of being wounded in combat, the “Town of Fairhaven seeks to remember and recognize veterans who are recipients of the Purple Heart Medal.”
The board signed the proclamation on 6/21/21.
As part of the designation, the town received several highway signs from Mass. DOT for the entrances to town.
Select Board chairperson Bob Espindola also spoke, saying that all of the “important words” had already been spoken. He thanked the organizers and the Purple Heart recipients.
Then he turned to Mr. Fish’s two grandchildren, Aleah and Hunter Dilion, who held a highway sign during the ceremony.
“I think this is a beautiful picture right here, these two young children holding the sign. And your sacrifices that you made for future generations, really, this is a great picture to show that right now,” said Mr. Espindola. “Thank you for everyone for showing up for this very important event. And we’re very proud to have this for the town of Fairhaven.”
“I just wanted to say it’s an honor to be here today with the men and women and their families who sacrificed for us so we are a free country,” said Select Board member Keith Silvia. “And I’m very happy to see that the town of Fairhaven is paving the way for more of this.”
“Thank you so much for inviting us to be part of this dedication,” said Select Board member Stasia Powers, noting that she was new and did not prepare remarks. “But I would like to recognize the sacrifices and the service of everyone who served our country and especially these gentlemen and those that were awarded the purple heart and everyone else here.”
Mr. Fish closed out the ceremony with a thank you to his administrative assistant, Jane Bettencourt, for her behind the scenes work, including preparing a prayer he read to end the ceremony.’
The prayer celebrates the “valor of our service members.”
“We remember the ones who risked their lives — those who returned to us — some healed, others
healing and those who sacrified their lives,” read Mr. Fish. “Allow us to see our place, our beautiful Town of Fairhaven, in the well-being of all our neighbors, and, especially today, the ones who are the wounded brave and missing.”
After the dedication, people milled around drinking coffee and visiting.
Mr. Leal said the ceremony was a “good thing,” and he was happy he was able to attend.
Mr. Tucker said he was 10 years old when his brother Francis became the first Fairhaven resident to be killed in action in WWII in 1942. He was 20 years old and in the US Navy.
“You don’t forget them. My children don’t forget him,” said Mr. Tucker, 88, adding that they will pass his memory through the generations, and they all have pictures of him and mementoes.
“It’s good that the town recognized those of us who received a Purple Heart,” said Marine veteran Donat leBlanc. “Lots of towns are starting to do it.”
“It’s a real honor,” said Vietnam Veteran Frank Faria.
To learn more about the Purple Heart medal, visit https://www.va. gov/opa/publications/celebrate/purple-heart.pdf
To learn more about LCpl Matthew R. Rodriguez and the memorial foundation in his name, visit https://thesmilingwarrior.org/
To learn about some well known Fairhaven veterans, visit the Millicent Library’s website: https://millicentlibrary.org/?s=veterans
•••
Click here to download the entire 8/12/21 issue: 08-12-21 PurpleHeart
Support local journalism, donate to the Neighb News with PayPal.