Marion Honors Vets of All Roles, All Wars

            Monday marked the 100th anniversary of the Veterans Day holiday, originally called Armistice Day, master of ceremonies Lt. Col. Joseph Napoli told the standing room only crowd at Sippican School. It was one day after the end of WWII, he said, that the day of observance would be renamed Veterans Day.

            “President Eisenhower had the name changed to Veterans Day to honor all veterans of all services of all wars to begin with the Revolutionary War right up until the present day,” said Napoli. “And I think it’s a fitting change.”

            The idea of honoring every veteran, regardless of their role in whichever war they served, was a theme throughout the ceremony. The event program read, “Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor ALL those who served honorably in the military – in wartime or peacetime.”

            To honor those who were among the crowd, veterans were asked to rise from their chairs. About 30 men and women stood, reminding everyone to give thanks to their fellow neighbors who serve or have served.

            The Marion Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Boy Scouts led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance while the Sippican School Band provided patriotic musical selections throughout the ceremony.

            “That’s the future of this country, right there,” said Napoli pointing to the stage full of students. “Somebody in that generation will be in a leadership position for this country when they reach the age for doing so.”

            That claim was appropriate, as U.S. Navy CDR Jesse McFadden, a Marion native and two-year Sippican School student, delivered the main address.

            “When I chose to attend the United States Naval Academy in 1997,” CDR McFadden said, “it was a much different global landscape than the one we are faced with today. The only major military operation that I can remember at the time was the Gulf War…

            “Since the attacks that took place on September 11th, 2001, we have experienced a drastic increase in military operations around the globe,” continued McFadden, “resulting in more than 15,000 deaths of U.S. service members and department of defense civilians in support of our global war on terror.”

            McFadden asked, “So, why is it that people chose to serve in the military? I think the answer is pretty simple. When service members first enter the military, the oath that they take is to support and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies.”

            McFadden closed with a remark from fellow Naval Officer President John F. Kennedy. He said, “I can imagine no more rewarding a career. And any man who may be asked what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think, can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction: ‘I served in the United States Navy.’”

By Katherine Martin

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