Springfield marks Memorial Day with solemn service

More than 200 people, including all ages, turned out for the morning ceremony under gray skies. It was held at Memorial Park on River Street and concluded with a short parade to the Black River and the solemn tossing of a wreath into the river near Riverside Park.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20110531/NEWS02/705319969/1003/NEWS02

Published May 31, 2011 in the Rutland Herald

Springfield marks Memorial Day with solemn service

By SUSAN SMALLHEER

SPRINGFIELD — Steven Brown was impressed Monday with the turnout at Springfield’s Memorial Day service.

Brown, 49, of Westminster, is a veteran. He served 22 years in the U.S. military, including six years of active duty with the U.S. Coast Guard based in California, the Caribbean and New Bedford, Mass. He served 16 years with the Vermont Army National Guard.

“Personally, I’ve had soldiers under me that did not come back,” said Brown, who retired in 2008 as a staff sergeant.

“It’s important to me, it’s important to show the young people about the sacrifice and the gift,” said Brown, who was dressed in a black leather motorcycle jacket emblazoned with his motorcycle group, Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association. He is a member of the Springfield Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 771.

“I have a lot of mixed feelings,” he said, as he watched the short, traditional ceremony, from the recitation of the Gettysburg Address to words from a World War II veteran, Ted Lindgren of Springfield.

“It makes me feel good that so many people came to this service and that people care,” he said.

Brown, who “grew up all over New England,” and is now a maintenance mechanic for a company in Brattleboro, said that the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association would be riding up to Randolph later in the morning to the Vermont Memorial Veterans Cemetery to provide an honor guard.

More than 200 people, including all ages, turned out for the morning ceremony under gray skies. It was held at Memorial Park on River Street and concluded with a short parade to the Black River and the solemn tossing of a wreath into the river near Riverside Park.

There were the school bands from Riverside Middle School and Springfield High School, and there were the dozens of kids from local troops of Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts.

Lindgren, a former state commander, said that all Americans should be grateful for soldiers’ and sailors’ dedication.

“We are indebted to them for all of their sacrifices,” he said.

Frank Poole, chaplain of the local Springfield post, urged the community to “take care of the families” of people who are either in active duty, or who died while in service.

“Freedom is not free,” said Poole.