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Delivered at Uxbridge Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony

Of the hundreds of courageous Uxbridge men and women who have responded to the call to protect freedom, and who performed countless acts of bravery under fire, our community takes special pride in one resident whose heroic actions in the Spanish American War more than a century ago gained our nation’s highest recognition. Only a few communities can point to one of its own who was recognized with the Congressional Medal of Honor - the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that can be bestowed upon an individual. I am speaking of Marine Corporal Edward Sullivan, after whom the intersection of North Main Street and Hartford Avenue is named.

Area residents of today, as they pass through “Sullivan Square,” may be unaware of the important name of the site or the significant reason for its designation. What better time than Memorial Day to share the story of a brave young Marine from Uxbridge who was among the heroes in what military historians describe as one of the most remarkable events of the Spanish American War.

History tells us that Corporal Sullivan was part of a volunteer detachment who participated in the operation of cutting the telegraph cable leading from Cienfuegos, Cuba, on May 11, 1898. Facing the heavy fire of the enemy, Corporal Sullivan displayed extraordinary bravery and coolness throughout this action. The small boats that held Sullivan and his comrades as they cut through the two six-inch cables were repeatedly hit by Spanish fire and started to spring major leaks as other sailors fell around them. Their courageous action saved countless American lives and helped bring an earlier end to the war. Our hometown hero, Corporal Sullivan, died in 1955, and he rests nearby in Prospect Hill Cemetery.

Many years after Corporal Sullivan’s act of heroism, during another and better known conflict, President Franklin Roosevelt described those in the armed forces about to begin the liberation of Europe, as the "pride of our Nation," who struggled to preserve our civilization. More recently, Tom Brokaw described all the veterans of World War II as, “the greatest generation,” who brought freedom to other nations and, then, returned home to build a stronger America. 

While those words are welcome and deserved tributes, the people of Uxbridge have always had a special place in their hearts for America’s veterans. Many sons and daughters of Uxbridge were counted among the proud ranks of that great generation, and the fortunate ones who returned home sixty years ago to restart their civilian lives have long been revered as pillars of this community. 

They understood, more than most, the meaning of the words of John F. Kennedy, when he said: “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation (of our veterans) is not to utter words, but to live by them.” President Kennedy was speaking of the need to live and practice the ideals and values for which our veterans fought and died.

Uxbridge, of course, has had its share of the casualties of war in defense of our Republic. Several Uxbridge servicemen were among those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and were truly, in the poetic words of America, the Beautiful, “heroes proved in liberating strife…Who more than self their country loved; and mercy more than life!” They, and all who died in our armed forces, hold a cherished place in the history of our country and our community.

Some casualties of war even occurred far from the battlefields of Europe and the Pacific right here in Uxbridge. There are still Uxbridge residents who can recall when army aviators flying a training mission from Westover Airfield crashed in the woods off High Street on May 18, 1944. Five of the seven-man crew died in the crash, the result of a midair collision. As a lasting tribute, Uxbridge residents erected a monument to the memory of those who died that fateful day, and our community has faithfully honored them over the years as if they had been our own.

Each day, it seems, the mournful sound of taps signals the passing of more veterans of World War II, and so too, the thinning ranks of veterans of Korea and Viet Nam. They all, especially those who served from Uxbridge and the Blackstone Valley, hold a cherished place in our hearts. They, and so many others throughout the years, continue to be, for each of us, the “pride of America and of Uxbridge” on this Memorial Day, and always. 

All of the young men and women, who proudly wear the uniform of the United States today, are serving with the same courage and valor that characterized the exemplary service of Corporal Sullivan and many other veterans of earlier times. Each has answered a great call to serve our Nation on the front lines of freedom. As America continues to fight terrorism and promote peace and freedom, let us pray for the safety and strength of our troops, for God's blessing on them and their families, and for those who have lost loved ones. 

On this Memorial Day, we pause to honor all of our fallen members of the armed forces. We honor their commitment to our country, and their legacy of patriotism and sacrifice. By giving their lives in the cause of freedom, these heroes protected and inspired all Americans.

On this Memorial Day, we remember and rededicate ourselves, as Lincoln did, “to care for him who has borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan.” Our disabled veterans in the Soldiers Homes in Chelsea or Holyoke, in Veterans Hospitals, or in our communities deserve our respect and support as they face life’s challenges.

Our veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, as with those who went before, will come home with deep physical and psychological wounds that we must, as a society, help to heal with love, patience, and understanding as well as respect and admiration.

On this Memorial Day, we pray for those who are on the front lines today, especially those from Uxbridge, and we hope for their safe return home. We pray, as well, for those service men and women who are still missing in action from past wars, and we hope for closure some day for their families who wait silently year after year for some word of their fate.

This day, as we in Uxbridge honor, remember, and pray for those who now serve, those who have served, and all who have sacrificed, we join in one collective expression…

May God bless our veterans, and may God bless America!

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