Hingham Celebrates Veterans Day

Hingham Veterans were honored at the Town Hall Friday morning in front of family, friends, town officials, and members of the community who thanked them for their service.

Over a dozen veterans who had served in WWII, Vietnam, Korea, Iraq  and other parts of the world came together at the ceremony. As the Hingham High School band played each of the branches of military’s song, they stood and the community gave them an overwhelming round of applause.

While Moderator Tom O'Donnell recognized the living veterans, he also remembered the 52 Hinghamites who have died fighting for America.

"There are no words of sufficient eloquence to express the gratitude we owe to these fallen heroes," O'Donnell said.  "They have earned a lasting place in our hearts."

While most of the Hingham Veterans in attendance were men, it was the women veterans that guest speaker Carolyn Mason Wholley recognized the most.

Wholley, the Department of Veterans’ Administration Women’s Program Manager said she had always been inspired by women veterans and at times they go unrecognized.

She mentioned local and National veterans Sarah Shattuck, Molly Pitcher, Debra Sampson, and Dr. Mary E. Walker and told a story of each of them.

Shattuck, from Groton, MA defended the Nashua River Bridge during the Revolutionary War and captured a British spy. Pitcher, who got her name because she served pitchers of water to soldiers during the Revolutionary War, picked up her husband’s gun and engaged in battle in 1778. Sampson of Plympton, MA disguised herself as a man and served in the Revolutionary War and Dr. Walker was the first woman to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor after her service during the Civil War.

Wholley proved to the Hingham community that women veterans have played just as significant role as men have in serving our country. 

Hingham Chairman of the Board of Selectmen John Riley also thanked veterans at Friday’s service.

“We will always remember and honored the sacrifices you’ve made for our community,” Riley told the veterans in attendance.

Riley got emotional when remembering one of his friends, Jimmy Burns, a fallen Vietnam Soldier from Hingham.  He also mentioned the names of Hingham’s only Medal of Honor winner Herbert Foss, former Hingham Police Chief Buddy Campbell and Hingham resident and Battle of the Bulge veteran Pete Shaw, who was in attendance.

“I’m proud Hingham continues it’s long history of military service,by answering our country’s call in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Riley said.

After the ceremony, veterans gathered outside for a wreath laying in front of the Veteran’s Memorial at the Town Hall. Earlier in the morning veteran’s and their families were given a breakfast at the Senior Center.

Hingham Veterans Who Have Died In War:

12 WWI

30 WWII

6 Vietnam War

2 Korean War

1 El Salvador

1 Persian Gulf