PHOTOS: Hingham Veterans Honored For Commitment and Courage

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

As the Hingham High School band played the Armed Forces Medley,  veterans who served in Vietnam, Korea, Iraq and other parts of the world they stood and the community gave them an overwhelming round of applause.

Congressman Stephen Lynch was in attendance and thanked the older veterans for their courage and for inspiring younger Americans to serve today.

Hingham Chairman of the Board of Selectman Laura Burns asked guests to remember veterans in the other 364 days of the year. 

Burns said the town of Hingham has taken steps to helping those who have served by giving Veteran Services Director Keith Jermyn the resources he needs to do his job.  She also said the town had helped homeless veterans and hopes that no servicemen will ever be homeless in the future.

While all the Hingham veterans in the room were men, the guest speaker, Colonel Janet Thompson, US Army (ret) spoke about women’s role as nurses in the military.

Thompson said it was tough to serve as a mother especially when she had to leave her children, but she said she is proud she set a good example for them by staying committed.

“At some point I wanted them to look back at their mom and say ‘I’m proud she honored her commitment,’  Thompson said.

It was commitment and courage which many Hingham veterans were remembered for on Sunday.

“Veterans Day is the acknowledgement of men and women who have done great things for their country,” said Hingham veteran Ernest Sofis. “They need to be acknowledged.”

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.