Honor and sacrifice (May 30, 2008)
By Nate Jones
Staff Writer
Families and friends from South Portland and Cape Elizabeth took about an hour out of the extended weekend to gather along Route 77 Monday morning, where they applauded a parade of police cars, fire trucks, marching bands and town officials slowly making their way to the War Veteran’s Memorial between Pond Cove Elementary School and Cape Elizabeth Middle School in observance of Memorial Day.
Temperatures climbed near 70 degrees as people walked, biked and wheeled their way to the memorial where parade organizer Jim Cox read the poem, “The Promise Kept” by Bruce Obermeyer, followed by reading a long list of names representing Cape Elizabeth residents currently on active duty in the Navy, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marine Corps.
Local resident and singer Lauren Yokabaskas received a rumble of applause and cheers for her performance of “Amazing Grace.”
Jim Hubener recited “In Flanders Field” by Lt. Col. John McCrae. The laughter of children playing on the lawn in front of the Thomas Memorial Library mingled with the words of the poem which describes McCrae’s surroundings during a battle where he worked in a medical aid station for 17 days without rest.
James Gibbons, who recently received the Silver Star for his heroic actions in Vietnam, led the parade as grand marshal and performed the laying of the wreath at the ceremony. He carefully placed the wreath upon the War Veteran’s Memorial, gave a sharp salute and quickly shuffled back into the crowd, where a few sobs could be heard over the sound of the flags snapping in the increasing breeze. Yokabaskas returned to the podium to sing “God Bless America.” Doug and Peter Campbell then played a tune on the bagpipes before the crowd dispersed either to their own gathering places or to an open house at the Town Center Fire Station.
Staff Writer
Families and friends from South Portland and Cape Elizabeth took about an hour out of the extended weekend to gather along Route 77 Monday morning, where they applauded a parade of police cars, fire trucks, marching bands and town officials slowly making their way to the War Veteran’s Memorial between Pond Cove Elementary School and Cape Elizabeth Middle School in observance of Memorial Day.
Temperatures climbed near 70 degrees as people walked, biked and wheeled their way to the memorial where parade organizer Jim Cox read the poem, “The Promise Kept” by Bruce Obermeyer, followed by reading a long list of names representing Cape Elizabeth residents currently on active duty in the Navy, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marine Corps.
Local resident and singer Lauren Yokabaskas received a rumble of applause and cheers for her performance of “Amazing Grace.”
Jim Hubener recited “In Flanders Field” by Lt. Col. John McCrae. The laughter of children playing on the lawn in front of the Thomas Memorial Library mingled with the words of the poem which describes McCrae’s surroundings during a battle where he worked in a medical aid station for 17 days without rest.
James Gibbons, who recently received the Silver Star for his heroic actions in Vietnam, led the parade as grand marshal and performed the laying of the wreath at the ceremony. He carefully placed the wreath upon the War Veteran’s Memorial, gave a sharp salute and quickly shuffled back into the crowd, where a few sobs could be heard over the sound of the flags snapping in the increasing breeze. Yokabaskas returned to the podium to sing “God Bless America.” Doug and Peter Campbell then played a tune on the bagpipes before the crowd dispersed either to their own gathering places or to an open house at the Town Center Fire Station.
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