This past weekend, Hingham residents gathered to honor their veterans in the Memorial Day Service at Town Hall. This tribute to the men and women who served and died for their country was a very emotionally powerful experience.
The indoor part of the ceremony, organized by Town Moderator Michael Puzo, was highlighted by the remarks of Tom Hagstrom, a United States Army veteran, and Select Board Chair William Ramsey, who both gave very personal and moving speeches. Along with their words, Town Clerk Carol Falvey commemorated the veterans who had passed away by reading their names aloud, accompanied by the ringing of a bell. This tribute would also be very poignant, as the names of loved ones of many families would be honored for their sacrifice for the betterment of their country.
In addition to these acts of commemoration, both the High School Band, led by Brian Cincotta, and the High School Chorus, conducted by Christopher Landis, performed patriotic songs during the ceremony.
The band would play an assortment of marches and songs, including “God Bless America” and “The Armed Forces Medley”. The “Armed Forces Medley” was especially well received as it was a collection of the marches of the different branches of the military. As each veteran or relative of a veteran heard their branch’s song, they would rise and receive applause from the crowd. Freshman Orlando Vittorini, a trombonist in the band, also found the “Armed Forces Medley” to be a favorite, as he states,“It felt so good giving back to the service members in my community and I enjoyed the looks on the veterans faces during their respective military marches.” Being able to honor Hingham’s veterans through the musical talents of these High School students was a great example of how the youth can honor those who have served in the armed forces in their community.
In addition to the performance from the High School Band, the chorus also had a lovely rendition of the National Anthem. Freshman Spencer Farish, a member of the High School Chorus, states,“Getting the privilege to sing the National Anthem for our veterans is wonderful because it allows us to honor the sacrifices they made serving our country to protect our freedom. Song is such an expressive medium, so getting to use it at this ceremony allowed us to demonstrate the gratitude and respect we have for them.”
After the indoor section of the service, everyone would be brought outside for the Rifle Squad’s volley, the Bugler’s rendition of TAPS, and the hanging of the wreath of honor, all for those who served and died in battle.
This Memorial Day tradition is incredibly important as it serves to explain why veterans who have passed should not only be recognized for the sacrifice on Memorial Day, but should be commemorated all throughout the year for their heroic actions.
