Twin City Times- Thursday, June 4th, 2009
Mayor's Corner #89
After the Twin Cities Memorial Day services held on Saturday, May 23, 2009 at the Veterans Memorial Park, Mr. Joseph A. Paradis approached me and said that he was a regular reader of this column and asked me if I could write a column on the history of Veterans Park. He thought it might be appropriate between Memorial Day and Flay Day that is coming up on June 14.
Aside from speaking at the Memorial Day services, I also visited the Maine Veterans Cemetery in Augusta with my wife Pat and two daughters, Karen & Karla. I will address this visit further into the column.
First for the history of the Veterans Memorial Park, Mr. Paradis delivered his album to my office for my review to address the history. In addition I went to the park to take photos of the park itself as well as of the plaques that are affixed to the retaining wall of the Longley Bridge.
One of the plaques reads as follow: “The Veterans Memorial Park, formerly known as Heritage Park was renamed by the City of Lewiston on July 17, 2001. Joseph A. Paradis, Korean War Veteran, Prisoner of War and Purple Heart Recipient was solely responsible in obtaining the park from the city for the purpose of establishing a veteran’s memorial park. His unselfish commitment and dedication to this major project will always be remembered.”
A Twin City Times article dated August 2-15, 2001 pointed the fact that Paradis secured 1,416 signatures and 51 letters of support to include letters from the federal Congressional delegation and L/A’s State delegation as well as every veterans organization at the state and local level.
Obviously, Paradis wasn’t a one man army. There were many others who followed his lead in getting this accomplished. There were monuments to be dedicated for deceased and living veterans of so many wars as well as peace time. The latest stone to be unveiled is the seventeenth with names of veterans on both sides of the stones.
As a Vietnam veteran, my name is listed on one of the stones as is that of my deceased brother and Godfather, Lucien C. Gilbert, a Korean War era veteran. Lou, as we knew him, who was 12 years my senior, as Commander of the American Legion Lewiston Post 22, worked with others at lobbying for a Maine Veterans Cemetery to be established in Augusta. He also worked to have the 3rd bridge between Lewiston and Auburn named the Vietnam Veterans Bridge.
There is a sense of peace and a deep sense of appreciation when one visits that park. It is visited daily. Just prior to this writing I visited the park and there was an entire family of young and old that was leaving the park to avoid the rain. There was another man reading the inscription on one of the stones.
It is a beautiful park at the gateway to our city. I believe it says much to visitors that in the All-America City of Lewiston, Maine, we sincerely appreciate the service to our country that the veterans of Lewiston-Auburn and surrounding communities are and have been sincerely appreciated for their service to their country.
All of these veterans fought for and some died in defending the freedom that we so much enjoy today. They all did so in support of the American Flag that represents each and every one of us as citizens as well as non-citizens who are residents of our country. Some have even fought for our country against the country of their ancestry while their parents were interned here in the U.S. during WWII. Others fought and continue to fight without enjoying the same civil rights that they have fought to defend. These noble men and women deserve to be recognized and honored.
According to Wikipedia encyclopedia; “In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day; in August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress. Flag Day is not an official holiday”
I would encourage all readers to try to make a special effort on June 14, to make it a point to stop for a moment and gaze at our nation’s flag and to reflect on all that it represents. Once you have done so, please thank God for the freedom that we enjoy in this democracy and to ask Him to protect those who are currently serving in our armed forces here and abroad. I guarantee that it will make your day!
As I mentioned above, with my family members, we visited the Maine Veterans Cemetery in Augusta. After offering prayers at my brother’s burial site, we continued to tour the entire cemetery. We were most favorably impressed as to how manicured the grounds were as a final resting place for our veterans and their spouses.
There were flags placed at each and every head stone. It truly appeared as a sea of red, white and blue as one could see them up and down the knolls. It was reminiscent of Arlington Cemetery where, at Holiday time, wreaths are placed at every head stone. Here again, the serenity of the cemetery gave comfort to those family and friends who were visiting the graves of their loved ones knowing that they were being perpetually respected and never forgotten after their death.
In closing, I want to thank Joseph A. Paradis for his leadership in his efforts to have established a veteran’s memorial park. In order not to offend the many who have worked with Mr. Paradis in this effort by forgetting to list a name, I would instead encourage a visit to Veterans Memorial Park and view for yourself all the names of those who have worked to make this park a reality.
To our veterans and those currently serving in our armed forces, thank you for your service!
