Fort Fairfied Vets’ memorial dedicated
FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — A new veterans’ memorial, sponsored by the VFW Paul Lockhart Post 6187, was dedicated in Fort Fairfield on Tuesday, November 11 at 1:00 p.m. at 130 Presque Isle Street next to the VFW Post 6187. The memorial consists of 10 flagpoles and seven granite stones — one for every war, and an additional larger stone in the center with four granite benches found in the perimeter.
Various speakers and members of the VFW and its auxiliary addressed a crowd of over 100 about what Veterans Day meant to them.
Junior Vice Commander of Post 6187 John Holschuh opened up the memorial by thanking those who were in attendance. Holschuh then introduced Danny Devoe, representing Gov. Paul LePage’s office, who read a letter from the governor addressing the new memorial and Veterans Day.
“To Ann and me, there is no greater satisfaction then honoring our military heroes. The sacrifices of Maine’s veterans mean so much to my family. We have a responsibility as Americans to thank and our past and present military members,’ LePage said in a note read by Devoe.
VFW State Commander of Maine, Ronald Smith, also spoke highly of the nation’s military heroes and the sacrifices made for our country.
“Many have borne under the burden, experienced the fatigue and the pain of war in order to bring us peace for our nation. Those who served have joined together like no other, a bond of camaraderie and commitment that only servicing our country can produce,” Smith said.
Smith also gave a statistic that only 1 percent of the nation’s population has served in the war, something he called a “minority.”
“Let’s take the opportunity to celebrate their service to our nation, to demonstrate our appreciation that we have for our military, and to inspire future generations to inspire and dedicate themselves in the many that have come before us,” Smith said.
In all, veterans from World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Gulf War, and the Iraq War were all in attendance at the ceremony. Paul Rediker, a Fort Fairfield resident and Vietnam War veteran, spoke about what the memorial meant to him.
“This is a beautiful piece of work,” Rediker said, referring to the memorial behind him. “We owe John a great deal of gratitude for keeping us at it to do it. The memorial reminds me of an old Vietnam saying, ‘Welcome home, brother.’ This does it for us,” Rediker said.
Gulf War veteran Mike Willette, a recently elected legislator from Presque Isle, also spoke about what the memorial means to him.
“In the Willette family, we’ve had many family members serve in the armed forces. We have covered all of the branches of service. Every day, I wake up and remember those I served with in the Gulf War. For me, this memorial at the 6187 Post in Fort Fairfield is not just a stone monument. It’s a reminder that our freedoms came at a high cost,” Willette said.
A wreath-laying ceremony was then held by representatives of various organizations, including the Korean War auxiliary, the Royal Canadian Legion Auxiliary, the RCMP, Knights of Columbus, Canadian Army, and the U.S. Customs & Border. Finally, a roll of honor was held for all of past members of Post 6187, stretching back to World War I.
Smith then presented Holschuh with a surprise plaque, telling him and the crowd that the project couldn’t have been possible without him. Holschuh concluded that the memorial is certainly far from being finished with Phase II to begin sometime next year. The ceremony concluded with light refreshments served inside the VFW post.
For more information on ordering a brick paver in the memorial, contact Holschuh at 472-6005.
