WMass honors its war dead (Photos)
AGAWAM and SPRINGFIELD — Residents came out to honor the fallen who defended and fought for the United States at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam on Monday and on Friday at Springfield City Hall.
Army veteran, Eugene Brace, 76, of Springfield greet the Gov. Maura T. Healey at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam after the service, Monday, May 26, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Sherry Carter (Red shirt) and her daughter Laura Van Deusen, (grey shirt) came to visit grandparents, Robert Curren, Norbert Carter, and Lois Carter all buried in the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam. She was joined by her children George Van Deusen, 5, and Thaddeus Van Deusen, 2. Robert was in the U.S. Navy in Vietnam and Norbert Carter was a Marine in Korea. They came to visit their relatives on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Bill Hearn, a former soldier in the U.S. Army is now lead rider for the Patriot Guard Riders in Massachusetts. It is a group that was founded in 2005 to shield families of fallen heroes from those that would disrupt the services of their loved ones. Hearn catches up with the firing detail before the ceremony at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam, Monday, May 26, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Retired Marine and honor guard commander Alan A. Ardito, left, directs the firing detail during the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam, Monday, May 26, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Maj. Jon Santiago, secretary of veterans and Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey lay a wreath at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam, Monday, May 26, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Families, friends and Western Massachusetts residents came to the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam Monday to pay their respects to those that have sacrificed their lives for the United States in one of the five military services, Monday, May 26, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Martin Kwatowski, came to visit his father, Raymond Z. Kwatowski, with his grandson, Tyler Mulville, 11. Raymond Z. Kwatowski was in the U.S. Army in the Second World War and said that he has two uncles buried in the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam along with his father, Monday, May 26, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Army veteran, Eugene Brace, 76, of Springfield greet the Gov. Maura T. Healey at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam after the service, Monday, May 26, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Air Force veteran Marvin Howard, 88, spoke at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam during the Memorial Day service. Gov. Maura T. Healey thanks Howard who she had met in November 2024 after presenting him with the Captain Thomas Hudner Jr. Valor Award. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Families, friends and Western Massachusetts residents came to the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam Monday to pay their respects to those that have sacrificed their lives for the United States in one of the five military services, Monday, May 26, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Families, friends and Western Massachusetts residents came to the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam Monday to pay their respects to those that have sacrificed their lives for the United States in one of the five military services, Monday, May 26, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Alyssa Sealander, from south Windsor, CT, came to Agawam to visit her great grandmother, Dolores C. Sealander and great grandfather, Richard J. Sealander Sr. The latter served in the U.S. Coast Guard in the Second World War, Monday, May 26, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Sherry Carter (Red shirt) and her daughter Laura Van Deusen, (grey shirt) came to visit grandparents, Robert Curren, Norbert Carter, and Lois Carter all buried in the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam. She was joined by her children George Van Deusen, 5, and Thaddeus Van Deusen, 2. Robert was in the U.S. Navy in Vietnam and Norbert Carter was a Marine in Korea. They came to visit their relatives on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno lays a wreath at the war memorial in the city center. Springfield hosted its Memorial Day ceremony outside city hall, Friday, May 23, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Vietnam Veterans of America Minority Affairs National Chair, Gumersindo Gomez had tears in his eyes as he spoke outside Springfield City Hall of the friends and colleagues he lost during his time in Vietnam. Gomez joined the U.S. Army in June 1966, and deployed to Vietnam to serve in Company D, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry of the 196th Light Infantry Brigade. After a one-year tour, he stayed in the Army for another 19 years. He was one of the veterans to lay a wreath, Friday, May 23, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Vietnam Veterans of America Minority Affairs National Chair, Gumersindo Gomez had tears in his eyes as he spoke outside Springfield City Hall of the friends and colleagues he lost during his time in Vietnam. Gomez joined the U.S. Army in June 1966, and deployed to Vietnam to serve in Company D, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry of the 196th Light Infantry Brigade. After a one-year tour, he stayed in the Army for another 19 years. He was one of the veterans to lay a wreath, Friday, May 23, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Springfield officials have lined the sides of Veterans Way for the Memorial Day weekend, Friday, May 23, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Springfield Police Department Honor Guard fire two shots at the Memorial Day ceremony, Friday, May 23, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Springfield Police Department Honor Guard fire two shots at the Memorial Day ceremony, Friday, May 23, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
State Rep. Carlos González walks over to the memorials on Veterans Way with Vietnam Veterans of America Minority Affairs National Chair, Gumersindo Gomez. Gomez had tears in his eyes as he spoke outside Springfield City Hall of the friends and colleagues he lost during his time in Vietnam. Gomez joined the U.S. Army in June 1966, and deployed to Vietnam to serve in Company D, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry of the 196th Light Infantry Brigade. After a one-year tour, he stayed in the Army for another 19 years. He was one of the veterans to lay a wreath, Friday, May 23, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Springfield Police Department Honor Guard fire two shots at the Memorial Day ceremony, Friday, May 23, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
Springfield Police Department Honor Guard fire two shots at the Memorial Day ceremony, Friday, May 23, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)
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