 WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THIS SCHOLARSHIP: Nahant resident High School Students or Nahant Veterans who have been discharged from active duty within the last 12 months who have been accepted to a 2 or 4 year college, university or a technical trade school. 250-300 WORD ESSAY ON THE QUESTION ABOVE:
(Please do not put your name on the essay.) How is a worn American Flag respectfully disposed of? And how does the Nahant American Legion assist in this process? NAME: ___________________________________________________ ADDRESS:_________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ TELEPHONE: _______________________________________________ HIGH SCHOOL: _____________________________________________ PLEASE SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING WITH YOUR APPLICATION: Copy of your letter of Acceptance. (If you do not have your letter as yet, please forward as soon as received.) Please provide a short cover letter with information about yourself (activities, plans, interests). PLEASE SUBMIT THIS APPLICATION TO: Scholarship Committee The Nahant American Legion Post 215 P.O. Box 82 Nahant, MA 01908. Applications must be received by Friday, May 6, 2022 The winner of the scholarship with be notified and expected to attend the Annual Town Meeting, Saturday, May 21, 2022 for Presentation.
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A transcript of todays service: Welcome to Nahant’s service recognizing National Vietnam War Veterans Day. On this day we pay homage to the brave men and women who served during the Vietnam War. A war whose dates are recognized as November 1, 1955 through May 15, 1975. November 1, 1955 was selected to coincide with the official designation of Military Assistance Advisory Group-Vietnam (MAAG-V); while May 15, 1975 marks the end of the battle precipitated by the seizure of the SS Mayaguez. March 29th is a fitting choice for a day honoring Vietnam veterans. It was chosen to be observed in perpetuity as March 29, 1973 was the day United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam was disestablished and also the day the last U.S. combat troops departed Vietnam. Today we stand at the memorial of Marine LCPL Richard R. Davis who was lost on July 7, 1967. We remember him along with Air Force Major James A. Magnusson, Jr. lost April 4, 1965 as well as Marine Private First Class David A. Bingham lost January 22, 1968. Each of these men were lost in Vietnam under combat conditions. Each of these men have Nahant roots and families and we recognize their lingering pain and loss.
(Wreath laying at the memorial) May we please pause for a moment of silence for these, and all men lost during the war…Thank you. While we stand here today, remembering these three men most especially, we also recognize and honor all our Vietnam War veterans. We make no distinction between veterans who served in-country, in-theater, or who were stationed elsewhere during the Vietnam War period. All were called to serve and none could self-determine where they would serve. Nahant has a good many Vietnam Veterans and I’d like to ask those of you in attendance, whether an American Legion Member or not to please raise your hand if you served during the Vietnam War. Thank you all for your service and we honor you today! We know the Vietnam War came and went leaving behind a great deal of scars on the history of our country. It wasn’t because of the men and women who selflessly left the safety of their homes to fight the war, but rather how they were treated when they came home. Words such as blame, disparage, dishonor, and shame can be used to describe how Americans at home treated the courageous men and women who fought in Vietnam. You our friends and comrades put on a uniform, wore our flag on your arm, traveled across the globe in an attempt, in part, to stop the spread of communism and those who made it home were denigrated and vilified. You should have been honored, celebrated, and praised for your service and sacrifice. You were not. America failed you, leaving a dark stain in our history. National Vietnam War Veterans Day now exists to make sure this never happens again. Regardless of how you, our Vietnam Veterans, were treated when you stepped off the airplane and back on American soil, you stood strong for your country never turning your back. Even though many of you ended your service in uniform, you never stopped serving your country. Your careers took you down different paths of fire fighters, police officers, civic leaders and public servants, nurses, doctors, and teachers while others went on to create companies that to this day are changing the world. For some of you, a life of military service was your calling. You learned from your experiences and were there to shape, train and lead the young who would become the honorable service men and women of today just as you were honorable service men and women of yesterday. The Vietnam War generation came from every walk of life and served with as much patriotism, integrity and dignity as the war generations who came before them. Most chose to go saying, “Send me.” Others were drafted and carried the weight and worry of the world on their shoulders and did their duty. To every one of these brave souls we say, “Thank you for bravely doing what you were called to do so we can safely do what we are free to do.” Our Vietnam Veterans have taken care of one another when others didn’t understand their pain or turned a blind eye to it. They made sure they cared for those who would accept the call of duty to their country. This generation had a new task; they resolved to make certain today’s service members would receive what they did not… support, respect, and appreciation. Our Vietnam veterans stand watch at our airports to greet our returning troops with a warm handshake, support and a “thank you.” Because of our Vietnam Veterans, and the lessons we have learned from them, communities across our great country have warmly welcomed home our forces from overseas. As the father of an Afghanistan and Iraq War Veteran, I can attest to the support that you and your comrades provided my son an infantryman upon his return. A war weary Marine who needed the support that you could give, and that I could not. I thank you for that! The statistics of the Vietnam War are staggering. More than 9 Million served during this time and of the 2,700,000 sent to the war zone, 300,000 were wounded, 75,000 of them permanently disabled. And 1,200 remain missing and unaccounted for. We have only to look at the 58,318 names etched on the Vietnam War Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. to realize the great cost suffered by so many families. For those of you who lost loved ones or friends during the Vietnam War, or in the years that have passed since, or who’s loved one was listed as Missing in Action and not yet returned, it is our hope that this day of celebrating and honoring your Vietnam Veterans will bring comfort and encouragement to you as their service and sacrifice is recognized and their memory honored. So again, to you, the men and women here who served in Vietnam, Thank You and Welcome home! Bob Fields, Commander Nahant American Legion Post 215 Credits: Much of the basis for this service was from an article written by Jennifer Mott, President, Saranac Lake VFW Auxiliary Post 3357. The article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Vietnam War Veterans Day a chance to thank and honor those who served  Thank you to the Johnson School 2nd graders for writing thank you notes to the Veterans for Veterans Day 2021. Teacher Lydia Antrim delivers the notes to Commander Bob Fields and Members Clarke Orzalli & Denniss Treece.
 On May 8, 1945 - known as Victory in Europe Day or V-E Day - celebrations erupted around the world to mark the end of World War II in Europe.
The war had been raging for almost five years when U.S. and Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. The invasion signaled the beginning of the end for Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. In less than a year, Germany would surrender and Hitler would be dead. But in his speech to the nation on V-E Day, President Harry S. Truman cautioned that Allies must "work to finish the war" by defeating the Japanese in the Pacific. ==== We must never forget the sacrifice of those who led us to victory and we must study history in order to ensure we do not let complacency exist among us.  May 07, 2021 - Today we publicly bid farewell to our Comrade and Friend, Tom Gallery. Tom's services will be held today at Greenlawn Cemetery and his Nahant American Legion Post 215 will be on hand to honor his lifetime of service and enter him in Post Everlasting. Tom passed all too quickly after a brief illness on December 6, 2020. He spent a lifetime serving his country and his community. His unexpected loss leaves a hole in our hearts and community. Tom was a well respected member of more than 50 years of the Nahant American Legion Post 215 and a strong Veterans advocate. He is a past Commander and his devotion to duty, God, and Country will be sorely missed. The US Navy Service Service Flag is flying in his honor at our Post located within the historic Nahnat Life Saving Station. Rest your oars sailor, we have the watch.  Thomas W. Gallery, 75
1945 - 2020 Nahant - Thomas W. Gallery, 75 of Nahant passed away suddenly on Sunday, December 6,2020 after a brief illness. He was the beloved husband of Dr. Melissa (Tanner)Gallery with whom he shared 41 years of marriage. Born and raised in Nahant he was the son of the late Charles C. Gallery and Patricia (Larkin) Gallery. He was a graduate of the Lynn Classical High School Class of 1964. After graduation Tom went on to serve his country proudly in the Navy from 1964-1968. After discharge from the Navy he returned to Nahant and became a Nahant Police Officer. He served his community for 32 years and retired as a Sergeant in 2006. Tom was also a 50-year member of the Mortimer G. Robbins Post 215, American Legion. In his retirement Tom spent most of his best days riding his Harley Davidson on great adventures with friends or enjoying the beautiful breezes vacationing in Puerto Rico. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Tom's name to New England Center and Home for Veterans,17 Court Street, Boston, MA 02108; St. Jude Children's Research Hospital 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105; or Northeast Animal Shelter, 347 Highland Avenue, Salem, MA 01970. Arrangements by the Solimine Funeral Home, Lynn. Guestbook at www.solimine.com  Today on her birthdate (April 6, 1935), the Nahant American Legion Post 215 is honored to hoist the US Navy Service Flag in recognition of US Navy Veteran Mary E. "Babe" Driscoll Kelley. While "Babe" passed away in 1987, we recognize and honor her service.
"Babe" lived at 12 Emerald Rd., graduating from Saint Mary's HS, Lynn, class of 1952. She enlisted in the US Navy and served at Pensacola Naval Air Station from 1953 to 1956. Honorably Discharged and after spending some time in DC, came back home to Nahant. She was married to Francis L. Kelley Jr, on Sept 8th, 1962 and they were married for almost 25 years. "Babe" passed away August 10, 1987. Please join us in recognizing and honoring US Navy Veteran Mary E. "Babe" Driscoll Kelley. ***SPECIAL NOTE - The Flag is at Half Mast today per order of the President as a sign of respect for the service and sacrifice of the victims of the attack at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. on April 2, 2021  Credit - Lynn Item, April 4th 2021
NAHANT — The traveling Vietnam Veterans memorial, also known as “the Wall that Heals,” will finally make its way to Nahant this summer. Initially slated to visit the North Shore last year following efforts by American Legion Post 215 to bring the memorial to Nahant in celebration of the legion’s 100th anniversary, the wall’s arrival was postponed indefinitely in June 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Frank Guidara, an American Legion member and Vietnam veteran, told The Item last June that he was disappointed by the unexpected turn of events. “I really didn’t want to lose the date because you’re fighting against towns and cities all over America,” he said. “To be picked as one of the ones the wall would go to — and getting the dates we wanted — we were pretty excited.” Operated by the Veterans Memorial Fund, the wall — a replica three-fourths the size of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. — allows visitors to do rubbings of individual service members’ names, which are listed by day of casualty on the monument’s avonite surface. It also doubles as a mobile education center that includes photos of service members and a display of items representative of those left at the larger version of the wall in Washington in remembrance of servicemen lost. “It’s called ‘The Wall that Heals,’ and that’s a good name, but it doesn’t really describe what it is. We’ve been calling it the ‘Memorial Wall,’” American Legion member Toby Quirk said last June. “It evokes the same kind of somber and patriotic emotions that the wall in Washington, D.C. evokes. It makes it very accessible and … we expect to have people come from great distances to this event, not just Vietnam veterans and their families, but also children, grandchildren, friends of veterans. A big element of this is the education center.” Guidara added: “If you’ve been to the other war memorials (in D.C.), the Korean War, World War I, World War II, this one has a different sense to it. It’s about the young men, the young men who died.” Towns and cities across the country must enter for a chance to have the memorial visit their communities, and competition can be tough. Before Nahant, the memorial was originally scheduled to make stops in Bedford, Pa,; Clinton Township, Mich.; Wheaton, Ill.; and Tama, Iowa. Nahant is the farthest North the wall will travel in 2021. Residents of the North Shore and beyond will be able to visit the memorial from July 14-18. “I know there are Vietnam veterans in Nahant and surrounding towns who are going to have a time of reflection with the wall being here,” Quirk said. “It’s very important, I think, emotionally because you never get over some of those traumatic memories. This is another healing opportunity.”  National Medal of Honor Day is observed every year on March 25 and is dedicated to Medal of Honor Recipients. Each branch of the U.S. military awards the Medal of Honor to those who have distinguished themselves “conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity” above and beyond the call of duty, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs official site.
The Medal of Honor is awarded only to military members; it is awarded by Congress and is also known as the Congressional Medal of Honor. National Medal of Honor Day is a time to remember the sacrifices of men and women in uniform who have earned this highest of military honors. Congressional Medal of Honor Society | Official Website Medal Of Honor Award Criteria The original MoH criteria includes the following as presented on the Medal Of Honor Society official site. The medal may be awarded for meritorious actions above and beyond the call of duty: * While engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States * While engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force * While serving with friendly forces engaged in armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party ***Image courtesy of https://www.njvvmf.org/  A vaccine pop-up will be coming to the Breed Jr. HS in Lynn on February 20 (details coming later) for veterans who are 50 and over. Need to be enrolled in the VA health care system. Nahant Veterans can see the Town Veterans Service Officer for a quick and easy application (which you may or may not have to accept or participate in).
Contact: Jon Lazar Veterans Service Officer Nahant American Legion Post 215 POB 82 Nahant, MA 01908 617-549-8760 781-593-0340 fax veteransserviceofficer@nahant.org |
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