WELD — Despite a cold, rainy afternoon close to 100 people gathered Monday, May 27, in front of the Weld Free Public Library to remember those who passed while in service to their country and recognize veterans who served in recent conflicts.

Organizer Sean Minear greeted the dozens gathered and spoke of American flags placed that weekend on the graves of deceased military service personnel in town cemeteries. Those driving by the cemeteries cannot fail to be touched by the over two centuries of devotion those flags represent, he said.

“In earlier times Civil War veterans gathered on this day at the congregational church,” Minear said. “They listened to an address, sang anthems and then marched up Center Hill to place wreaths and flowers as a tribute. Time passes and traditions change. … The inclement weather necessitates a briefer service.”

In honor of fallen service members, taps and its echo were played.

Michael Pratt listens as Margie Fish speaks about her time in the Air Force Monday afternoon, May 27, during a Memorial Day service in Weld. The names of Fish and three other veterans who served during recent conflicts in the Persian Gulf are engraved on the monument in front of Fish. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

Martha Vining placed a wreath at the base of the World War I monument.

Holidays are generally seen as a day off from work, times to celebrate with family, Minear noted. “Today’s federal holiday has, by design, a different feel to it,” he said. “On this Monday, we are asked to pause and offer quiet reflection. We gather here as a community to honor and remember those from Weld who passed in service to their country.”

Veteran David Hutchinson then raised the American flag. He was assisted by family members while other relatives watched from behind him.

“May we all today pause for a moment, thank a veteran and keep in our memory the sacrifice of those who passed before they got to remove their uniform,” Minear stated.

The new engraving on a Weld monument is seen Monday afternoon, May 27, prior to a Memorial Day service held at the Weld Free Public Library to honor veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice and those who served in recent conflicts. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

Three monuments on the lawn of the library recognize Weld veterans who served in the 20th century. One recently had the names of four who served in recent conflicts and it was dedicated Monday.

“The purpose here today is to recognize and celebrate our Weld citizens who have served our country, especially those who are serving now and in the recent conflicts,” Michael Pratt, chairman of the Memorial Committee, said. “Last fall, while talking with Sandra Fish, I asked how their daughter, Margie, was doing. Sandra and Larry were concerned that the veterans of recent years were not being recognized on the Weld veterans’ monuments.”

Pratt spoke of asking about interest in adding veterans names to the monuments at a Veterans Day gathering last November. Several veterans went before the Select Board with the request and a committee was formed, he noted. The committee looked at the Veterans Toolkit on the U.S. Veterans Affair website which identified the conflicts after Vietnam: The Persian Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, he said. Residents at the March 9 annual Town Meeting appropriated $4,000 for the monument work, he stated.

The committee formed at a Select Board meeting included H. Coval Conant, Geraldine Keim, Even McIntire, Jeannette Hutchinson, Linda Lee, Larry Fish, Hutchinson, Minear and Pratt. Collette Monuments, Inc. in Lewiston was contacted in January as the company had previously worked on Weld cemetery monuments, Pratt noted.

“In discussion about the layout of the proposed names on the monument it was decided that because of the high cost of a new stone monument it was decided that we would use the back of the Vietnam memorial monument,” Pratt stated. It was decided an eagle would be engraved at the top with “Persian Gulf Conflicts” below and space for veterans’ names beneath, he noted.

The committee determined eligibility criteria for inclusion on the monument, Pratt said. The person had to be a Weld resident when enlisting, served during one of “America’s Wars’ as recognized by Veterans Affairs, honorably discharged and wanted his/her name engraved on the monument, he noted.

Margie Fish, Air Force, Desert Storm-Desert Shield; Kevin Cochran, Navy, Enduring Freedom; Trevor Stewart, Army, Enduring Freedom and Dennis Durant, Army, Desert Storm-Desert Shield had their names engraved on the monument.

“Thank you and we appreciate all who have served, and continue to serve, our country,” Pratt said. “The placement of names on the monuments will be a continuing endeavor, and we encourage others to come forward for placement on the monuments.”

“I would also like to give thanks to all our Weld first responders, firefighters and to all volunteers who are very giving of their time and dedication to the citizens of Weld,” Pratt added.

He then shared a quote from Harry S. Truman, “Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices.

“I feel honored that I was asked to be a part of today’s Memorial Day ceremony,” Margie Fish said. “I would like to start by offering a very sincere and heartfelt thank you to anyone present today that lost a loved one to military service. I also thank our active duty, reserve and veteran service members.”

Fish said she is proud to be from Weld, raised to be a part of a community that celebrates Memorial Day with the respect it deserves. She served four years during the Persian Gulf war as an inflight refueler on a KC-135 aircraft. She was deployed to Oman during Operation Desert Shield and then Desert Storm. There were close to 400 deaths during the Persian Gulf war, she noted.

“Today we also honor veterans serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom, a United States led coalition in response to 911 terrorist attacks,” Fish said. “Over 2,300 service members died. Operation Iraqi Freedom close to 4,500. Civil War 620,000 deaths, World War I close to 117,000. World War II over 450,000, Korean War over 36,000. Vietnam over 58,000. There are other wars and conflicts I am not even mentioning. Not to mention the countless wounded.”

Fish told of speaking at a Memorial Day event in Connecticut, where she now lives, when she was asked to speak about what it was like to be a female in the military. She shared that her grandfather was in the Army during WWII, her father served in the Army during Vietnam and later the reserves.

“The Persian Gulf war was the first war that saw female participation,” she said. “I grew up in a small community, watched my mother and father do whatever work they needed to do to get by. My mother hunted and fished right alongside my father. When the Persian Gulf War began my father re-upped in the reserves because he felt if his daughter was serving, he would be serving.”

Fish said her family was salt of the earth people with a long history of farming, logging, and serving their country.

“From the very beginning I never saw my gender as a defining thing,” she noted. “In fact, in survival school I was the first to start a fire and the first to finish building a lean to. I was the only female in our group.”

Male or female we stand together as soldiers and veterans, she said.

“The soldiers that lost their lives during military service are our true heroes,” Fish stated. “They were just doing their job, fulfilling their oath and paid the ultimate sacrifice. The very least we can do to honor those lost is to thank those that still live. Every time you see an active-duty service member, reservist or veteran, thank them for their service.”

Fish told of words etched in stone near the gravesite of John F. Kennedy she saw when visiting Arlington National Cemetery over 35 years ago and the photo of it which is in her home. The words bring her comfort and speak to the bravery of all fallen heroes, she said. The words are, “In the long history of the world only a few generations have been granted the role  of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility, I welcome it.”

“So you see, the stone with our names added and this ceremony today it means a lot to use,” Fish said. “We proudly served and we understand fully how lucky we are.”