Sudbury’s 2019 Memorial Day Parade Ceremonies and Program

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MEMORIAL DAY PARADE

MAY 27, 2019

An American Hometown Tradition

Sudbury’s Memorial Day Parade, Grinnell Park Ceremonies, and Hosmer House Program will be held on Monday, May 27, 2019. Come, view the parade or march with us as we visit all the War Memorials in Sudbury. Honor an outstanding Sudbury citizen serving as Parade Marshal, and hear the Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute, Company F of 12th Georgia Regiment, and the American Legionnaires of Sudbury Post 191 fire musket and rifle salutes.

The Parade and ceremonies honor veterans of all wars that involved Sudbury residents starting with King Philip’s War of 1676 through today’s conflicts in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. During these Memorial Day events, we especially remember men and women who lost their lives in service of their country.

This year’s Parade Marshall  is Commander (Ret.) Frank Publicover.

Parade and Ceremonies

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE
The main part of the Parade will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Rugged Bear Plaza, 410 Boston Post Road, where the Parade Marshal, Boy Scouts, and a delegation from the Native American Cultural Center will join members of the Sudbury Military Family Network and veterans’ organizations, the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute, the Sudbury Ancient Fyfe and Drum Companies, and Company F, 12th Georgia Regiment.

The Parade marches east along Route 20 then north on Concord Road, with stops at the Goodnow Library Civil War Monument, the Wadsworth Monument (King Philip’s War), and the World War II, Korean and Vietnam Memorials at Wadsworth Cemetery.

The parade continues north on Concord Road, and at Our Lady of Fatima Church, Girl Scouts and Brownies join the marchers. At about 11:00 a.m. the parade reaches Grinnell Park in the town center for concluding remarks and final tributes at the World War I Monument followed by the Memorial Day Program.

Musket and Rifle salutes will be fired at Goodnow Library, three at Wadsworth Cemetery, and finally at Grinnell Park. These salutes will be fired in order: Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute, then Company F of the 12th Georgia Regiment followed by Sudbury American Legion Post 191.

GRINELL PARK CEREMONIES
The Sudbury Ancient Fyfe and Drum Companies will perform musical selections followed by musket and rifle salutes.  The Girl Scouts will sing and share a poem. The United Native American Council will perform a ceremony of peace. The Council has performed this ceremony for over 30 years during the Sudbury Memorial Day observance. Parade Marshall, Commander Publicover, USN (retired), will be recognized, followed by his remarks. Finally the names of Sudbury veterans who have passed since last Memorial Day are read aloud. Taps will be played by Capt. Paul Mawn, USN (retired).

HOSMER HOUSE PROGRAM
Memorial Day activities begin at Heritage Park at noon. The Sudbury Historical Commission welcomes all to visit the Hosmer House, 299 Old Sudbury Road, which will be open from 10 am to 2 pm on May 27th. The parlor will have a display recognizing town and school employees and members of town committees who passed away since Memorial Day 2018. The Hosmer House store will offer for sale cup plates, dolls, ornaments, books, and the popular Sudbury throws that feature Sudbury’s historic buildings. Refreshments will be served, and entrance is free of charge.  

Veterans

All veterans are invited to join in the line of march at Rugged Bear Plaza. Uniforms are not required. Civilian clothes which respect the dignity of the occasion (dark slacks, white dress shirt, and hat that identifies your branch of service or veterans’ organization) are appropriate. Transportation will be provided for those who wish to participate but feel they are not capable of marching along.

Parade Marshall

Accompanied by his family, longtime Sudbury resident Commander Francis G. Publicover USN (retired) will serve as 2019 Parade Marshal. He interrupted his Boston College education in WWII to serve with the Navy, reaching the rank of First Lieutenant, then returned to Boston College. After graduating, he joined the U.S. Navy Submarine Reserve. Called to active duty in November, 1950, he served in the Caribbean during the Korean War. After 1952, he occupied positions of increasing rank and responsibility in the Naval Reserve before retiring in 1972 after 28 years of military service.

Mr. Publicover has generously contributed his time and talents to Sudbury in many roles including North Sudbury Postmaster 1958-9, member of several Town committees, 20+ year leader of Boy Scout Troop 62, and a founding member of the Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute.

Early Service

There will be a musket salute by the Sudbury Companies of Minute and Militia at Revolutionary War Cemetery behind the Town Hall and at the Revolutionary War Monument overlooking the Town Center Green at 7:45 AM. A bus will take participants north to the Old North Cemetery and New North Cemetery at 8:00 a.m. where Legionnaires from Sudbury American Legion Post 191 and the Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute will fire two musket and rifle salutes at each cemetery at 8:30 a.m.  Following that, the bus will bring participants south to the Rugged Bear Plaza where the main parade will start.

Memorial Day Committee
The observance is planned by the Town’s Memorial Day Committee.  New members to help plan the 2020 event are invited.  For information, see https://sudbury.ma.us/memorialday/

Event Details

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