PARIS — Share your stories.
That was the message state Sen. James Hamper, R-Oxford, gave to hundreds of veterans and their families gathered for a Veterans Day ceremony at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School on Tuesday.
Hamper said he was inspired by a conversation he had with a woman in her 60s whose father was a World War II veteran. She knew very little about his war record, but her husband had researched the many medals his father-in-law had earned during the war. Her husband said her father was either “’a crazy SOB or he was a hero,’” Hamper said.
“But she didn’t have his stories,” he said. “He went to the grave without leaving his stories.”
The senator said in preparation for his Veterans Day speech he looked through the Lewiston Sun Journal and identified a dozen veterans who had passed away in one week.
“We’re losing you guys,” Hamper said. “We’re losing a bunch of you. We should not lose your stories. Share them with your families.”
After the legislator’s remarks, Master of Ceremonies Neil Bickford, past commander of Anderson-Staples American Legion Post 112 in Oxford, introduced a 15-minute video highlighting Bob Hope’s USO tours. The video was put together by Post 112 Adjutant Robert Lavertu.
Hope, one of the great entertainers of the 20th century, began taking his popular radio show on the road when the United States joined World War II. The United Service Organization sent Hollywood and radio entertainers to perform for military personnel at bases in North Africa, Europe and the South Pacific.
From then until his last show in 1990 when he entertained the troops participating in Operation Desert Shield in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on his final USO tour, Hope brought his USO tours to thousands of servicemen and women in Korea, South Vietnam and many other bases around the world.
The Veterans Day event ended with a plea from veterans to visit those living in Veterans’ Homes.
Tuesday’s ceremony was coordinated by the American Legion Post 112 and included color guards from American Legion posts, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Boy Scout troops. The Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School band played patriotic music and a letter was read from U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, calling for more services for veterans.
ldixon@sunjournal.com
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- World War II veteran Frank Flanders of Norway tells a story during the annual Veterans Day ceremony at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School on Tuesday morning. State Sen. Jim Hamper (R-Oxford) encouraged veterans to share their stories before those stories are lost for good. Flanders, 94, then stood in front of a crowd and did.
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- World War II veteran Frank Flanders, 94, of Norway speaks during the annual Veterans Day ceremony at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in Paris on Tuesday. State Sen. James Hamper, R-Oxford, encouraged veterans to share their stories.
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- U.S. Navy veteran Art Hill, left, of Norway talks with U.S. Marine Corps veteran Gilbert Turner of South Paris before the annual Veterans Day ceremony at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in Paris on Tuesday morning.
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- U.S. Navy veterans Art and Jo Ann Hill of Norway stand while the colors are posted during the annual Veterans Day ceremony at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in Paris on Tuesday morning.
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- World War II veteran Frank Flanders of Norway talks with Myrtle Cadenelli of Norway following the annual Veterans Day ceremony at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in Paris on Tuesday morning. State Sen. Jim Hamper, R-Oxford, encouraged veterans to share their stories. Flanders, 94, stood in front of a crowd and did. Cadenelli, 95, later approached Flanders to tell him a story about her late husband, World War II veteran Joe Cadenelli.
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- U.S. Navy veteran John Crumpton, 90, of Oxford attends the annual Veterans Day ceremony at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in Paris on Tuesday morning.
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- Myrtle Cadenelli, 95, of Norway talks with U.S. Navy veteran John Crumpton, 90, of Oxford following the annual Veterans Day ceremony at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in Paris on Tuesday morning. Cadenelli’s late husband, Joe, was a World War II veteran.
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