American Legion Concludes Poster & Flag Tributes
On October 27th the last American and British combat troops stood down and turned the security of Afghanistan over to their own people. On Sunday November 2nd members of the Charles F. Duford Post #47 American Legion hung posters and flags remembering those who died in Iraq and Afghanistan since Memorial Day 2014. The project, which began in 2003 as a yearly tribute and contained the fallen names from previous years, had to be downsized due to the length project which at one time measured over 34 miles long. By 2005 posters and flags extended into seven different towns when a two day Northeast rain storm took flags and posters from utility poles scattering them everywhere. To make the project manageable the tribute was held twice yearly on Veterans Day and Memorial Day listing those killed in the previous six months.
Since 2003 Roger Gandini (above left) formerly of Holliston and now a resident of Brewster has donated the poster board for the now bi-yearly project.
To date, the Legion Post has hung 8,284 posters and flags. The posters being double sided the man who hand prints the signs Legion member Bobby Blair has printed 16,568 signs in the past twelve years. Of those 8,284 signs, 6,838 represented American troops.
Legion members and volunteers gathered Sunday morning to place the final posters and flags, 36 in all through the center of town. The tribute included foreign troops, five Czech, one Polish, one Australian as well as the Americans. The posters will remain in place until the morning after Veteran's Day.
As a former employee at "Natick Labs", my heart swelled with pride and eyes filled with tears driving through Holliston twice a day to and from work, looking at this beautiful tribute to our fallen heroes. The hardest days were when I observed the flags and posters for two friends of mine who gave their lives in Iraq: Elia P. Fontecchio (2004), whom I went to high school with, and Linda Villar (2005), whom I worked with at Natick Labs. Elia was two weeks away from returning home when he passed, and Linda was one month away. Two beautiful people who, like so many, gave everything to help make this world a better place. Thank you to all involved in this loving, amazing tribute. God bles you, and God Bless America!
Julie | 2014-11-14 08:38:18
I can think of no better way of honoring the memory of the fallen, while at the same time bringing home the human cost of war. As the parent of a veteran who returned home safely, I thank you for honoring all those who did not. Well done, very well done.
Peter | 2014-11-04 05:42:09
Thank you for reminding us of our troops abroad for these many years. We should be grateful for the day when there won't be any signs up and they will all be safe home.
Karen F | 2014-11-03 19:00:48
Thank you.
Susan | 2014-11-03 06:35:56
It has been an honor and a labor of love to have been a small part of the "Streets of Honor, Roads of Sorrow" tribute. Thank you to all who helped. Thank you to the families of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. God Bless you all.
Steve Bradford | 2014-11-03 05:28:04