Hello World - An Introduction to the "Stories Yet to Be Told" Blog

I started this fascinating journey in November of 2023. In 2017, I retired from the federal government after 30 years of service. My newfound freedom allowed me to allocate more time to supporting the amazing International Museum of World War II (Natick, MA) as a volunteer docent. Unfortunately, the museum was sold in December of 2019. The Covid-19 pandemic put an “all stop” on any other thoughts of public facing volunteerism. Thankfully, that bleak period is now behind us, and I am actively engaged with the Framingham History Center (FHC), which has made my still working bride happy to no end.  

My first FHC challenge was to help write a brief history of the Framingham Fire Department (FFD). This was a great project. FFD went above and beyond to avail us of all the documents and artifacts we needed to complete the task. Having always been interested in military history, I concurrently began digging deeper into the pre- and post-war experiences of some of the city’s unsung veterans. Having come of age in Framingham, served in the military and studied history at the undergraduate and graduate levels, I thought I had a better than average understanding of the role the city’s veterans played throughout its history. I was wrong. 

I've found that the lives and experiences of Framingham’s early heroes are very well documented, and the names are familiar -- John Nixon, Thomas Nixon, Simon Edgell, Peter Salem, Joseph Buckminster, Jonathan Maynard, George Gordon, Ray Brooks, James McGrath, etc. While these men certainly deserve the high accolades they have received, many of our veterans distinguished themselves during their service and their stories remain known only to their descendants and friends. While we can't document the histories of all of those who honorably served, there are a number who distinguished themselves in particularly difficult circumstances. With the passage of time, some of this invaluable history will soon be lost. Here, I will attempt to document and memorialize those stories -- the "stories yet to be told." Importantly, historical context will be provided to ensure the wider significance of some of these valorous actions are fully appreciated. We will see extraordinary examples of service, sacrifice, valor and civic volunteerism after these life changing experiences.