“Framingham men have been among the first,the finest,the bravest…willing to endure personal sacrifice so that all may enjoy the liberties and freedoms that are ours today.”
Historian Tom A.C. Ellis
In times of peril, Framingham’s men and women have answered the call. The evidence is all around us, from the mascot of our high school sports teams, to the Militia Monument in Buckminster Square, to the Civil War soldier in front of the Edgell Memorial Library and the city's stunning Veterans Memorial Park. These are reminders of the unflinching service and, in some cases, the ultimate sacrifices of our friends, classmates, relatives and fellow citizens.
While we can't document the histories of all of those who honorably served since 1700, there are a number of men and women who distinguished themselves in particularly stressful and dangerous circumstances. Over the past year, we examined the service of those Framingham residents who went above and beyond the call of duty. Importantly, we documented their gallantry with historical context to ensure the wider significance of these valorous actions are fully appreciated. As you might expect, we found extraordinary examples of service, sacrifice, valor and civic volunteerism after these life changing experiences.
In doing this, we also quickly realized that our veterans had participated in many iconic actions across the full spectrum of historical periods.
Including..
-the bloody 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill in which brave colonists like Colonel John Nixon and his men stood their ground against British Regulars.
Conrad Homan on the left (circa 1918-1919)
Image: Framingham History Center
-the 1918 Meuse-Argonne Offensive, the largest American WWI Offensive that saw Framingham Marine Carl Stennson win the Distinguished Service Cross and Navy Cross for an exceptional act of bravery that cost him his life.
The capture of Blanc Mont Ridge
Image: The Naval History & Heritage Command
-Wallace Flood witnessing Jimmy Doolittle’s B-25 bombers lifting off from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet on 18 April 1942 to bring the war to the Japanese Homeland for the first time. And, by the way, between 1912 and 1922, Mrs. Flood gave birth to eight boys. Amazingly, all eight would serve in the military during WWII (four Navy, four Army) and all eight would survive.
Images: US Naval History and Heritage Command
-the June 6, 1944 Invasion of Normandy in which both Robert Irvine and Earl Bailey won the Silver Star for Gallantry on Omaha Beach.
American troops head for Omaha Beach, 06 June 1944
Image: US Coast Guard
–1968, the bloodiest year of the Vietnam war in which two Framingham Army Pilots, Gordon Skinner and Francis Kirby were awarded Distinguished Flying Crosses for gallantry in support of ground forces. Skinner’s award was posthumous.
F.L. Kirby in Vietnam
Image: F.L. Kirby
-1969 when Army Nurse Bernadette Harrod helped patch together wounded American soldiers at a mobile surgical hospital in Vietnam. From March 1962 to March 1973,more than 5,000 Army Nurses served in Vietnam. These critical care givers often worked around the clock in massive casualty situations, directing triage, assisting with emergency amputations and removing damaged tissue and shrapnel from wounds.
-the 1972 Air War Over Vietnam that saw Framingham native Commander Bill Driscoll of the Navy win the Navy Cross, two Silver Stars, the Purple Heart – and become one of only 5 American Aces in that conflict.
Lieutenant Randall Cunningham and LTJG William P. Driscoll examine a model of an F-14 Tomcat in the office of the Secretary of the Navy (June,1972)
Image: US National Archives
These are but a few of the stores. Normally, but not always, our Citizen-Warriors were drafted in a time of crisis. Many had the trajectory of their lives changed significantly. Some did not arrive home to a parade; they just restarted their lives during difficult times carrying both physical and emotional scars.
Framingham Veterans Memorial Park
Image: City of Framingham
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