Letters To The Editor
By Ralph G. Fatello, Commander
American Legion Post 35, Hampton, NH
[The following article is courtesy of the Atlantic News] To the Editor:
This is a letter of thanks and acknowledgement to all the participants, residents and visitors who braved the rain on Memorial Day.
On behalf of the American Legion Post #35 in Hampton, we wanted to take the time to thank those who came out in such huge numbers despite the rain to honor those who gave their lives for our country.
We believe you all came out in the rain because you knew that the small sacrifice we all made standing in the rain, was minor compared to the hardships those we came to honor, had to endure.
They don’t stop fighting wars due to bad weather. [or] rain, sleet, snow, sand and unbearable heat. Our men and women who have fought in all of America’s wars had to put up with some of the worse weather conditions known to man – just like our own police and firefighters who come to our rescue despite what the weather is doing. That’s what brave Americans do. They sacrifice.
That’s why, once a year, we honor those who lost their lives for our country. It’s because of their supreme sacrifice, regardless of the weather.
Legion Post #35 in Hampton salutes the following:
All the Veterans who came out and marched and stood with us at all four services; the police and fire departments: the town officials; the USMC Jr. ROTC (especially the Jr. ROTC Color Guard who made all four services) and instructors, the WHS Marching band (including the students who played “Taps”), the students who sang in the choral groups, the Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire Pipes and Drums, the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, the Hampton Mounted Patrol, and the representative from the Order of the Eastern Star; and all the personal military vehicles.
Thank you Rev. Garrett Lear, Joe Kutt. Maj. Fred Rice USA (Ret), and a very special thanks and Semper Fi to our guest speaker, Lt. Col. Philip Bean USMC, for an outstanding speech.
A special salute goes out to all of you who stood there in the rain with us. We won’t ever forget that you cared that much about our fallen comrades.
We are all very fortunate to live in such a wonderful community as ours. Thank you all again. God bless you, and God bless America.
Ralph G. Fatello,
Commander.
Members of
American Legion Post 35
Hampton