on 11-12-2008 00:10 
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By DONNA KENNY KIRWAN
PAWTUCKET - Those who were at Bataan and the Ardennes decades ago stood proudly alongside some who had just returned from Iraq. Local military men and women of all ages and several different war times took part in the annual Veterans Day ceremony held on Tuesday morning at Veterans Memorial Park on Roosevelt Avenue.
Jack Lucas, secretary of the Pawtucket Veterans Council, served as the master of ceremonies for the event, which drew about 50 local veterans and their families. In addition, numerous city and state officials were on hand, including Mayor James E. Doyle, city councilors Paul Wildenhain, Henry Kinch Jr., John J. Barry III, and Thomas Hodge, State Sen. John F. McBurney III, state Rep. Elaine Coderre and state representative-elect Robert DaSilva.
David Sillars, Senior Vice Commander of the Gatchell VFW Post 306, told those assembled that in the U.S., "Our greatest resource is our children, and our greatest national treasure is our veterans." He added, "I encourage you to share all of your knowledge and wisdom with our children so they can keep this a great nation."
George Panichas, a former state representative, called for a round of applause for Pawtucket native and former police lieutenant James Brennan, one of the city's last two known survivors from the Bataan Death March and a former P.O.W. "Only he and God knew what he went though in World War II," commented Panichas.
Other local P.O.W survivors who were singled out were Norman Thibeault of Central Falls and Leo Beland of Pawtucket.
Panichas, who has long been involved in efforts to expand the state's Veterans Cemetary, noted that it has gone from 20 acres in 1972 to a current 276 acres, and that 23,000 local veterans are buried there.
The former legislator, himself a veteran, listed off the various wars: World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf, Desert Storm and Iraq, asking for a show of hands from each who had served. Noting the dwindling population of World War II veterans and the importance they have in reminding others that "Freedom is not free," he said, "The only thing I can say is ‘Hang in there.' There are only a few of us left from World War II and we're all trying."
Mayor James Doyle, gesturing to those assembled, said "To our heroes behind me and our heroes out here, all I can say is ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you." He added, "Without you, none of us would be here this morning, talking about this wonderful day."
Doyle said he had been inspired by reading a newspaper article about a group of veterans from the Cumberland and Woonsocket area who had turned to their local business community to help sponsor veterans events. He said he would like to start a movement in Pawtucket to get the local business community similarly involved in promoting veterans programs.
Edward Malloy, a Pawtucket native who was past president of the Pawtucket Veterans Council, said he had joined the Navy in 1949, shortly after graduating from Tolman High School, and ended up going to Korea. In introducing the next speaker, James Brennan, he recalled some of his teenage antics, such as sneaking quarts of beer into the woods of Slater Park. He joked that Brennan was "the one policeman who kept me out of trouble."
James "Jimmy" Brennan recalled when Veterans Day was known as Armistice Day: "The eleventh month, the eleventh day, the eleventh hour...when World War I was officially ended." He noted that his own father had served in World War I, and reminded those present that the nation has some 800 military bases around the world and over 1,000 here in the U.S. "Remember, America is number one because of its veterans," he stated.
Brennan added, "No matter what position you held in the service...if you were a pencil pusher or on your belly in a fox hole...every veteran has a part in the overall victory."
Theresa Watts, whose husband, Roland, lead the assembly in singing the "National Anthem," recognized the members of the Gatchell Post's Ladies Auxiliary, who fought to keep warm under a crocheted flag afghan. She said that the Post had prepared "hot dogs and sauerkraut" for any ceremony participants who wanted to stop by.
At the conclusion, Doyle, Brennan, and James Hollis, president of the Pawtucket Veterans Council, laid a commemorative wreath at the monument in honor of all who have died.
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