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HARVARD -- "Today is our day. We are alive," said Harvard Veterans Services Agent Dennis Lyddy at Veterans Day ceremonies in the Hapgood Memorial Library.
Lyddy said Veterans Day is a moment to recognize those who made "the ultimate sacrifice," but also the many present in the room "some in uniform, some not" who came out to be with their own. After the Pledge of Allegiance and singing of the national anthem by Girl Scout Troop 30744, the ceremony turned to tributes.
Harvard Selectmen Chairman Ron Ricci presented Lyddy's predecessor in the veterans agent post, Charles Butler, a clock as this year's recipient of the Harvard Veteran of the Year Award. The 40-year resident of Harvard and former infantryman was visibly moved and
Twin 81-year-old brothers Peter Johnston, now of Ayer, and Paul "PJ" Johnston of Harvard, both Army veterans, both received medals for their service. Lyddy said it was typcial for soldiers returning home to skip the hoopla and forgo medal ceremonies. The two received National Defense Service medals, as well as Army Good Conduct medals.
Lyddy ribbed Peter Johnston by announcing, "I have it on good authority that Peter should not have gotten the Good Conduct Medal," which provoked laughter and caused Peter to chuckle. Lyddy said, "his definition of good conduct versus the Army's definition is different though."
Lyddy commended the two for serving "at the same time, in the same service,
Peter Johnston thanked the crowd and recalled their tenure at Fort Devens. "PJ and I left Harvard together. And I can remember when we were first at Fort Devens, just on the other side of the fence from the farm where we grew up here in Harvard. And we were in the barracks and I can remember my Aunt Margaret coming up with Christmas dinner for the boys in the barracks."
"The MPs came over to her and said 'you can't park there ma'am," Johnston recalled before continuing, "she said 'I'm gonna park here and I'm gonna bring this food into the boys in the barracks and give them a good sendff for when they leave here."
"We were very fortunate to do something they said you never do in the military, and that's volunteer," said Johnston. The two were members of an amphibious unit, providing supplies to all branches. He joked, "PJ and I are still in search of our particular vehicle in Boston. The serial numbers are still on them and we're hoping that it will still show up." He expressed gratitude for the receipt of their medals after the lag time.
The ceremonies wrapped soon thereafter the awards and guests flooded the lower floor of the former library to look over the new Harvard Veterans Services offices for Lyddy.
There was also a request by his wife, Kelly Lyddy, for volunteers to turn out next Thursday night, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. at the Leominster Veterans Center at 100 West St., Leominster to help put together goody boxes for veterans serving oversees.
A group of volunteers who've called themselves American Family Link sprang up in 2002 and have been active in putting together gift boxes for soldiers focused on three different seasonal pushes: March in advance of the spring season, "Christmas in July," and now in November in advance of the holiday season.
Lyddy asks that donations of goods that would be useful to veterans be dropped in one of two locations, either at the Harvard Veterans Service office during the office hours of noon-5 .p.m on Tuesday or noon-7 p.m. on Thursday, or brought up to the Leominster Veterans Services Agent office at 100 West St. See also the group's Web site at www.americanfamilylink.org for more information.
