From The Editor - Fairhaven Neighborhood News

By Beth DavidEditorHundreds of people showedsupport for veterans by lining theparade route and assembling atFairhaven High School for a shortceremony after the Veterans Dayparade on Sunday, 11/11. The paradestarted at Livesey Park in northFairhaven and traveled along MainStreet to the high school. At the highschool, organizers had placed 113flags on the lawn to remember the 113Fairhaven residents who were killedin wars from the Civil War to thepresent.Keynote speaker Ralph Tate toldthose assembled about his transportback home from Vietnam in 1969. Hesaid it was like the commercial withthe veteran arriving to no one around,only in his case, there eralliy was noone around. He said Boston was aghost town when they landed atnight; there was no one there towelcome him and his buddies home.He said they then split up and wenton with their lives.“Some drank a lot, some played alot,” he said. And when he arrived atthe Thanksgiving Day game, peopleasked him where he had been.“That’s what you did. You wentabout with your life.”So he read a poem called “Just aCommon Soldier,” by A. LawrenceVaincourt, that tells the country tomourn the passing of a veteran.“He will not be mourned by many,just his children and his wife,“For he lived an ordinary and quiteuneventful life.“Held a job and raised a family,quietly going his own way,“And the world won't note hisFairhaven honors veteranspassing, though asoldier diedtoday.”“When politi -cians leave thisearth, theirbodies lie instate...“But the pas -sing of a soldiergoes unnoticedand unsung.”SelectboardChairpersonBrian Bowcockrecounted the lifeand service ofFelix Witkowicz,who survivedD-Day and died on ABOVE: The Southcoast Young Marines carry the big flag along theparade route at Fairhaven’s Veterans Day parade on Sunday,10/27.11/11. BELOW LEFT: a young girl and boy watch the parade go by“Felix was a on Main Street. BOTTOM LEFT: The Vietnam Veterans reach thehero, a veteran, a high school for the closing ceremonies. BOTTOM RIGHT:Fairhaven Residents and staff at the Royal of Fairhaven watch the parade goresident,” said Dr. by. Photos by Beth David. See them in color at www.NeighbNews.Bowcock, adding com. Visit us at www.Facebook.com/NeighbNews to see morephotos. BELOW: The small cannon is fired by the Fairhaven Villagethat Veterans Day Militia during the ceremony. Photo by Heidi Winnett.is a day toremember thesacrifice ofveterans.“When theircountry called,they were willingto sacrifice,” saidDr. Bowcock.“Some of themmade the ultimatesacrifice.”All branches ofthe military wererepresented in theparade, whichVETS: cont’d page 21Page 12Thursday, November 15, 2012Fairhaven Neighborhood News