01940 Fall 2022

FALL 2022 | 31
BY ANNE MARIE TOBIN
PHOTOS BY SPENSER HASAK
More than 75 years after
Lynnfield brothers David
and Charles Todd gave
their lives for their country
during World War II, their legacy is
still being remembered.
A pilgrimage five years in the
making recently came to fruition when
Lynnfield American Legion Post 131
Cmdr. Tom Bogart traveled to their
graves in the Netherlands and Belgium
to pay his respects in mid-June.
"At each grave I performed a small
ceremony on behalf of Post 131, made
some remarks and offered a prayer,"
Bogart said. "I was planning a trip to
Europe, then though, why not extend
the trip so that I could honor them."
Bogart first visited Henri-Chapelle
American Cemetery in Homburg,
Belgium, where David Todd is buried.
Todd, a private first class in the U.S.
Army Infantry, died on Nov. 21, 1944
at the young age of 19.
Bogart then traveled about 12 miles
to the Netherlands American Cemetery
in Margraten to visit Charles'
grave. He was 23 when he was killed
on March 8, 1945.
"I want you to know that the American
cemeteries in Europe are absolutely
beautiful and exceptionally well
maintained," Bogart said. "The monuments
there are spectacular. These
two particular cemeteries have about
8,000 American soldiers interred there.
My understanding is that there are
about 12 such cemeteries in Europe.
The cemeteries remind me of Arlington
National Cemetery, such hallowed
ground."
The idea to visit the Todd brothers'
graves had its origin in 2017 when the
town dedicated Todd Lane as a Gold
Star Road. The Gold Star dates back to
the end of World War I, when President
Woodrow Wilson established it
as a symbol of the respect and honor
accorded to fallen soldiers.
Veterans Services Agent Bruce
Siegel said a social media post announcing
the town's plans to honor
the brothers generated a response from
BROTHERS, continued on page 32
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