5.25.2025 - Griffin Park Memorial Ceremony

left. Left follow left. Follow me the other way.

Well, good morning everyone and um welcome as we gather here today in our beloved Griffin Park and we pause to remember the brave men and women who some gave the ultimate sacrifice who we honor today and other veterans from Cocky Row that served in just about every war and conflict and skirmish that you can think of. And I'd also uh like to thank the uh committee chairwoman uh Kristen Nolan

doing such a good job in uh getting these people to turn out. I see a lot of Corkyro faces here and uh anytime you can get Jimmy Gibney out to a place like this is uh is worth your time to come here. So, hi Jim.

Um all right. Flag officer, raise

colors. We would now like to have Miss Teen Fall River Sydney St. Orange sing the national anthem. sitting.

Oh, say can you see by the dawn light?

What so proudly we held at the twilight last gleaming whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous spite. For the ramp parts we watched were so gall and the rockets red glare.

The bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star spangled Ber yet wave.

For the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Well, thank you. That was uh wonderful.

And now to lead us in a pledge of allegiance would be Miss Fall River, Dela Mendy's.

I pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you.

Now we'd like to have an opening prayer.

Gail Conrad Chief, if you'll all just join with me in prayer. Oh Lord, we praise you and glorify your holy name. You are the creator of the universe and have given us this great nation to live on.

Please forgive us of our shortcomings.

On this Memorial Day, we remember with deep gratitude all the brave men and women who have fought and continue to fight so courageously for our nation to keep us safe. like Staff Sergeant Griffin, who made the ultimate sacrifice in World War II, who this park is named after, and for Master Sergeant John Thomas Noland, who died in North Korea as a P. They gave their lives so we have

these liberties and freedoms. We ask for your blessing and protection on all of our service members and their families who serve our communities and nation every day. Lord, we pray that you will be their guiding force who leads the way and their rear guard who keeps them safe from behind.

Psalm 91:1 says, "He who dwells in the shelter of the most high will rest in the shadow of the almighty. I will say to the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust. Surely he will save you from the fowl or snare and from deadly pestilence." I pray this for our nation, our servicemen, and for all of us. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.

Thank you.

I would now like to um ask Kristen Nolan, Fashiano, and Jack Nolan to place the wreath.

would now like to, as tradition has it, uh remember the um veterans that uh from the Corkiro neighborhood that have passed and the a previous year and that would be Walter Quinn, United States Navy, Korean Conflict, James Melvin, United States Navy, uh, Korean Conflict.

And, uh, we take a minute to remember all the veterans that have served here from the Corkiro. That's a long list.

Um, as a boy walking around this park, all these uh apartments and buildings were filled with either World War II, maybe a couple of World War I, that's how old I am, and uh Korea, and then I watched like myself, we went off to Vietnam War, and now we have the Gulf.

So, the history of this country, there's very few days and months that you can count in peace time. So, we'd be grateful for for that. And um veterans we have in attendance today. I'd like you to step forward a little bit just to uh be recognized. We have a few veterans here. I know that uh I see um one of our um board members, Mark Conrad, retired commander, US Navy. I see

Major Ronnie Cabraw. We all know Ronnie Cabraw, Major Vietnam.

Ronnie, we have Arthur Latessa is here.

I know Arthur served. And of course, we have um our honor guard that al all served in the military. Uh we have uh Doc Ferris here, Corman. And uh we have state rep uh Allan Sylvia, who I watched leave off of Bay Street. I watched you go and I said I won't be far behind.

Anybody else? Have I missed anybody that served that are here today? Um Given Al Given. Yes. He's part of the uh Vietnam Fall River Vietnam Veterans Association who we appreciate joining us here today and providing the a color guard and we have the uh Fall River Police uh color guard and Fall River fire which we want to really thank for showing up because there's so many this weekend and uh we we're honored to have

you really we're really honored to have you here. So, um I hope I didn't forget anybody cuz that's always your biggest fear when you do this. Um I would now laugh to ask uh Mayor Paul Coogan to come up here and say a few words and thank you. All right, my friend. Uh obviously it's pleasure to be here in Griffin Park and see everybody come out today. There are so many of these events

that acknowledge the effort and the sacrifices by the families from these neighborhoods and other neighborhoods throughout Fall River. It's a very very important time in Fall River and we treat it as such. This these people are the only reason we're here today.

They're heroes that sacrificed everything to leave their families and god knows where to keep this country safe. So, I appreciate everyone for coming out today and again, please keep Memorial Day in your hearts and in your minds for a lot longer than just this weekend. Thank you. Uh, thank you, mayor, and uh, thank you for always, uh, being in the veterans corner, and uh, we can always count on you for that.

And now we're going to have a uh rendition of Danny Boy Sam Manley.

Heat.

Heat.

Heat. Heat.

Heat. Heat.

Very nice. Thank you. Very nice.

I'd also like to recognize vice president of city council and liaison to the veterans community, Linda Pereira, and their colleague Andrew Raposo, who's also a liaison. Um, always doing a good job making sure that we have what we need always. And uh, of course, Linda's a uh, member of the Corki Row Club and uh, we appreciate that. I I served with Linda for a while and I don't think

she'll ever forget that but uh a lot of people will forget it. Um anyway um we and and Ron Cabraw who proves it's never too old to do anything just graduated from BCC. Congratulations.

Congratulations.

50 years. All right. Ask the mayor. He's looking for somebody. Get him a job.

Mayor a book.

Pamela, did Pamela, did you graduate?

Somebody just said you graduated.

Congratulations to you. But you're not old, so here we are. That's a comeback.

Um, all right. Um, we're now going to um have Taps by Larry Barola in the White Dove release um with uh Pauler and Bill Dearis. Larry The out. So,

Mary closing.

Mary here.

Vietnam victim to the Fall River released white dove.

To do what?

Mark.

Hello everybody. My name is Mark Conrad.

My wife Gail and I here live here on Fifth Street. On behalf of the Corkiro Naval Association, welcome to Corki Row and to Staff Sergeant James T. Griffin Park. We're very grateful for you to come out to this day.

2025. This is a great year historically to memorialize our war dead. It was 250 years ago here in Massachusetts that our memorials began. On April 19th, 1775, the shot heard round the world was fired on Lexington Green. As a result of the battle, the first American combat casualties resulted. The American Revolution had started.

But there is more in that we as a soontobe born nation had begun a war with the British.

We needed an army. We needed a navy. And we need another organization that would become our Marine Corps. This year we get to celebrate our military's 250th anniversaries.

Unfortunately, our military would be called to service many, many times. Wars on our own shores, even against ourselves, and I don't just mean the Civil War, but against American Indians. And subsequently, we would fight all over the world, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of our war dead. And make no mistake, our military is in combat operations right now.

But there is more. This year we celebrate the 80th anniversary of both victory in Europe and victory in Japan days. It was 80 years ago in May and August that the greatest war known to mankind ended. American losses in World War II numbered over 400,000. And that brings us to our park's namesake, Staff Sergeant James Thomas Griffin. Staff Sergeant Griffin enlisted in the United States Army in 1942 in

Boston. He was the only son of his family. He had six sisters. He was married to Mary Griffin and they had a son named John. His crew flew only two missions.

And on 11th June 1943, they were part of a raid that intended targeting the ship building in Bremen, Germany. If you're not familiar, just watch the movie Memphis Bell, and you'll see how dangerous of a incident that would be. They were flying in the famous B7 flying fortresses, conducting dangerous daytime bombing. Because of inclement weather, the formation was diverted to a secondary target, the submarine pens at

Vilhelm Shvin, Germany. The formation was attacked by approximately 200 enemy fighters over the target. Two of them singled out their plane and shot it down. Of Staff Sergeant's crew, only two of the crew survived. The staff sergeant is buried in Holland. Staff Sergeant Griffin lived here in Corki Row at 6073rd Street, just next door to our Corkiro club.

Obviously, I did not know Staff Sergeant Griffin, nor his family. But there are others here who do. But as a child of the greatest generation, the one that worked his way through the Great Depression and World War II, I have family who would be consistent and could relate to Staff Sergeant Griffin. My dad and all my uncles, with the exception of an older one, all served and wore the uniform of

our country. Many fought in World War II. I'm proud to have two cousins who fought in Vietnam.

But when I allow myself to think of Staff Sergeant Griffin, I remember my uncle Bob, who it was reported to have received mortal wounds while fighting in Italy. As a bargain with God, his wife, my aunt Patricia, promised to convert to Catholicism if God spared her husband's life.

Needless to say, although my aunt and uncle have gone on to face their final judgments, their children, my cousins, fondly remembered their love for us.

Today, we pray all our service personnel get to do the same. After World War II, the Korean War broke out. We are honored to have in this park another serviceman. My wife mentioned Master Sergeant John Thomas Nolan who was remembered for his great sacrifice with a bench carrying his name right over there behind our police and our firefighters. The master sergeant lost his life while in a North Korean P camp in

1951. We are honored to have members of the Nolan family with us in Jack and Kristen. I cannot overemphasize how important it is that we meet here this weekend. We all grew up looking forward to the unofficial beginning of summer, especially when we had survived a fierce New England winter. Cookouts and time with family await many of us, and I'll be enjoying this weekend as well.

However, the critical importance of our gathering here and in other places tomorrow is best reflected in that speech many of us memorized in elementary school when Abraham Lincoln said at Gettysburg. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task before us. That from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause to which they gave that last full measure of

devotion. That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain. That this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom. and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth. Let us then rededicate ourselves to our nation, carrying out the high call of our Declaration of Independence.

Let us be be diligent in protecting our freedoms and when we can, the freedoms of all libertyloving people all over the earth. May God bless you and may God bless America. Thank you.

Uh thank you Mark and um would also like to uh remember all our go gold star families from the city cocky row couple come to mind. I see uh Mary Larry here today who was a a gold star wife. I see uh Jamie Terrell here who lost an uncle in World War II. Probably not that much in difference in time as uh um Griffin.

And um we always honor them. And um I'd like to thank you all for being here today, for your service, for your dedication to our community and our country. God bless our fallen heroes.

God bless you and God bless the United States of America.