5.25.2026 Battleship Cove Memorial Day Ceremony

Good morning everyone.

Welcome to Battleship Cove and thank you for attending our annual Memorial Day remembrance. Battleship Cove is honored to host the Commonwealth's official war memorials for World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Operation Desert Shield, and the September 11th attacks in the United States. We are also honored to host Vietnam Veterans of America chapter 207 who join us every Memorial Day to

recognize our deceased service people in particular those from Bristol County who are lo who were lost during the Vietnam War. I want to acknowledge any gold star families that are here typically in the front. Do we have any today? Thank you very much.

I want to also thank all who are participating in today's service, including the Fall River Youth Marines, Somerset Troop 21, Cassandra, Julia, and Liliana, who are providing our music, and Battleship Cove staff and volunteers.

Fall River Youth Marines, please parade the colors.

Half face arms.

Oh, say can you see by the dawn early light what so proudly we held at the twilight last gleaming who broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight.

Or the ramp parts we watched were so gallently streaming.

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 B yet or the land of the free and the home of Braz

dismissed left face forward march.

Thank you very much, Julia. That was beautiful.

Now I'm going to introduce Don Elbert from Vietnam Veterans of America Post 20 I'm sorry, chapter 207 in Westport, Mass.

Good afternoon. On behalf of the Vietnam Veterans of Chapter 207, we thank you for being here today.

This marks the 36th year that the VV VVA, our chapter, and the Battleship Foundation have conducted this memorial day to first honor the 36 Bristol County, Massachusetts residents who along with the 58,318 service men and women whose names are on the wall about a mile north of here who gave their lives in the Vietnam War and the over 1,200,000 men and women who have given their lives

in the defense of this country and to and you're here also to preserve to publicly acknowledge to all gathered here the sacrifice ices of their families, the Gold Star families. This day is for those who perished in battle.

I'm a veteran and I appreciate people coming by and thanking me for my service. But today is for those people that made the ultimate sacrifice and family members who also sacrificed, of course, and some members are here today.

Now I've gone over this many times with you, but I'd like to refresh everyone's memory here of how Memorial Day came to be. The remembrance of our fallen servicemen and women was formalized in 1868 when General Logan issued order number 11. And Memorial Day was first observed on May 30th, 1868, 160 years ago by our nation.

Our nation's so shocked by the loss of life during the Civil War. Approximately 450,000 individuals perished in order in the order General Logan set forth.

No form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit. And we are so fortunate that our circumstances include this magnificent war memorial site, the Battleship, Massachusetts, which inspires instinctive reverence from visitors and veterans alike for the sacrifices of of our servicemen and women.

General Logan went on to add in the order, "If other eyes grow dull, other hands slack, and other hearts cold, and solemn trust, ours, you here today shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remains in us.

Your attendance today is a public display to utter to others that those who follow will not forget the patriotism and valor of those who have fallen in battle. The servicemen we remember the servicemen we remember today came from all walks of life.

But they had one thing in common, love and loyalty to our country.

Your presence at this ceremony and other ceremonies during Memorial Day weekend is a tribute to their nobility of spirit and unflinching courage made in their belief that others in another part of the world could one day enjoy the same freedoms as they did.

Our attendance here also is a reminder, and this is important to others, that safeguarding our nation is a serious duty with heartbreaking but necessary consequences.

The men and women who had their lives taken to preserve our way of life deserve to be remembered. Your attendance is a show of gratitude for their sacrifice.

the ultimate sacrifice.

Those we honor today and the 58,282 names listed on the Vietnam Memorial Wall today say we leave you our death. Give them meaning. Your presence today gives their sacrifice meaning and delivers a powerful message to the dead and living alike. that they are not forgotten.

At this time, it is my pleasure to introduce to you our guest speaker, Mr.

Talos Ferris. Mr. Ferris serves as the Vietnam service officer for the city of Fall River. He served in the US Navy as a medic assigned to the United States Marine Corps as veteran service officer.

Ferris is a frequent guest speaker at many veteran ceremonies throughout the year. Our chapter has called on him many times over the years to address certain occasions. Mr. Ferris is most obliging and accommodating and our chap our chapter is grateful for his attendance today.

Is the mayor here? No, but we need to do the invocation.

Pardon?

We need to do the invocation before Oh, sorry. We went out of uh order and I'm reminded that one of the things that we skipped there was the invocation. So, I'd ask that you stand now and uh uncover uncover.

Please join with me in prayer on this solemn and sacred day where we remember the nearly 1.3 million Americans who gave their lives in service of our country, especially in this great memorial so close to our landmark Charles and Bragga Jr. Bridge. one of those many who gave his life in service of our country in the attack on Pearl Harbor. And as we remember, as we heard all of those lives, I want to share with

you a poem and a prayer that is written by Wall-E Torres, a US Navy veteran. And it's remember and never forget Memorial Day tribute.

Beneath the waves and ocean roars, they sailed through duty, war, and more. With courage forged in salt and steel, they held the line with steady keel. In silent depths or storm above, they served with honor, grit, and love.

Though midnight watch and battles test, they gave their all. They gave their best. So on this day, let bells be rung for sailors old and sailors young. Not just a name nor faded thread, but echoes of the brave and dead. The anchor holds the flag flies high for those who served who dared to die. We live because of what they faced. Remember them and never forget. And on this day where we bring

to mind the love and self-sacrifice which is in the hearts of those who now rest in peace and gave their lives that we might live in a free and unchained nation. We give you thanks for the lessons of this day and rededicate ourselves to the freedom, justice, equality and peace for which they fought and died. To all our heroic dead we honor, give them the light of your presence and may the good you have done

in them be continued by us. This we ask in your most holy name. Amen.

Now, if you be seated, please for our guest speaker, Talis Ferris.

Good morning, everyone. Hopefully, I can speak loud enough for everyone to hear me here. Uh, the first thing I want to do is I want to apologize. I'm the director of veteran services for the city of Fall River. And uh as many of you might know, we're the only city in the area who did not cancel their parade and ceremonies. So, as soon as I get done speaking, uh with all the respect

that I can muster up, I do have to leave. And I thank you all for understanding. Um I'm always honored when the VVA 207 uh ask me to come and speak at any of their ceremonies. I come from a family of service. Both my grandfather and my uncle both served in the United States Army. Uh and I am the only oddball uh to serve in the Navy. Um but I did so uh willingly uh with the

purpose of serving with the United States Marine Corps. Uh they call us uh Doc for a reason. We have to earn that nickname. Uh and I served for 15 years during the global war and terror era.

So when I come to speak to you all this morning about Memorial Day, it carries a different meaning for me as a combat veteran. And uh over the course of 10 days, I do about 14 events and I've done about four speeches and each one is very different.

So good morning everyone. It is an honor to be here with all of you today aboard the USS Massachusetts here at Battleship Cove.

Standing on this ship surrounded by veterans, families, members of the community, you can feel history all around us. Steel like this once carried young Americans into war across oceans many had never heard the name before.

And generations later, Americans continued answering the call to serve.

That includes the men and women we honor today, especially our Vietnam veterans.

For many Americans, Memorial Day has become associated with the beginning of summer. Cookouts, long weekends, time with family. But for veterans and gold star families, Memorial Day has always meant something much deeper. It is a sacred day of remembrance, a day to honor the men and women who never made it home.

And for Vietnam veterans especially, remembrance carries a unique weight.

Because many of you carried that burden of war long after the fight itself had ended. You carried memories. You carried loss. You carried the names and faces of friends who never came home. And for far too many years, many Vietnam veterans carried those burdens without the recognition of appreciation they deserved from this nation. But today, standing here together aboard one of the most historic military vessels in

American history, I want to say clearly, this city remembers you. This community honors you, and your service mattered.

As a combat veteran myself, I understand something that only veterans truly understand. War changes people.

Sometimes in ways the world can't see.

Sometimes in ways the world can't see.

Ordinary Americans stepping forward during extraordinary moments in our history. Especially this year, as our nation commemorates 250 years since its founding, we should reflect on the fact that Americans did not arrive here by accident.

It was defended, protected, and carried forward by people willing to sacrifice for something greater than themselves.

Many of them young men barely out of high school. Many came from working-class cities like Fall River.

Many boarded ships, aircrafts, transports, not knowing if they would ever return home. Some did not.

Today we remember them not as names on monuments alone but as sons, brothers, friends, neighbors, and fellow Americans.

And here aboard the USS Massachusetts, that remembrance feels especially powerful because ships like this remind us that freedom has always come at a cost. Not only during World War I or World War II, but in Korea and Vietnam.

the global war on terror and every conflict where Americans answered the call to serve.

Today, we honor all who gave their lives and service to this great nation. But we also honor those who came home carrying the weight of survival.

The veterans who continued forward despite their losses. These and their families who stood beside them. and the gold star families who continue carrying sacrifice every single day. That is why Memorial Day matters because remembrance matters. As long as communities like Fall River continue gathering together like this, as long as veterans continue telling these stories, and as long as we

continue honoring those who gave everything, they will never truly be forgotten.

May God bless our fallen. May God bless our Vietnam veterans, the city of Fall River, and may God bless America. Thank you.

Good. Good afternoon. We've we've moved into the afternoon. My name is Justin Latini. I am the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 207 President and National Regional Director for Vietnam Veterans of America. For those who may not know, we're a national organization, same as the VFW, American Legion. When we came home, we weren't wanted. So, we went to Congress, we received our own charter, and we became the Vietnam

Veterans of America. And 207 was established in 1985 here in Fall River.

And we've serviced the South Coast since.

I want to talk a little bit about this ceremony. It's going to honor the 36 servicemen from the greater Fall River area. Uh we've changed it up a little bit this year because we're normally on the fan tail. So when a name is read, I would like you to come up and get a carnation and take a seat. At the end of all the carnations, I'm going to ask those with a carnation to please exit

this way and you'll be directed to throw the carnation over and then directed to the port side of the ship. Um then the 21 guns salute will take place. If you want to come back inside, you're welcome to. They'll route you around. Otherwise, we'll be out on the fan tail. It has stopped raining. So, um, we unfortunately we won't be able to do an escort because it's too tight here today. So, family members, if somebody

has a carnation and you're with the family, you can go as a group and we'll do that at the very end. Um, and then at the very end, we're going to place a bouquet of carnations to represent all all servicemen who were uh killed in action. And um I'm just we're a rough subject here, so I'm just trying to get it. Uh we will start the 21 gun salute when I let the

staff here know we're all set and you've cleared. You cannot be on this side of the ship during the 21 gun salute. So if you have small children, keep them with you until you clear the yellow tape.

You'll see yellow tape on the Fandale.

You need to be beyond that. So please um we ask you uh and at this time I'm going to ask now Goldstar family member Brenda Pacico to come up and begin reading the names.

Was that kind of clear? Does everybody get it?

Yes. Thank you. There's a lot of changes going on as we go today.

Good afternoon everyone.

Um I'm going to read off the names like Justin mentioned. Um, I'm going to read off the name also of the family member that is here if you've checked in with me. If you haven't and there's no one here to represent that people, that person, feel free to volunteer and come collect that carnation or we'll have one of our um, young Marines or our Boy Scouts do that. Okay. So, our first

person is Richard Almea, United States Marines, and Lily is here.

Michael Constantine, US AR, United States Army. Sister Evelyn,

and I will ask for a volunteer.

I I do have a young Marine.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thomas D. Roia, United States Army.

Anyone Anyone can come up and receive the carnation on behalf if there isn't a family member.

Oh, take a seat. What was it at the end?

I move the marine over here.

Paul Dufalt, United States Marine.

A young Marine.

Oh, you have something.

Edward Dupri, United States Air Force.

Remember folks, anyone can receive a carnation on behalf of the family.

Yes.

Edward Fado, his friend Paul is here.

My sister's also here.

Okay.

Thank you.

His sister was here, too.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Wonderful. No, that's okay.

More than Maria.

Donald Gagnen, US Marines.

Okay.

Lewis P. Gagnon, Jr., US Army.

Alfred Gaspar, US Marines.

Thank you, Joseph.

Goulette, US Marine.

Need someone.

Yes.

Donald Johansson, US Army.

Someone's coming down.

Ronald F. Lake, US Marine.

I would need a volunteer.

I'll take that.

Okay, great.

Lawrence Lozison, US Army.

And if I didn't mention, these are all from Fall River.

Michael Medeiros, US Marine.

Marine.

Thank you.

Gilbert C. Pexodto, US Army.

Daniel Perry, US Marine.

Steven J. Rigo, US Marine,

Richard Rodri, Sister Pauline is here.

Albert W. Santos, US Marine,

Emanuel S. SORS US Marine

Charles A. Tavaris US Navy

Joseph Vieiraa, US Army.

That's mine.

Gilbip Cavalo, United States Army.

This is Mr. Cavalo's child daughter Norman E. Fontaine, United States Army.

Excuse me.

No, it's it's okay.

Andre a Latessa, United States Marine family.

William Godello, United States Marine.

Daniel E. Rodri, United States Army.

Henry P. Kosano, United States Navy.

I believe this is his niece.

Is that correct, ma'am?

Albert J. Rose, United States Marine.

Russell V. Almeida, United States Marine.

Cleveland F. Bridgeman, United States Army.

got M. Cohen, United States Marine

Robert A. D. Boes.

No.

United States Army.

Jeffrey A. Panero, United States Army.

Wayne J. Sylvia, United States Marine.

Kieran Beckett, United States Marine.

That concludes uh our list.

All right, we're going to have a little change in the program. Also, we're going to at this time I'm going to have uh Father Rob do the benediction and um at then at that time we're probably all going to be going outside. So when I call for carnations, just those who have carnations and their families will will go off this way. Sideboards will now report to the outside, please.

So the change is we're going to have the benediction now and after the uh 21 gun salute we will then um have taps the bouquet and the bouquet will be thrown at the end. Harry you can do that.

Please join me in prayer and uncover.

Let us pray.

Lord God, whose care and guidance brought our ancestors to this great land and led them through faith, courage, and self-sacrifice to build the foundations of a great democratic nation, dedicated to liberty and human rights. Lead us, oh God, in our day as you did lead our forebears and help us to be faithful stewards of the heritage entrusted to us. Reverently on this day where we honor remember

those who fought and died for our country. We pay our tribute of respect to them and we ask that they have found our heroic dead perfect rest in you and receive the crown of unfading life.

Cherish and bless them and give unto us the living, especially our gold star families, peace and hope as we think of them on this solemn day. We humbly acknowledge our debt to them and ask to go on towards the ideals for which they fought and died. As they gave themselves to advance the ideals of world peace, justice, and equality of all, may they inspire our continued efforts towards

this same end. Unite the people of our nation to defend the freedom, justice, and equality for which they fought and died. This we ask in your most holy name. Amen.

Amen.

So the change in the program will be if you take a seat, we're going to sing one uh verse of God Bless America and then I will ask for the Carnation folks to start filing out.

Interesting story.

stand

from the mountain to the to Heat. Heat.

Heat. Heat.

God.