5.24.2025 - Italian American Memorial Ceremony

Good evening everybody. My name is Taylor Ferris. I'm your director of veteran services for the city of Fall River. Thank you for joining us tonight.

We gather not just to observe a holiday but in sac or excuse me in sacred remembrance of the brave Italian Americans, men and women who serve this country. They've served this country with courage and honor. many of whom gave their lives in the name of freedom.

It is a privilege to stand with all of you today alongside our partners, the Sons and Daughters of Italy, and be joined by Mayor Kugan and our other distinguished guests and speakers. Let the ceremony serve as a living tribute to those we can never thank enough. I now bring forward Mr.

Mario, and please let me say your last name correctly. It's Lucio. Luchio, excuse me.

Lucio, working on that. Thank you, sir.

Give me a hug. I'm glad we were able to get on the on the line together. Thank you. Thanks, sir. It's on the beginning.

Yes. Hello everyone. I asked the guy up above. I says, "You continue do this. I'm not going to listen to you." And he says, "Mario, whatever you wish." So you make it happen. Stop it. But welcome everyone. As a time goes by, I can't believe another year went by. And to look on each and every one of us, we're healthy and we'll keep on do it. Thank you. Thank you for coming. Okay. And I

will give you my good friend, my brother about Joe Marshall. Joe Marshall. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. And now I will welcome Reverend Andy Stinson for our

prayer. I invite you to pray with me.

Blessed Lord, who called us to us all over the busyness of these days to mark this sacred hour in remembrance of those Italian Americans who gave the last full measure of devotion to the nation. Such men as John Basalone and the Fighting Santos have showed us the true commitment and sacrifice looks like. And so as we honor them this evening and we honor Fall River's own, let your spirit

hover over those who raised up this night and also surround us with sacredness of our task to not let them be forgotten to be filled with your gratitude for all they have offered us and to praise you for giving us such heroes to look toward in our celebrations. Come and dwell amongst us as we honor these sons and daughters of America from the Italian shores. In the name of all that is holy, we pray and

who makes all things well. Amen.

Thank you.

I'm honored to uh join you here today.

Uh up up. Okay. Is that better? All right.

Thank you. I'm still honored to be here today.

Um, today is a a day to thank all those who gave their lives in the service of our nation. Armed Forces Day is for those still in their uniform. Veterans Day is for those who hung up their uniforms, but Memorial Day is for those who never made it out of their uniform. And Memorial Day is one of the most sacred uh days of the year.

And we're here today to to celebrate it. I guess uh this monument honors and remembers those Italian those of Italian descent who served in the military who gave gave their life so that we all could have the freedom that we enjoy today. Uh never take that for granted. Never take them for granted.

And I'm sure that the families of these heroes don't take them for granted. I congratulate the Sons and Daughters of Italy Lodge 1035 for taking the initiative to erect and maintain this reminder. Never forget. Thank you. And now uh now I'd like to introduce Mayor Kugan please.

Um, first of all, I want to thank everyone for taking time out of their busy schedule for coming. Can't hear me.

Can you hear me now? Okay, I'll talk directly into it. I want to thank everybody for taking time out of their busy schedule to give us a few moments to honor these brave soldiers from Italy who partnered with the United States in almost every battle we've ever fought around the world to be our partners in freedom. Um they they obviously gave the ultimate sacrifice and we keep them in

our in our minds and in our hearts and in our prayers in Fall River and that's exactly what we're doing tonight. And again, let's not forget him. And we'll do this every year. As long as I'm mayor, I will be here to make sure we honor these people of Italian descent who fought so bravely and fairly for our country and their own. Thank you.

At this time, we will have the laying of the wreath.

Okay.

Thank you. Yes, sir.

I'm sorry. Oh, they need more.

Okay. Please remain silent while the playing of taps is observed. The city's flag officer and graves officer, Victor Fious.

Thank you, Victor.

I will now welcome Reverend Andy Stinson back for his closing prayer followed by closing

remarks. Let us pray. Oh Lord, it is your love that will not let us go. As we depart this field from our memorial, let the true spirit of this hour and these sons and daughters of Italy and the sacrifices they have made for our nation go with us. Let us live in such a way that we know from whom such great stock of humanity we come and the way of duty and

honor and country that have been lived out by those who came before us so that we might live it out now. Blessed be all here that as we go forward, we may take with us the grace and the peace and the soloulless of your spirit in which all the saints who came before us now dwell and with whom your kingdom in this world and the next labor together in the

building of it. God bless us this night in the name of the father and the son and the holy spirit. Amen.

Thank you, Reverend Andy. At this year's BMC Dery High School NJOTC Awards, I was honored to be a guest. Uh, and while there, the instructors gave out many deserving awards to our youth here in Fall River.

In that moment, I realized we as a city did not have an award individually for anyone in that group of youth graduating or being a member of the NJROTC here.

So, it was at that moment that I thought of one particular individual uh Joseph Marshall. I have watched you uh from afar uh seen your interactions.

Uh but most of all what I've recognized is your leadership. Uh and uh if I could, I would ask that the um city councilors that are our veteran adviserss uh and mayor Paul Kugan to join me in putting forth uh youth award for the Dery High School in JOTC once a year for one exceptional youth leader.

Now, I know Joel also has the uh Veterans Center at Bristol Community College uh also named after him as well, but I could not think of another person more deserving of of such an honor. So, that is my idea that I put forth. That is the special recognition that I speak of. Yes, sir. As we bring this ceremony to a close, let us not forget that the freedoms we enjoy today were bought with the lives of

others. It is our duty to honor them, not only with word, but with our actions and our service. Thank you for joining us in this remembrance in unity and in gratitude. Have a good evening and thank you