News
Wayland
Community
Connect
WaylandeNews
Wayland eNews provides news and information to Wayland residents. We welcome editorial exchange; present your views at our Discussion Forum!
To stay informed of news, events, and town deadlines around Wayland, sign up for our email newsletter
Our list is spam-free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Wayland Veterans Memorial Committee
Press Release
January 2, 2008
Wayland Veterans Publish "Book of
Remembrance" for the World
WAYLAND: The Wayland Veterans Memorial
Committee announced today that the long awaited Wayland
Veterans Book of Remembrance, a 200 page, hard cover book
which presents never before published stories about the
sacrifice, courage, and valor of our veterans living among
us, will be available for pre-ordering between January 2 and
March 15 and targeted for distribution by mid April, around
Patriots Day.
"The Book of Remembrance contains some
of the best and most exciting personal narratives ever
written by or about our veterans starting with the American
Revolution through the Gulf wars" said Jim Burkley, Chairman
of the Wayland Veterans Committee. Over the course of 3
years, Wayland veterans have worked tirelessly collecting
stories and piecing together the profound real life journeys
of local veterans who have served our country. With gripping
detail, the Book chronicles the frustration, sheer terror,
honor, and even, at times, boredom of serving in the
military. Meet service men who were present at Pearl Harbor
on December 7, 1941, one was assigned to the Arizona but was
on shore duty that fateful morning; a Marine detachment
assigned to guard the petroleum tanks in case of a third air
raid describes what happens in the fog of war when Army and
Navy personnel not knowing in the dark who was who started
shooting at each other but their battle was quickly stopped
by two quick witted Marines armed only with a rifle and a
flashlight; a Wayland veteran who shot down 22 Nazi planes
in WWII ,6 of them in one battle while having Sinbad, his
cat, sitting on his lap; and still a another story describes
how a famous Wayland artist serving as a volunteer combat
artist for the Department of Defense in Vietnam was
sketching a peaceful fishing village when a Vietcong soldier
suddenly appeared and asked to be sketched then gestured his
thanks and slipped across the river back to his side of the
jungle. "Everyone who serves his country returns to civilian
life from his experiences a more mature and different person
sharing a greater sense of the value of freedom and our need
to preserve it for future generations," said Burkley.
The Wayland Veterans Book of
Remembrance also contains the names of those from Wayland,
Massachusetts who made the ultimate sacrifice and whose
names are engraved on the Veterans Memorial outside the Town
Building. It also contains the names of those from Wayland
who served in various wars; lists; over 1000 names of those
veterans buried in Wayland's public and private cemeteries;
the names of donors and those they honored with their
donations. In addition, the book contains other important
chapters: Our shared values and why the military fought to
preserve them; The Home Front's role in supporting our
troops during various wars, The Veterans Memorial Dedication
Ceremony Highlights, The Trip to the Memorial describing how
it was conceived and built, a roadmap for other communities;
The annual Freedom Prize award for the best Wayland High
School essay, and a color map showing the locations of
Waylands' Memorials.
The Wayland Veterans Book of Remembrance will be available for pre-ordering between January 1 and March 15, 2008. A descriptive brochure and order form will be sent to every Wayland resident and business. The cost of the book is $25 and can be picked up with no postal charge at the Wayland Town building in April at times and dates to be announced. It will also be shipped for $6.00 postage and handling as shown on the order form. In addition to the brochure Posters with order forms will be placed in the library, public buildings, and key business locations. For more information on ordering the Book of Remembrance contact Judy Ide, 508 358 2981. The Wayland Veterans Committee is a volunteer committee of the Town of Wayland and reports directly to the Selectmen. Donations in support of the book are appreciated.