Belated Honors: Peabody dedicates square to Girolimon 40 years later

PEABODY-Nearly a hundred faces, old and new, poured out to the corner of Washington and Main Streets in downtown Peabody Thursday as the Leather City honored of its most beloved Vietnam veterans.?I was amazed at the turnout,” said Louis Girolimon, whose son was honored with the dedication of a square. “It was quite the experience to know he was loved so much.”Almost 40 years ago to the day, Lance Corporal Louis M. Girolimon was serving his country as one of the few and the proud, a marine. He was stationed in Vietnam, doing what he always dreamed of doing.?I had him signed up to go to Wentworth (Institute of Technology) to become an electrician, but he had his mind made up on the Marines,” his father recalled. “It drove my wife and I crazy.”It also drove his parents crazy when he would wire the house or hook up telephones, unbeknownst to them, so he could have late night chats with friends well after his bedtime.Girolimon laughed as he remembered his son?s infectious smile that often bailed him out of any trouble.?One teacher told me, ?You know, that son of yours, I could kill him so many times, but no matter what he does, I take one look at him, he smiles, and that?s it. There?s nothing I can do to him,?” he said. “He was just that kind of a kid.”Unfortunately, his son?s dream of living the life of a United States marine was cut short. At just 19 years old, only about a year after becoming a full-time soldier, he was killed in action during a routing run when his jeep flipped over. The date was June 10, 1968. His parents were notified just two days later.The square dedication came after long, hard work by Christopher Tighe, a veterans agent with the Peabody Veteran?s Service Department, and the Marine Corps League.?We got approval before the full City Council on June 12, the same night his parents got the telegram 40 years ago,” said Tighe. “It all kind of fit together.”Members of the Marine Corps League fired their weapons in salute and Peabody Police Capt. Scott Carriere played taps. John Collins, who travels with Bugles Across America, served as the distant bugler, mirroring Carriere.?Mr. and Mrs. Girolimon were very happy,” said Tighe. “Their son was finally recognized?The best part of my job is to do something like that.”