Local students remember U.S. military members

LYNN – On the eve of a national holiday designed to recognize the men and women who fought and sacrificed for America’s freedom, Congressman John Tierney vowed to fight for the rights of every American veteran and assure that everyone gets the medical care and respect they deserve.Click here to see a special section honoring those who served.Tierney joined other local dignitaries and Vietnam veterans at Classical High School Monday morning for the school’s annual Veterans Day celebration, one of many held at schools across the city.”This is a reminder that every day, not just Veterans Day, should be a day to remember and to honor our veterans,” Tierney said. “That means giving them better care and counseling, restoring the GI bill to what it once was and giving them the benefits they deserve. It also means supporting the families of veterans, because every sacrifice a member of the military exhibits their families go through the same thing.”Tierney joined Rep. Steven Walsh, School Committee member John Ford, Veterans Director Michael Sweeney and representatives from the offices of Rep. Mark Falzone and Robert Fennell, along with the office of Sen. Thomas McGee for the celebration.The event featured a demonstration by the Lynn English High School 2006 National Champion JROTC Drill Team and honored members of Lynn Chapter 908 of the Vietnam Veterans of America.”Vietnam veterans were treated differently than those from World War II veterans,” said Tierney. “While World War II veterans were revered after the end of the war, Vietnam veterans were not treated with the respect or (given) the benefits that they deserve for standing up with the courage and bravery that they have always had to defend this country and its ideals.”With students given the day off Tuesday to recognize the holiday, many schools held celebrations Monday to publicly honor veterans.Along with Classical, students at St. Mary’s and Breed Middle School held ceremonies during the day Monday, and the Lynn English JROTC combined its holiday celebration with the Marine Corps birthday with a dinner celebration Monday night.”We are taking time from classroom learning to be here today, and I want to thank the teachers for that because we need to take this time from learning because this is part of our education, too,” said Classical Principal Warren White. “We need to come together as a community to give veterans the respect they deserve.”Lynn has also scheduled several Veterans Day activities for today. A Mass honoring veterans will be held at Sacred Heart Church on Boston Street beginning at 9 a.m. A procession to the church will begin at 8:45 a.m. on the corners of Cottage and Boston streets.The Polish Legion of American Veterans, who is sponsoring the Mass, will also hold a ceremony today at Breed Square beginning at 10 a.m., immediately following the Mass.The city of Lynn’s official Veterans Day ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. in City Hall and will feature a performance by the Lynn Public Schools band and local tenor Brian Landry.