Revere to honor locals killed in Iraq

REVERE-The names of four men with local ties who were killed during military service in Iraq and Afghanistan will be engraved on a monument scheduled to be unveiled July 4 on the American Legion Building lawn.The 11 a.m. dedication ceremony will honor Daniel F. Cunningham, Lawrence Salamone, Matthew Stanley and Nelson Rodriguez Ramirez.?It will be short and sweet. We just want to make sure these four gentlemen are not forgotten,” said city Veterans Director Nicholas Bua.Elected officials and local veterans, including representatives from the Mottolo and Beachmont Veterans of Foreign Wars posts, will be on hand for the monument’s dedication. Bua said Buonfiglio Funeral Home paid for the $2,000 monument.?It is dedicated to the memory of those who gave their lives during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts,” Bua said.Rodriguez Ramirez, 22, and two other soldiers from the Army’s 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry were killed in a roadside attack in Afghanistan along with an Army lieutenant colonel on June 21, 2008.Stanley, 22, was killed in December 2006 with other 7th Cavalry soldiers while scouting a road in Iraq. Salamone, 19, was killed in an accident aboard the USS Bataan off Key West in July 2005 and Cunningham, 33, was killed in Iraq in April 2003 when the vehicle he was riding in swerved to avoid an artillery attack.Bua said families of the four will be invited to attend the dedication. Richard Stanley has attended several recent events honoring his son and other deceased Iraq and Afghanistan soldiers, including a State House sketch exhibit that included Matthew Stanley’s likeness.?The artist did a great job; she hit him right on,” Stanley said.He credited state Sen. Thomas M. McGee (D-Lynn) and Gov. Deval Patrick with ensuring the exhibit’s prominent display in the State House Hall of Flags.Stanley initially hoped the city could dedicate a monument to his son at Revere Beach, one of Matthew Stanley’s favorite places. Bua has worked with Stanley and the relatives of other fallen local veterans to plan a suitable memorial to their sacrifice.