PEABODY — USS Constitution Commander Billie Farrell was a sophomore at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. when the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks took place.
The events of that day were an inflection point for Farrell and her classmates — a moment that could have driven them away from the call to serve or toward it. For Farrell — and many others — it only reaffirmed their commitment.
“I saw an immediate reaction from my peers. It was inspiring and I’m so proud to be a part of it today,” she said. “There was a sense of anger, quickly overcome with patriotism and duty. Where no one questioned their path to serve.”
“During the years after Sept. 11, my classmates and I deployed around the world to accomplish the missions we were given. We lost three classmates in the years following,” Farrell continued.
Farrell was the featured speaker at the city’s Memorial Day ceremony Monday, providing a cap to a day that began with a short memorial service at Cedar Grove Cemetery, where Veterans Council members read the names of many fallen Peabody veterans. The annual Memorial Day parade followed, with the convoy stepping off at 11 a.m. at the intersection of Washington Street and Allens Lane.
The parade, which streamed down Lowell Street toward City Hall around 11:30 a.m., featured Farrell and a handful of other USS Constitution sailors prominently, along with a bevy of local and state officials, Mrs. Essex County, local Boy and Girl Scout troops, and the Peabody Veterans Memorial High School marching band.
The ceremony began with remarks from Veterans Council Commander Robert Dunne, who explained the role the council plays in the city and the purpose of the day’s events. Dunne also presented Farrell with a Peabody Veterans Council coin.
Mayor Edward A. Bettencourt Jr. spoke on behalf of the elected officials in attendance, which included Essex County Sheriff Kevin Coppinger, state Reps. Tom Walsh (D-Peabody) and Sally Kerans (D-Danvers), several members of the City Council, and School Committee members.
During his remarks, Bettencourt spoke of the ways in which the smaller moments in life, like attending his daughter’s soccer game or watching the Celtics with his son, reminded him of the sacrifices made by those who have served.
“It’s because of the sacrifices by so many before me that gave of themselves, gave up their time in order for all of us to have a better life,” he said. “I always struggle with what to say on Memorial Day weekend, what words can I say that can [convey] … the gravity of this weekend? I always just go back to the same thing.”
“Thank you to all of our veterans, thank you to all of their families, thank you for your passion for service and dedication, your devotion, for all that meant to all of us and we will never ever forget those that have passed,” Bettencourt, framed by the series of monuments that stand just outside City Hall, added.
Bettencourt ceded the microphone to Farrell, whose speech, while relatively brief, proved a highlight for many in the audience, eliciting a “wow” from an audience member and a standing ovation from the crowd seated on the City Hall lawn.
Farrell spoke about her role as the commander of the Constitution, the world’s oldest commissioned warship still afloat, which she dubbed a “unique command.”
“Named for the document that governs our country, and a document that so many have taken and will take an oath to support and defend, the ship herself is a symbol of our citizens’ perseverance and dedication to maintaining our freedoms,” Farrell said. “She represents not only the sailors that gave their lives on her decks, but she also serves as a symbol to all that have made the ultimate sacrifice in fulfilling their oaths to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
“On this Memorial Day, let us not forget the sacrifices of those that died and especially let us not forget those they left behind in our care,” she continued.
The ceremony closed with a 21-gun salute as the sound of rifles firing rang down Lowell Street.
In a brief interview following the ceremony, Veterans Agent Steve Patten said he was moved by Farrell’s remarks.
“It was a complete privilege to hear [her] speak,” he said. “She exemplifies what it means to be a real leader.”
