Not far from the Boothbay town office stands the statue of a Civil War soldier. On its side, you can view a list of the names of men who served during that terrible conflict. Many of these names are familiar, as many of their families still live in our region.

There is another list of veterans in the great room of Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library. A yard or two from the used bookstore’s porch is another memorial. There are other memorials at the Southport library, on the side of the road in East Boothbay, and in the square on Southport.

These memorials and others are part of the way we honor the sacrifices of the men and women who raised their right hands, put on the uniform, and served their nation. Years ago, our nation decided to set aside one day to remember their sacrifices and their memory. 

In our nation’s capital and other major cities, we will see parades, ceremonies, concerts and, of course, fireworks. Here in our region, we celebrate our veterans in small-scale ceremonies that are a genuine slice of Americana.

Beginning in the morning, many of the region’s veterans will shake off their bad hips and bum backs and march to the Southport library. Our community band will provide the music, the clergy will pray and offer a few words of praise for the sacrifices of the armed forces. The vets will then repeat their ceremony at the Southport memorial plaza, and turn to Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay Center and East Boothbay.

Thanks to the local American Legion post, the marchers will pass a series of banners hanging on utility poles bearing the image of our veterans. They honor vets from high-ranking admirals and generals to privates and ordinary sailors. These vets served in various ways, from infantrymen to storekeepers, all part of the efforts to defend our nation.

One banner honors the service of a bona fide hero. His name was Jay Zeamer. This World War II bomber pilot was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during a lone photo reconnaissance mission in the South Pacific islands. I urge you to Google up his record. In an age where we follow make-believe heroes who are actors on TV or in the movies, Jay Zeamer was a bona fide hero.

The grand marshal of the 2025 Memorial Day parades will be Jim Singer and his bride, Becky. The Southport resident, a retired executive in the airline service industry, served as a U.S. Marine Corps infantry Second Lieutenant during the Vietnam War. His platoon operated north of the major Marine bases south of the border between South and North Vietnam.

Just before Lt. Singer and his men walked into the bush looking for the insurgent Viet Cong fighters, some of the brain trust in the Pentagon had a bright idea. Because the enemy hid out in the bush, the brass hats decided to spray chemicals out of planes to kill the vegetation. These chemicals became known as Agent Orange. The name came from the color of the 55-gallon drums housing the chemical.

As the chemicals floated down to Earth, they killed the bushes and trees, but they also floated down on thousands of American soldiers and Marines, including the men under the command of Lt. Jim Singer.

Jim used to don his dress blue uniform and proudly join the vets in our Memorial Day parades. However, in recent months, he has been slowed by ailments linked to the same Agent Orange sprayed on the Vietnamese countryside. This year, he will ride in the back seat of a convertible, accompanied by a device that pumps oxygen into his lungs.

Now, Jim asked me to tell his friends he is doing pretty well, but he is a lot weaker than he used to be. This condition is no secret to those of us who draw, or are getting ready to draw, retirement benefits.

Despite his ailments, Jim quarterbacked the Legion's drive to acquire and install the 600 veteran banners that line our streets.

And the former Marine Infantry Lieutenant wanted me to remember to tell our readers that Memorial ‘Day honors the vets and their families who supported them during and after they came home. He said the men and women who put on the nation's uniform, swore to defend the Constitution, and the relatives and friends who supported them, are a major reason America has always been great. Amen to that.

Happy Memorial Day to all.