Dartmouth honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice

May 27, 2019

Dartmouth came together to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

The annual Memorial Day parade and ceremonies proceeded down Elm Street this year, starting off at the Dartmouth Police Station for the first of three ceremonies.

It was a departure from previous years, in which the parade began in the village and ended at the police station. This year, parade organizers decided to reverse the route to reduce noise and disruptions to the World War I ceremony.

The parade continued down Elm Street, with police, firefighters, veterans, civic and veterans organizations, and more in attendance. More than 500 Dartmouth marching band members and color guard members participated in this year’s parade.

At South Dartmouth Cemetery, The Rev. Waters honored not only those who gave their lives in war, but also those who gave sacrifice on their home soil.

That includes, he said, the widows and children of families who suffer loss due to war, and those hurt during the United States’ race to develop atomic weapons.

“We need to have prayers not only for the veterans, but also for other groups of victims,” Waters said. “We almost never recognize them at this time.”

At the Padanaram Bridge, Lauren Rose-Wells and her grandfather, Norman Giovannini, tossed a wreath into the harbor during the final ceremony of the day.