Live Breaking News & Updates on Brian Willette|Page 7
Stay updated with breaking news from Brian willette. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
Veterans from Massachusetts will be part of the Inauguration Day celebration on Wednesday.The Massachusetts Veterans of Foreign Wars Honor Guard will be featured in the virtual Parade Across America during the presidential inauguration.The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of a traditional parade, even before the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. We re honored to participate, said Brian Willette, a Purple Heart recipient and a member of the western Massachusetts unit. What we need is a moment of unity. We need to stand up for what that Constitution means, and that s what the inauguration really is all about. Willette s daughter is the commander of the VFW Honor Guard and many in his family have served in the U.S. military, so the Capitol riot deeply hurt them. To see what happened on the 6th was so shocking to us. It s a place that means so much to me, Willette said. All 56 states and territories will play a role in the virtual parade.The Massachuset ....
Chicopee Vietnam War veteran to be one of 50 to be honored by National Purple Heart Honor Mission Updated Jan 03, 2021; Posted Jan 03, 2021 John Hurley Jr. and his wife, Gail, at their home in Chicopee. (Hoang Leon Nguyen / The Republican) Facebook Share CHICOPEE Despite being injured twice in Vietnam, once so severely he was lucky to survive, John Hurley Jr. says he never regretted joining the U.S. Marine Corps even as it came during wartime. Fifty years later and after decades of volunteering for multiple veterans’ organizations, Hurley is now one of the first people in the country to be recognized by the National Purple Heart Honor Mission at West Point. ....
By JEANETTE DEFORGE | masslive.com | Published: January 3, 2021 CHICOPEE, Mass. (Tribune News Service) Despite being injured twice in Vietnam, once so severely he was lucky to survive, John Hurley Jr. says he never regretted joining the U.S. Marine Corps even as it came during wartime. Fifty years later and after decades of volunteering for multiple veterans’ organizations, Hurley is now one of the first people in the country to be recognized by the National Purple Heart Honor Mission at West Point. On the road to his being awarded the Purple Heart and other honors, including the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, Hurley suffered a hearing loss, multiple shrapnel wounds and other injuries. When he returned home, he faced disdain from those who opposed the war and decades later found himself in therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder. ....