Parade to honor World War II vets

BANGOR – Bells will be ringing Friday afternoon to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, and a downtown parade at 1:30 p.m. will give the public the chance to honor a group of patriots now in their 80s and older.

There also will be a visible connection between today’s troops and the past.

Philip Cyrus of Old Town, who served a year overseas in Operation Iraqi Freedom and volunteers at Cole Land Transportation Museum, will drive the museum’s World War II Ford Jeep carrying two World War II veterans, Ray Perkins of Orrington and Phil Clukey of Hampden. Cyrus and Perkins both served in Maine’s 152nd Field Artillery.

Fred Hallsworth of Bangor, a 22-year Air Force veteran who served from 1958 to 1967 at Dow Field, will ride in the museum’s World War II-era firetruck, the same model that was used at Dow. Cliff Vining of Newport, an Army veteran and 20-year volunteer at the museum, will drive the truck.

The parade will begin by the Bangor House and proceed down Main Street, along State Street and then take a right to the end of Exchange Street, where troops once took the train from Union Station.

Every World War II veteran who marches or rides down Main Street will be one of the grand marshals and will wear an armband in honor.

More than 1,200 letters have gone out to those who received World War II walking sticks a few years ago through the museum and Peavey Manufacturing Co. in Eddington.

All World War II veterans are welcome. Those who take part in the parade will be in a drawing for one of four seats on the Pan Am jet that will take 140 veterans and volunteers on a one-day trip to the World War II Memorial in Washington on Sept. 23. World War II vets who attend the afternoon program Friday at the museum will be in a drawing for four more seats.

Activities begin at 9:30 a.m. at the museum at 405 Perry Road. The Rev. Sid Buzzell, a World War II veteran, will conduct a prayer service at 10:30 a.m.

At 11 a.m., World War II veterans will receive a free meal at a participating restaurant – in Bangor, Bugaboo Creek, both Burger Kings, Epi’s, Friendly’s, Governor’s, Kev-Lan, Momma Baldacci’s, Quiznos and Thistle’s.

In other communities, the restaurants are: Dysart’s in Hermon, Friendly’s in Brewer, Muddy Rudder in Brewer, and Governor’s in Old Town. Relatives and friends pay regular prices.

Two buses donated by First Student will leave the museum at 10:45 a.m. and go to the two Governor’s restaurants, taking the veterans who don’t have family accompanying them for lunch, then to the parade. They will order from a special menu. A third bus will take veterans to Dysart’s.

Additional First Student buses will pick up veterans at 12:45 p.m. at the museum and take them to the beginning of the parade route. Those unable to march can ride in a bus.

Parking for the World War II veterans in the parade also will be available on the site of the future police station on Main Street, courtesy of Nickerson and O’Day.

In addition to the World War II vets, the parade will include the 195th Army Band led by Warrant Officer Brady Harris, the Maine Air National Guard color guard, and a command car and Willys Jeep hauling the museum’s Freedom Bell.

Families along the parade route and those attending the afternoon program at the museum will receive U.S. flags commemorating the end of World War II. Michael and Victoria Cobosco, formerly of Bangor, donated some 1,500 flags to the museum for distribution. Helping pass out the flags will be Bill Deering and Clifford “Bruz” West, both of whom reached the rank of colonel. Also given out will be souvenir programs with memorial pictures contributed by the national WWII 60th Anniversary Commemorative Committee.

Between 1 and 2 p.m., church and municipal bells will ring downtown. The largest is the bell on the lawn by City Hall, the bell from the original City Hall on Hammond Street. It was rung 60 years ago, and will be rung Friday by Fred “Chico” Ward, longtime maintenance supervisor at City Hall.

After the parade, buses will pick up the veterans for the return ride to the museum. The public is welcome to attend the 2:30 p.m. program, and a large tent will have seating for each World War II veteran and a companion. Gifts for the vets include a limited edition mug created by the museum, a lighted flag pin and a “Ruptured Duck” pin marking the end of the war.

The program at 2:30 p.m. will include remarks by museum founder Galen Cole and master of ceremonies Don Colson; music by Washington County Youth Chorus members Rianne Barker, Jennifer Beckwith and Alex Cummings; a patriotic essay by Barker; and a USO-type show by the 195th Army Band.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, the keynote speaker, will be introduced by her father, Don Collins, who earned a Purple Heart in World War II.

Getchell Bros. and Gifford’s will provide an ice cream social at 4 p.m. A 20-minute video of the parade at 4 and 4:30 p.m. will enable those who couldn’t participate to still watch.

The museum will be open free to the public for one hour, 4-5 p.m., and there will be rides for children of all ages in the museum’s Jeeps and command car.

The day will include fly-overs by an Air National Guard KC-135 Tanker and a helicopter.

For further information on the Sept. 2 commemoration of the end of World War II, call Cole Land Transportation Museum at 990-3600.