Veterans’ Bridge 1986 opening recalled

BANGOR – It was one cold Veterans Day with spurts of light snow, but the weather wasn’t the only thing that has frozen Nov. 11, 1986, in memory.

That special Tuesday 20 years ago marked the dedication and the accompanying parade on the brand new Veterans’ Remembrance Bridge linking Brewer and Bangor.

Thousands of spectators of all ages lined the way, including one lane of the new bridge, to welcome the veterans, service men and women, Gold Star mothers, former POWs, dignitaries, school bands and service organizations, the Bangor Band, Scouts, gymnasts, dancers and bagpipers in the procession.

Organization of the event took many months in an effort led by Galen Cole, chairman of the dedication committee, and steering committee members John Ballou and Elizabeth “Scotty” Stowell.

“You may recall it even snowed during part of the parade,” Cole said. “Several high school bands participated, including their cheerleaders and drum majorettes. It seems as though young people are still kids, but realistically most of them are now parents and likely have teenagers of their own.”

Several World War I veterans rode along in the parade of 1986, two of them – Alex Civinino of Millinocket and Paul Thibodeau of Bangor – accompanying World War II veteran Cole in a WWII-era jeep.

Veterans from several wars took part, including hundreds from World War II. A bus carried several veterans from the Veterans Administration hospital in Togus.

Participants in the parade included Gov. Joseph Brennan and U.S. Sens. William Cohen and George Mitchell.

Grand marshal of the parade was retired Lt. Gen. Walter Ulmer Jr., who called the new bridge “a link of the ideals of yesterday with what we hope will happen tomorrow.”

WVII-TV 7 recorded the entire parade.

To help the parade participants and those who watched the parade to remember “that gigantic and pleasant day,” Cole said, the Cole Land Transportation Museum will show the 90-minute presentation without charge at 3:30 p.m. Veterans Day.

The showing will be held at the museum at 405 Perry Road along with its usual Veterans Day activities, Student Essay Awards at 1 p.m. and the Bangor Band’s concert at 2 p.m.

“We will also have available on DVD the full 90-minute program [from 1986] to give to current-day leaders of the units who participated years ago,” Cole said.

“In addition to the parade, Channel 7 also captured the proceedings at the Bangor Auditorium when a new Ford automobile was given to a World War II veteran following the march across the new bridge, ending with a performance that included a speech by Bangor’s own Lt. Gen. Walter Ulmer Jr. and others,” Cole said. “All in all, this film is an excellent opportunity to relive some of Bangor’s past and remember the veterans, including some from World War I who participated.”

Copies of the 1986 Veterans’ Remembrance Bridge program on DVD will be available for $7 each by mail. Send checks to Cole Land Transportation Museum, 405 Perry Road, Bangor 04401.