MEMORIAL DAY

Dover-Foxcroft Memorial Day parade itinerary

    Dover-Foxcroft has not had a Memorial Day Parade for the last few years. I have talked to quite a few people in and around Dover-Foxcroft and found that everyone I talked to wanted the parade to happen
    I am proud to say that the Town of Dover-Foxcroft and the Dover-Foxcroft American Legion are putting together a parade for this Memorial Day.
    This year the parade will line up on Summer Street in from of Dave’s World. They will start lining up between 9 and 9:30 a.m. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. The parade will leave Summer Street and proceed to the parking lot behind the Civil War statue across from the Shell Station. After the ceremony at the Civil War statue the parade will proceed to the bridge for the next ceremony and from the bridge it will continue up East Main Street to the courthouse parking lot. This is where the parade ends.

    I would like to ask all veterans to participate in the parade if possible. We will have riding accommodations if needed.
    I would like to invite everyone that live in and around Dover-Foxcroft to come to the parade to show respect to our fallen and to those who are still putting their lives on the line for our freedoms.
    Freedom isn’t free, so let’s get out there and show our support and respect to those who have given some and others who have given all so we can enjoy our rights and freedom.
    All Dover-Foxcroft merchants, businesses, and residents are asked to please display American Flags, buntings or other patriotic items on this day.
    Should you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, please contact Steven Engstrom at 279-9028.

Steven Engstrom
parade coordinator
American Legion Post 29
Dover-Foxcroft

May 26 events across the region

    ABBOT/GUILFORD/SANGERVILLE — A parade will start in Sangerville at 8:30 a.m. at the former Dover Stove Company and continue through town to the Piscataquis River Bridge. The parade will then start in Guilford at the Elmwood Cemetery at 9:30 a.m., and then begin in Abbot at the town office at 10:30 a.m.

    GARLAND — The public is invited to participate in an 8 a.m. Memorial Day ceremony in Garland at the Veterans Memorial across from the church and Grange Hall on May 26. This year, the event will feature a remembrance of an outstanding soldier, Elisha Coan, who took part in the battle of Little Round Top and who later practiced medicine in Garland for many years. Civil War historian and author Tom Desjardin will speak about Coan’s involvement in the war. The event is being organized by Vice Commander of American Legion Post 53 Wendell Giles with several veterans taking part.
    The ceremony will conclude with a balloon release of red, white, and blue balloons to honor the bravery and sacrifices of America’s veterans, past and present, to preserve freedom.

    GREENVILLE — Memorial Day weekend ceremonies in Greenville begin with a ceremony at the B-52 site on Elephant Mountain Saturday, May  24 at 11 a.m. Memorial Day observances on May 26 take place at the Rockwood Cemetery at 9 a.m., the memorial bridge at 10:10 a.m. and the Shirley Cemetery at 11 a.m. A parade departs from the Greenville American Legion on Pritham Avenue. at noon, followed by a ceremony at the Katahdin at 12:15 p.m., wreath laying at the Honor Roll at 12:30 p.m. and ceremony at the Greenville Cemetery at 12:30 p.m.
 
    MILO — A parade will start at 10 a.m. at American Legion Post 41 at 18 West Main St. The parade will go to the Evergreen Cemetery for a ceremony.

    MONSON — The Memorial Day parade will start at 8 a.m. at the Lake Hebron Heights Complex on 84 Tenney Hill Road. The parade featuring the Foxcroft Academy band will follow Main Street and end up at the Monson Community Center. Activities include an American Legion wreath-laying ceremony at the Lake Hebron canal, ceremony at the Veterans Memorial with prayer by Pastor David Ray, American Legion rifle salute and taps. Refreshments will be available at the Community Center following the ceremony.

D-F native 2nd Lt. Hasenfus serves as U.S. Army platoon leader in Europe

    BAUMHOLDER, Germany — Soldiers and civilian employees from the 21st Theater Sustainment Command’s 16th Sustainment Brigade learned how to safely load equipment onto railway cars last month during a training here at Quartermaster Kaserne.
    The “Knights” trained to prepare specifically for equipment transport to Hohenfels, in support of Combined Resolve II – known to the initiated as CbRII – an exercise involving 13 countries and slated to begin later this month.
    The 16th SB intends to not only execute support missions to CbRII, but also develop “technical interoperability” among NATO and partner-nation forces and support the U.S. Army’s goal of building smart, adaptable and capable coalitions.
    The 51 soldiers in attendance for this one-day training event represented three different battalions stationed all over Germany. Amongst the students were Army explosive ordnance disposal technicians, mechanics and transportation specialists.
    The instructors emphasized the importance of certification for rail load teams across U.S. Army Europe’s operating area. The 16th SB’s 515th Transportation Company orchestrated the training. Platoon leader, 2nd Lt. Stephanie N. Hasenfus, a Dover-Foxcroft native, planned and executed the railhead training course.
    “Soldiers across USAREUR attended the training to provide critical skill sets for their units, ultimately ensuring that units can efficiently and effectively mobilize,” said Hasenfus. “Units will practice equipment mobilization via railhead for the upcoming training mission [at] CbR II.”
    “This training contributes to a unit’s operational readiness, validating that they can deploy equipment via rail,” Hasenfus added. “The trained rail load teams may also be called upon to assist [1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry’s] movement across Germany.”
    The railhead course curriculum consisted of hands-on exercises to teach soldiers how to “block and brace,” military vehicles to railcars. The class learned techniques on safely harnessing large vehicles, such as the M1097 HMMWV, M969 fuel tanker truck, M1088 tractor truck and the M88 tracked recovery vehicle. Rail load team members learned the differences between European and American shipping practices.
    “In Europe, the railcars and tunnels are narrower, making rail loading a greater challenge for American equipment,” Hasenfus said. The trainers emphasized safety and security for troops and equipment were paramount. Hasenfus also arranged for an emergency first responder class to reinforce the importance of safety.
    The soldiers will use their training as soon as late April in support of the 16th SB’s 39th Movement Control Battalion to transport military vehicles from Western Germany to Bavaria in support of the CbRII exercise.
    2nd Lt. Hasenfus, the daughter of Lori and Jefferson Prestridge of Dover-Foxcroft, is stationed with the USA 16 Sustainment Brigade in Baumholder, Germany approaching her first year overseas. She is a graduate of West Point, Class of 2013 and Foxcroft Academy. Her unit is transporting tanks, trucks and tankers carrying fuel to Latvia in a major operation called Operation Sabre.
    The purpose of the maneuver is not so subtly to inform Russian President Putin that the U.S. can put tanks and forces in positions to surround his illegal operation in Ukraine in a short time. 2nd Lt. Hasenfus trains soldiers in her platoon in preparation, loading and transport.

 Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom

    REMEMBERING THOSE WHO SERVED — This year a parade will help mark Memorial Day in Dover-Foxcroft. The procession starts at 10 a.m. in front of Dave’s World on Summer Street, and will include ceremonies at the Civil War monument (pictured) and the Piscataquis River bridge on East Main Street.

Dexter service and parade schedule

    DEXTER — Memorial services honoring our deceased veterans will be conducted on Monday,  May 26 at the Veterans Memorial Park on Dam Street by the American Legion and the VFW. The Memorial Day address will be followed by musical selections by the Dexter Regional High School band.

Observer file photo

    MEMORIAL DAY IN DEXTER — Girl Scouts march in a past Memorial Day parade in Dexter. This year’s procession will start at 10 a.m. at the municipal parking lot on Monday, May 26.

    Local Scout groups, all veterans, active members of the armed forces and any organizations are especially invited to participate in the parade. Vehicles are welcome in the parade for those unable to march. Several convertibles and  other transportation  will be available for anyone wishing to honor veterans by riding in the parade.
    The parade will assemble in the municipal parking lot behind the Bangor Savings Bank and leaves at 10 a.m.. The route of the parade will be: exit the parking lot onto Main Street; proceed up Main Street to the traffic light; turn onto Church Street and march to Dam Street and the Veterans Memorial Park.
    Following the memorial services at the park the parade will re-assemble on Dam and Grove streets and march back to the starting point at the parking lot. The Veterans of Foreign Wars will serve a lunch after the parade at the VFW home on Cedar Street.

Memorials to honor veterans of the Civil War

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — On Saturday, May 24 at 11 a.m. the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War will hold a memorial at Sarah Elizabeth Palmer’s grave in the Dover Cemetery.
    The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War will also hold a memorial at a Civil War veteran’s grave. The public is invited to both events.

U.S. flag code

    Conduct during hoisting, lowering or passing of the American flag: during the ceremony of hoisting or lowering the flag or when the flag is passing in a parade or in review, those present in uniform should render the military salute. Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute.
    All other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, or if applicable, remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Citizens of other countries should stand at attention.
    All such conduct toward the flag in a moving column should be rendered at the moment the flag passes.

Patriot scholarships available for students pursuing business degrees

    Applications are currently being accepted for the Maine Community Foundation’s Patriot Education Scholarship Fund.
    This renewable scholarship is designed to support graduates of a Maine high school who are enrolled full-time in pursuit of a business degree and who will be entering their sophomore, junior or senior year. Preference is given to applicants who have a demonstrated interest in personal and commercial insurance professions.
    Deadline for applications is June 1. Application forms are available at www.mainecf.org.

MILO’S ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY

Observer file photos/Jeannette Hughes

    The color guard for the parade in Milo pauses on the West Main Street bridge for a ceremony as part of a past year’s observance, including a rifle salute (below). This year’s parade will start at 10 a.m. and then travel up to the Evergreen Cemetery on Park Street.