Edison Remembers Veterans

The walls of the gymnasium at Edison Intermediate School were decorated in posters remembering various aspects of American military history from famous generals like Colin Powell to battles to key dates in the history of the military. Patriotic colors decked the walls, while the band played a melody of patriotic songs as students filed into the gym. When the students were seated a Marine Corps color guard took center stage.

Edison's annual Veterans Day celebration is a well known annual occasional in the school system. This year's featured two veterans speaking in addition to two students giving their thoughts on Veterans Day.

John D'Andrea, a retired Edison physical education teacher, was the keynote speaker of the day. Speaking about his experiences in the Air Force during the Korean War, D'Andrea delivered an impassioned address, where he urged the students to remember the freedoms that he and other veterans fought for.

"Freedom is just a word, but it is not just a word, it is a concept," he said. "We are the envy of the world. Some countries don't have these freedoms. You have to constantly keep that in mind."

The centerpiece of his speech was talking about his uncle's experiences in the Merchant Marines during World War II. Serving as second in command of a ship in the south Indian Ocean, D'Andrea's uncle came under enemy torpedo fire, sinking the ship. The second to last off the ship, D'Andrea jumped into a life boat where he would remain surrounded by sharks for a week. Talking about the experiences, D'Andrea urged the students to remember the price veterans paid to bring and maintain freedom to the country.

D'Andrea's uncle privately published an account of his World Ward II experiences. With permission from other relatives, D'Andrea announced he was donating the book to the Edison library, a surprise announcement which was greeted by thunderous applause from the crowd. 

In addition to D'Andrea, Councilman Mark Ciarrocca, an Army Reserves veteran, spoke to the crowd. An Edison alum and parent, Ciarrocca touched on his experiences and spoke about a college friend of his, Army Col. Dave Shute.

Discussing his friend, Ciarrocca noted that he has been post commander at Fort Richardson in Alaska and has been enjoying the ability to hunt and fish and live the Alaskan life style. With years in to the Army, Ciarrocca noted that his friend was in a position to retire and relocate with his family to his native Virginia. But in his moving address, Ciarrocca said that retirement is not on the horizon for his friend.

"Dave is in Iraq now," Ciarrocca said. "It brought home the sacrifice of our veterans and those serving now. He could retire. Dave's call to duty led him to the dangers of Iraq. It really hit home for me. What it really means. Veterans will tell us that it was them doing their duty. But it is so much more."

Students played an active role in the ceremony. The eighth grade band and chorus entertained the group with patriotic songs while two students spoke briefly. Jack Lynch, an Edison student, talked about what the Pledge of Allegiance meant to him. Speaking about the POW experiences of U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Lynch talked about how one of McCain's cellmates at the Hanoi Hilton received a care package with a needle and used it to stitch an American flag the POWs would salute daily. After being beaten by his captors for this, McCain's cellmate went on to sew another.

"He was not making the flag because it made him feel better, he made it because it made the captured soldiers feel better," Lynch said.

Megan Pinna, an Edison student, recited a poem called "You Can't Tell a Vet Just By Looking." In the poem, by an unknown author, Pinna brought up the different faces a veteran can take.

D'Andrea concluded his address by giving the students a homework assignment tied into his address. Speaking of freedom, he asked the students to look up the state motto of New Hampshire, saying that the motto sums up the feeling the state's famously independent residents and the the way students should address freedom.

"It spells things out right on the money," D'Andrea said of the New Hampshire motto.

Editor's Note: In the interest of education (and not helping Edison students cheat on their "homework"), Westfield Patch has provided a link to the fast facts section of the online almanac of the State of New Hampshire, which includes the Granite State's motto. We encourage Edison students - and others - to look up the motto here and learn more interesting facts about the state of New Hampshire.