Waverly will honor their fallen and living veterans tomorrow by rededicating a war memorial monument. The ceremony will honor 24 men who were killed in action during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The War Memorial in Salter Park will receive a rededication by unveiling a brick program put together by members of the community.
Over the last several months, members of the community purchased bricks surrounding the memorial. Larger stones for the memorial contain the names of the 24 men killed in action along with brief biographies, said Nancy Copelin, president of the local newspaper the Waverly Journal. Local family members of Seargeant Eugene Couturiaux, Jr., one of two soldiers killed in action in Vietnam, are expected to be on hand.
Copelin said the repaving of the memorial was funded by several donations through the buy-a-brick program along with monetary donations that are still coming in. Copelin, Dale Fitzpatrick and Don Handy will give a summary of the campaign during tomorrow’s ceremony. Waverly High School seniors Elyse Capelin, Samantha Mies, and Quintin Jennings will present pictures and the dog tags of the fallen heroes to family members, many of whom will be traveling in from out of state for the ceremony. Each family member will be able to take photos and lay a brick tomorrow during the ceremony, weather permitting.
Dr. Joseph Cavallo will be traveling in from out of state or is expected to call in and will honor Waverly killed in action serviceman John Brown. Brown saved the life of his best friend Guido Cavallo by giving him a life jacket on the U.S.S. Franklin when it caught fire in the Pacific Ocean after receiving bombs from the Japanese. Brown was unfortunately lost at sea in the terrible event. Guido Cavallo would go on to tell the story to his son Joseph, who will honor Brown and his family tomorrow.
A formal ceremony will follow at the American Legion and a meal will follow of ham and beans and cornbread provided by the American Legion Auxillary.