Memorial Day in Acton kicked off with a march from Acton-Boxborough Regional High School (ABRHS) to the Isaac Davis monument. In this 250th celebratory year, where better to be than to be the site of the revolution’s first veteran – Isaac Davis.
The Minutemen reenactors led the march on Main Street to the town center where Gail Sawyer, chair of the Acton Public Ceremonies and Celebrations Committee, and James MacRae, veteran service officer, facilitated the ceremony. The band and scouts rounded out the tribute. A memorial bouquet was laid at the monument and the Minutemen fired three shots to honor the deceased.
From the Town center, the parade participants and town members marched down Concord Road to continue the ceremony at Woodlawn Cemetery.
Crowds listened to speeches and to a recitation of the names of Acton residents who died this year. The Minutemen fired three volleys again. Grand Marshall Brenda Kurtyka, retired Lt. Colonel in the Air Force, spoke. Many residents brought their kids and grandchildren, some commenting that they hope to instill in them a sense of importance in honoring veterans. The parade alternates each year between Mount Hope and Woodlawn cemeteries.
An AB band member plays taps at Woodlawn cemetery while Gail Sawyer, chair of the Acton Public Ceremonies and Celebrations Committee, leads the ceremony. Credit: Franny
One family in the audience was the Bajwa family. Sam Bajwa moved to Acton 47 years ago. Sam told the Acton Exchange at the Memorial Day event that the ceremony is meaningful to him, as both he and his wife have army veterans in their family. Sam’s father, from India, was in the British Indian Army and fought in North Africa and Italy during World War II. In Italy, he fought close to where Senator Bob Dole was injured. An uncle died and another was a POW [prisoner of war] in the war between India and China in 1962. Sam’s family found themselves on the Pakistani side of the border when British India was divided into Pakistan and India in 1947. They migrated to India as refugees.
Sam, who has served for a long time on Acton’s Planning Board, expressed great gratitude for the life he and his family have led in Acton since he bought his house in 1978 as a Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) employee. “Acton is great. A lot of people talk about immigrants coming here and having a dream life. I have had one of those. Working for Digital, I was friendly with [DEC co-founder] Ken Olsen; we used to go to [Acton farm stand] Idylwilde all the time. I still remember the company ethics policy was one sentence: Always do the right thing. It has really shaped my whole life after that. What a great place to have grown up. I am very thankful.” Sam chose Acton after his caring boss heard that he wanted to buy a house and invited him out to lunch where he advised him to choose a town with strong schools.
Acton TV Executive Director Marc Duci recorded the entire Memorial Day event.
Sharon Tchon Gruet is a long time Acton resident who raised all her children here, serves on several Acton volunteer organizations, and is currently serving on the Economic Development Committee. She is retired but works part-time in the Acton-Boxborough public schools. Sharon had particular interest in the Memorial Day events and Acton 250 as she is from a very longstanding military family.
Franny Osman is the Editor-in-Chief of the Acton Exchange and writes articles occasionally, as well.