The 2024 Memorial Day Remembrances and Procession will take place on Monday, May 27 starting at 9:00 am in front of the Music Hall at 164 Front Street, Marion. In the event of rain, the event will be relocated to the Multipurpose Room of Sippican Elementary School.
The 2024 procession and remembrances will follow same route as in past years, stepping off from the Music Hall northbound on Front Street, marching 0.6 miles up Front Street to the Veterans’ Memorial at Old Landing. Upon arrival at the Veterans’ Memorial, the town will pay tribute to our military’s “honored dead” who “gave the last full measure of devotion”.
The procession and remembrances will feature the Sippican School Marching Band led by director Hannah Moore as well as The Portuguese American Band. The ceremony will conclude with members of the Select Board laying a wreath at the Veterans’ Memorial. The master of ceremonies for the event will be Technical Sergeant Mandy Givens of the Massachusetts Air National Guard.
The featured speaker is Charles A (Charlie) Brown, a resident of Marion since the early 1990s. Mr. Brown enlisted in the United States Army in January 1966 but was quickly selected for Officer Candidate School, a 24-week program at Ft. Benning, Georgia upon completion of which he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in December 1966. In June of 1966, Lieutenant Brown was transferred to Vietnam and assigned to the First Cavalry Division Airmobile, with 430 helicopters that were their rides into battle. He was combat wounded in December 1966 and again in January 1967. Then, in January of 1968, his Division was flown just north of Hue and defended against the North’s Tet Offensive. Following nine months in the field, Lieutenant Brown was transferred to the battalion headquarters. On May 5, 1968, the battalion was attacked and partially overrun. Lieutenant Brown received his third Purple Heart and the Silver Star for actions leading his troops in defending the headquarters. In the years since, Mr. Brown has spent an extensive amount of time supporting his combat brothers, their families and the families of our fallen. After his military service, he had a 25-year career in technology and nine years dealing in Asian Antiques. He also served nine years as an emergency medical technician. Mr. Brown is married to his wife Carol and has three grown children.
Residents are encouraged to attend the remembrances as well as stand along the parade route on Front Street between Cottage Street and Ryder Lane.