By: John Cuddy – Feb, 2024 The Massachusetts National Guard has been defending our freedoms since 1636! Sergeant First Class (SFC) Chadwick Larter, Recruiting Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) tells his story, in his own words. I was born and raised in Massachusetts, I grew up in Ayer MA where I attended school and graduated from Ayer […]
By: John Cuddy – Jan. 2024 His name is Charlie. Recently, a fellow Veteran, a US Army Ranger, Jack, who currently works as a policeman, told me the story of Charlie. Charlie is also a US Army Veteran, and he is currently homeless. As Jack told a small group of men and women, mostly Veterans […]
By: John Cuddy – 12-23 Born and raised in South Lawrence, Joseph Cuddy attended St. Patrick’s Grammar School and graduated from Central Catholic High School in the Class of 1952. Joe played basketball, hockey and football and ran track. After graduation, he enlisted in the US Army. As the middle of 5 brothers, Joe’s brother, […]
By: John Cuddy – Nov. 2023 Hailing from the long-gone Boston neighborhood, once known as the West End, Methuen’s James Fiorello graduated from Boston’s Mechanic Arts High School with the class of 1941. He then enrolled at Fitchburg State College, with the intent on becoming a teacher. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December […]
By: John Cuddy 10-23 Raised in Methuen, Massachusetts, where he returned to over thirty years ago, ninety-year-old Robert Lister and his daughter Joan, recently met with the Valley Patriot to tell his story. Growing up, he had three sisters and one brother. Robert attended Lawrence High School for a while before joining the US Navy […]
Haverhill native Chris Manning is the current Commander of American Legion Post 4 in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Chris grew up in Haverhill, one of twelve children, his three brothers all served in the US Military. His dad served in the South Pacific during World War II, as a Machinist Mate First Class. His older brother […]
By: John Cuddy – 7/23 Lawrence’s James George Hajjar, was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in the Plains neighborhood in Lawrence, a community of Lebanese, Sicilian, and Irish, a few blocks northwest of Campagnone Common, named after three Lawrence brothers, who were killed in the Normandy Campaign of World War II. James […]
By: John Cuddy 6-23 HAVERHILL – During World War II, Haverhill’s Ed Girroir enlisted in the US Army after Pearl Harbor, with most of his friends doing the same. He served as a Paratrooper with the US Army, in the European Theatre. He was on Active duty, from 1944 to 1946, assigned to the 517th […]
By: John Cuddy – 05-23 Despite the fact that I arrived with a two-pound box of Tripoli’s cookies, ninety-nine-year-old US Army Veteran Salisbury’s Robert “Boots” Chouniard, spent a good part of our time together, on his rowing machine, vigorously working out. He walks a mile a day, rows, lifts weights, and travels worldwide. Boots spends […]
By: John Cuddy – 4-23 On Friday March 31st at the Annual Valley Patriot Bash, Scholarship and Award Night, Haverhill Police Officer Kevin Lynch was awarded the Master Chief John Ratka Hero Veteran Award! Interviewing US Navy Seabee and Haverhill Police Sergeant Kevin Lynch uncovered a family tradition of US Military Service. Kevin served as […]
By: John Cuddy 3-23 The president of Edgar J. Racicot Funeral Home, formerly in Lawrence Massachusetts, now operating in Dracut, Massachusetts, is Lawrence native and US Marine Veteran, Daniel Cotnoir. Operating since 1899, Racicot Funeral is one of the oldest businesses in continual operation in the Merrimack Valley. Although US Marine Dan Cotnoir, was featured […]
By: John Cuddy – 01-23 Little did I know that my previous story about US Army Medic Steve Bird from Groveland, and his brave efforts to treat the wounded on the battlefields of Vietnam in 1968, would lead me to this feature about Art Jacobs, who was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and grew up in […]
By: John Cuddy – 11/22 Lawrence’s, and the rest of our Merrimack Valley’s Homeless are fed daily by organizations such as the Cor Unum Meal Center, Bread & Roses, Good Shepard Center, and the TMF Organization, all working tirelessly to feed our homeless. Curious to find out how many of our Merrimack Valley (and our […]
By: John Cuddy – Sept. 2022 Groveland’s Steve Bird was conceived by his parents in 1946 at the US Military Academy in West Point, New York. His dad was a US Army Soldier, serving our Nation as an artillery instructor at West Point, teaching future US Army Officers. Steve grew up in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and […]
By: John Cuddy – Aug. 2022 Lawrence Massachusetts Director,Veterans’ Services, Sargent First Class Jaime L. Melendez Jr. US Army-Retired, was born in Lawrence Massachusetts. He attended the local Lawrence Public schools and finished high school at his parent’s home on the island of Puerto Rico. He has an associate degree from Central Texas University. Jaime […]