A neglected chapter of World War II has been recalled in Old Orchard Beach with the donation and prominent display of a flag honoring the memory of a U.S. Merchant Marine from Massachusetts. As a boy growing up in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Old Orchard Beach resident Dave Twomey lived upstairs from his uncle and […]
By: Kane – Nov. 2021 Kane has been busy this month pulling out the history books and doing research on the origins of Veterans Day. He was surprised by the number of twists and turns the holiday has taken since it’s recognition in 1926 under the name, Armistice Day. In fact, the conception of what […]
By: John Cuddy – Nov. 2021 WESTPORT, MA -I met Pam Melanson and her father Rene “Cap” Parent at the Wheelhouse Diner in Quincy, Massachusetts on a beautiful Saturday morning. Pam, who hails from Westport, MA, served our Nation in the US Navy Reserves for over fifteen years. She was called up on active duty […]
By: John Cuddy – Oct. 2o21 Lawrence native Arthur Goulet attended St Anne’s Grammar School and graduated from Lawrence High School with the Class of 1955. Shortly after finishing high school, he joined the US Navy. He completed Military Basic Training at the U.S. Navy Training Center at Port Deposit, Maryland, more commonly known in […]
Sept. 2021 ARMY SPECIALIST DONALD JARVIS Haverhill resident Donald Jarvis was awarded the Purple Heart last month from injuries sustained over nine years ago in Afghanistan. Army Specialist Donald Jarvis was injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) struck his vehicle. As a combat engineer, the mission of his unit was to conduct route clearance in […]
By: John Cuddy – Sept. 2021 US Army Veteran Dave Pelletier is from Salem, New Hampshire, and is now living in Haverhill, Massachusetts. After Dave withdrew from Woodbury High and served a short sentence in a reform school in Manchester, he started working at Superior Shoe. While at Superior, he enlisted in the US Army. […]
9-22-21 BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced an agreement today with PRTaylor Enterprises LLC, a company doing business as Father & Son Moving & Storage (Father & Son), to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by failing to obtain a court order before auctioning […]
PDF of the September, 2021 Valley Patriot Edition #215 HELP US KEEP THE NEWS FREE!
By: John Cuddy – Aug. 2021 Dracut’s Bob and Jeanette (Jenny) Iby, celebrated their 75th Wedding Anniversary on July 4, 2021. Married on July 4, 1946, after Bob finished his tour with the US Army Air Corp, as a Bombardier on a B-17 Flying Fortress. The couple attended high school together in Burlington, VT, and […]
Valley Patriot Mascot, Kane August, 2021 Kane knows Representative Colleen Garry. In fact, she is known by many as a strong supportive advocate of the medical front line workers, veterans, police officers, firefighters, EMS, and other first responders. What does she do that is so unique? Well, Kane says she does the most important thing […]
Christina Shea Hogan of North Andover recently graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) at Kings Point, NY. Hogan earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission in the U. S. armed forces. She also earned a Merchant Marine officer license, qualifying her to serve as an officer on any ship in […]
By: Kane – July, 2021 Operation Delta Dog, Ellie is a 7-month-old Nashua Police Tracking Dog in training and learning to be a Community Comfort Dog for Veterans and other community members. She is in the care of Operation Delta Dog’s lead trainer Carolyn Barney and started training and socialization with her handler from the […]
By: John Cuddy – July, 2021 Just a few weeks ago, I was talking with Bill Bateman at the Merrimack Valley Golf Course, Bill connected me with fellow Central Catholic High School alumni Arthur Moriarty, of the Class of 1958. Bill graduated from Central Catholic in 1961, as did I, graduating in 1979. Bill had […]
By: John Cuddy – June, 2021 NORTH ANDOVER – North Andover’s Louis McAloon served in the US Navy during the Vietnam War, enlisting shortly after graduating from North Andover High School. He completed Basic Training at the Naval Base Great Lakes with Recruit Company 190. After Basic, he was sent to Naval Air Station Memphis, […]
By Kane – May, 2021 Dana and Salvatore DeFranco, founder and owners of the Battle Grounds Coffee Company are no strangers to hard work and fostering a sense of community. While completing college, The DeFrancos hatched a shared vision and weaved a coffee shop into the fabric of the Haverhill community where patrons gather on […]