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 […]
By: John Cuddy – 07-22 Dracut’s newly hired, Veterans Services Officer, David Campisano joined the US Army in 2001, serving in light infantry units until 2016. David trained as an Infantryman, military occupational specialty IIB. He also qualified as an Army Ranger in 2009. Ranger training is voluntary and is one of the most […]
The Silent Generation Lawrence’s Edmund “Ed” Nasser is a US Navy Veteran, who dedicated his entire life to his family, his church, and his community. He is well known in the Merrimack Valley through an involvement with St Patrick’s Church for most of his adult life. Ed Nasser grew up in South Lawrence where he […]
A Veteran, Father, Husband, Brother, and Hero By: John Cuddy – May, 2022 On April 16th of this year, a reunion was held on the shore of Rock Pond in Georgetown, Massachusetts. Family and friends gathered to remember a Haverhill Veteran, Frederick “Buddy” Hansen, a husband, brother, and dad, who drowned in this pond while […]
By: John Cuddy – April, 2022 EDITORS NOTE: Army Veteran Jeannette Mason was given the Valley Patriot’s “John Ratka Hero Veteran Award” last week at the newspaper’s annual BASH Scholarship and Award Night. Valley Patriot columnist and Navy veteran, John Cuddy, presented the award. State Senator Diana DiZoglio was on hand to congratulate her. A […]
By: John Cuddy – March, 2022 Raised in Arlington, Massachusetts in veterans housing, and now living in Pelham, New Hampshire Scott Hyder, is the founder and current President of Hidden Battles. The non-profit organization strives to help preserve the healthy minds of veterans, fire fighters, police officers and other first responders. The organization’s mission is […]
By: John Cuddy – Feb. 2022 This month is a rare, second interview with a local Veteran, first interviewed by our editor Tom Duggan in October of 2016. Since that time, US Air Force Veteran John MacDonald, has been very busy, assisting Veterans throughout the Merrimack Valley and the United States. Had a meeting […]
By: John Cuddy – Jan. 2022 After graduating from Lowell High School with the Class of 1965, Lowell’s Barry Kuntz enlisted in the US Air Force. Asked why? He replied, “I felt the Air Force suited me best.” After completing US Air Force Basic Training in San Antonio, Texas, Barry was assigned to McGuire AFB […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]