Harvard is a town that since colonial times has honored its veterans and those who died fighting for their country. A hallmark of the town’s annual Memorial Day ceremonies is the placing of wreaths and the playing of taps at each monument to its war dead. So it is a surprise to learn in this week’s front page feature that there is no town plaque or monument that names the three Harvard citizens who died in World War II, a conflict that drew men and women from all corners of Worcester County and whose sacrifices earned them and millions of others the title of “greatest generation.” Nor is there any Common monument that recognizes the war dead of the Spanish-American or Korean wars.
It’s time to remedy this omission. As the town plans for the restoration of the World War I monument and flagpole on the Common, money should be allocated for new plaques that name not only Edward Thomas, Harvard’s sole WW I fatality, but also World War II fatalities James Williams, David Reinhart, and John Stephens; Spanish-American War fatality Lucius Barry; and Korean War fatality Roger Skillings, all of whom made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
