14 February, 2022
Several dozen military veterans from Hopkinton enjoyed a breakfast meeting at the Senior Center on Friday, 11 February 2022. Usually the Vets Breakfast is scheduled for the first Friday of each month, however, weather conditions forced the recent gathering to be delayed by a week.
Generous contributions from Fairview Estates, Dunkin', and the Garden Club supported the breakfast.
Veterans shared experiences on many subjects, beginning with an examination of military events that happened throughout history on 11 February (the date of the breakfast). There were in-depth discussions of the heroic exploits of three specific Hopkinton veterans of World War II.
> Robert C. Sebilian, USMC, retired as a Major, earned a Silver Star at Bougainville in 1944, and a Purple Heart at the Pusan Perimeter in South Korea in 1950. www.hcam.tv/series/veterans/Marine/Slide73.JPG
> Charles M. Zettek, Army Air Corps, as a Captain, flew 27 bombing missions as the Lead Bombardier in B-17s. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for Valor in Combat three times, and the Air Medal for surviving more than 25 missions. Sobering thought: the 8th Air Force in Europe lost more men than the entire Marine Corps did in World War II. www.hcam.tv/series/veterans/AirForce/Slide73.JPG
> Alverie G. Paradis, US Army, a Sergeant with the 8th Armored Division in Holland (his second "hitch"). Al earned the Bronze Star for Valor, the Purple Heart, and many other decorations. Night patrols regularly probed into Germany. In February 1945, his 11-man patrol was dispatched into terrain which was heavily mined and booby trapped. It was there, while crawling forward, Al rolled onto an anti-personnel German Shoe Box mine (many names for the same explosive). Al lost his arm. After discharge, Al was at Cushing Hospital which was then a part of the VA System. www.hcam.tv/series/veterans/Army/Slide218.JPG
In time Al married his pretty nurse Rita. They were together for 59 years. www.hcam.tv/series/veterans/Army/Slide220.JPG
The lives of departed veterans become more vivid with the help of the Hopkinton Veterans Photo Gallery seen in the attached photo. Some of the veterans who contributed to the breakfast discussion are shown flanking the Photo Gallery: L to R, Jim Pyne (US Army), Jacques LeDuc (USCG), Ted Hoyt (US Army), Art Brooks (USN), Don MacNeill (USMC), Bill Krans (USMC), Russ Ellsworth (USN), Bill Hamilton (USN), and Bob Santucci (US Army). www.hcam.tv/series/veterans/slideshow.shtml There are more than 600 photos which can be sequenced, or "rolling" to speed the viewing.
Group photo courtesy of Lisa Deneen, Hopkinton Senior Center. Next month on 4 March 2022, discussions about our local heroes will continue.
