Veterans Day services and parade will take place on Saturday, November 11. A ceremonial tribute to local veterans will take place at 9:45 a.m. at the monuments at Memorial Beach, Thompson Road.

Veterans and participants will meet at St. Louis School at 10:15 a.m. for bus transportation to the municipal complex in Dudley for a program at 10:30 a.m. A ceremony at the Court of Honor will commence at 11 a.m. with a prayer,  three-shot volley and Taps. Master of ceremonies for the day is former State Rep. Paul Kujawski.

Upon conclusion in Dudley the participants including the W-D Veterans Council, American Legion, PAV, DAV, all ladies auxiliary units, Sons of the American Legion and scouting groups  will march to the Court of Honor in Webster for a similar ceremony. The host for refreshments following the program is the PAV on Ray Street. Chairman of the Veterans Day Parade is Andrew Kozlowski, with co-chairmen Stephen Rogerson, Victor Jankowski and Richard Holewa.

VFW Commander named Parade Grand Marshal

On Veterans Day November 11, 2023, Richard ‘Dick’ Norton will lead the aging troopers as they march thru Webster and Dudley on a day of Remembrance, a day to Honor the service and sacrifice of our nation’s heroes.

Dick was born in 1947 at Webster District Hospital even though his family resided in the Main Street area of neighboring Oxford, a great town to grow up.  Little Richard was one of the five children in the Norton family.

The Oxford School System provided Dick’s education and the opportunity to captain the Pirate Basketball Squad to a Division Championship in 1965, He was Class President for four years. Between games, practice and studies, Dick worked at Webster Spring, in Oxford. The ‘Spring Shop’ offered a flexible schedule for student workers. After graduation he became a fulltime employee until 1966 when he enlisted in the United States Air Force. There was a War going on in Vietnam, Richard Francis Norton and thousands of young men and women volunteered to serve. After taking the oath, Dick’s tour of Air Force Bases was impressive, Lackland AFB in Texas for 12 weeks of indoctrination (How to take orders, etc.) followed by eight weeks of Munitions School at Lowry AFB in Denver Colorado, finally a tour of duty at Eglin 

AFB for Advanced Munitions Training: All You Need to Know About Bombs. The Oxford Airman was ready for the inevitable. Shortly after he and his sweetheart Nancy visited the Preacher and exchanged their wedding vows, Airman Norton received his marching orders. Dick and Nancy said their ‘tearful goodbyes.’

 Southeast Asia is not a pleasant place. It is hot and humid, smells like a cesspool and there are the rats. A lot of rats. Dick was assigned duties at UBON Thai, an Air Base located in Thailand. Laos and Cambodia are in between Thailand and Vietnam. Dick says that it was ‘good duty’ except for the occasional mortar attacks by the VC (Viet Cong). It was at UBON that Dick spotted a familiar face that turned out to be fellow basketball teammate at Oxford High, Dennis Richards. Dennis was Army, delivering supplies to the airbase. Small World!

While Pvt. Richards was delivering groceries, Dick was preparing the payloads specific to the missions of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, targeting bridges, RR depots, ammo dumps and providing air support for the grunts on the ground.

During Norton’s 13 months of overseas duty he performed the grueling tasks of a munitions expert: i.e. protecting, handling, storing, transporting, arming/disarming and assembly of non- nuclear munitions, or in layman’s terms: making sure that the Bombs went BOOM when they were supposed to!

Dick said ‘Farewell’ to Ubon Royal Thai Airbase, the 408th Munitions Maintenance Squad, and the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing ‘Wolfpack’, and ‘Hello’ Langley AFB, VA, USA, where he worked  as a Crime Investigator in Law Enforcement. Sgt. Norton was released from active service in November, 1970.  He transitioned back to civilian life with Nancy, his family and friends and his employer, Webster Spring Co. in Oxford. He attended Quinsigamond College for two years and received his Associates degree in Business Administration. Dick and Nancy, both golfers, are now enjoying retirement with their son and daughter and grandchildren. He presently serves as Commander VFW Post 654, he is a member of the Vets Council and Funeral Squad Honor Guard, and currently resides in Webster.

Sgt. Richard Norton has been awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal and the Small Arms Expert Marksman ribbon.

THE COMMENDATION

“Richard F. Norton has distinguished himself by meritorious service as a Munitions Maintenance Specialist, 408th Munitions Maintenance Squadron, UBON Airfield, Thailand from 25 January 1968 to 18 February 1969. During this period, Sgt. Norton displayed outstanding professional skills and initiative in the performance of his duties. His energetic application of technical knowledge and imagination while working long hours under rudimentary conditions contributed significantly to timely and effective munitions support to the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing’s mission in Southeast Asia. The distinctive accomplishments of Sgt. Norton reflect credit upon himself and the United States Air Force”