By Patty Roy

National Wreaths Across America Day was held at Arlington National Cemetery on December 16, 2023. Though the holidays may seem long past, the meaning attached to the gesture of keeping deceased veterans’ memories evergreen is always with us.

For the first time, the week-long convoy that makes more than 4000 stops nationally while delivering wreaths to veterans’ cemeteries came to Auburn’s American Legion Chester P. Tuttle Post 279 on December 10.

 

Commander Tom O’Rourke said the Post was honored by the stop, noting that in recent years, the convoy visited Oxford and Northborough. 

Fire destroyed the Tuttle Post building in March of 2019 and it was completely rebuilt and opened up in the fall of 2021, he said.

This past June, the Post celebrated the 100th anniversary of the death of Chester P. Tuttle in World War I, the first Auburn resident to die in the war.

“That was the biggest celebration for the Post this year and this is the second biggest one,” O’Rourke said of the Wreaths Across America visit.

This particular convoy (there are many across the country) began operations in Maine, then moved on to New Hampshire with stops planned for Rhode Island and Connecticut and so on down the eastern seaboard to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. 

There were four stops in Washington D.C. for wreath-laying ceremonies: the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the World War II Memorial , Korean War Veterans Memorial and the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial.

There were 14 tractor trailers, 11 cars wrapped in Wreaths Across America graphics, coach buses, and 15 Maine police cars. 

At times, local police cars and fire departments joined the convoy to escort the wreaths on parts of the trip, organizers said, so the number of vehicles frequently varied.

“Today’s theme is ‘Remember and Teach’,” O’Rourke said. “We remember the veterans who have died, honor the ones who are living and teach the next generation about freedom and the price of it.”

“Lots of times at school stops, kids come out and contribute a program to the ceremony of greeting the wreaths,” he said.

O’Rourke noted that Legion Post members are also in contact with school children around Memorial Day as part of their charge to teach as well as remember.

Wreaths Across America and the Post started planning the ceremony and its route many months ago. It was a little bit of serendipity that brought the convoy to town because originally organizers had thought about making the trip through Boston, only to realize there was no chance of keeping the lengthy group together through the city. Auburn was found to be a convenient stop off the Mass Pike.

Outside the Legion building a flag line of Patriot Riders, a veteran and veteran support group, stood ready to make their striking visual contribution to honoring the deceased.

Inside, O’Rourke and Rich Larson, state Legionnaire in 2022 and a past commander of the Tuttle Post prepared to address the crowd. Guest speakers included Drew Pajak, future Department of Massachusetts American Legion Senior Vice President, Lisa Williamson, National President of the American Legion Auxiliary and Monique Connor,  President of the Department of Massachusetts American Legion Auxilary.

Outside, onlookers snapped photos, clapped and waved to folks in the trucks and accompanying vehicles as the impressive sight carrying the tokens of remembrance pulled in to view.