Senator Collins Commemorates Veterans Day at Ceremony in Freedom, Maine
Photo 1: Click HERE for a high-resolution photo of Sen. Collins with the Kennebec Valley Chordsmen
Photo 2: Click HERE for a high-resolution photo of Sen. Collins with WWII veteran and Freedom resident Roy Ward, who celebrated his 98th birthday today
Photo 3: Click HERE for a high-resolution photo of Sen. Collins speaking at the Freedom Veterans Day ceremony
Photo 4: Click HERE for a high-resolution photo of Sen. Collins at the Freedom Veterans Day Ceremony
Freedom, ME - This morning, U.S. Senator Susan Collins visited the Town of Freedom to deliver remarks at the community’s Veterans Day ceremony. The event honored the more than 20 million veterans in the United States and the more than 116,000 veterans in Maine. The ceremony featured performances by the Kennebec Valley Chordsmen.
Freedom was first settled in 1794 by Stephen Smith, a patriot who fought for freedom in the Revolutionary War. The town was incorporated during the War of 1812, the first challenge to our young nation’s freedom. In 1863, with the Civil War raging, Freedom native Daniel Davis left school and joined the 1st Maine Cavalry Regiment so that the blessing of freedom would be extended to all Americans. In 1880, he became Maine’s 37th Governor.
Senator Collins also issued this statement on Veterans Day:
“It was a special pleasure to have the opportunity to commemorate Veterans Day in Freedom, Maine, a town whose very name celebrates the great gift we have been given by our veterans and those who serve today.
“On this sacred day, we honor those who paid the ultimate price, whether they lie at rest in foreign lands or in their hometowns. We honor those who lived beyond their years of military service but who have since passed on. We honor those who remain missing and pledge that they never will be forgotten. And we honor those veterans who are with us today. We owe them all a great debt.
“It is estimated that some 48 million Americans have served in uniform since the founding of our nation. Today, more than 20 million veterans live among us, including more than 116,000 right here in Maine. To put that in perspective, Maine has more veterans per capita than all but two of the other states in the country. We are proud of our State’s contributions to protecting our nation.
“My father, Don Collins, is a World War II veteran who was wounded twice during the Battle of the Bulge in Europe. He earned two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star. It was from him that I first learned to honor and respect our veterans.
“We owe our veterans so much, and repay that debt in part, but only in part, with the gratitude we express on Veterans Day. As a nation, we must also repay our debt with the health care, rehabilitation services, and educational and employment opportunities our veterans have earned through their service to our country. I am committed to ensuring that the government keeps that sacred obligation.”
