NH Veterans Home celebrates America250

TILTON — The New Hampshire Veterans Home threw out all the stops for a 250th birthday party for America on Tuesday, as residents who fought for U.S. freedom celebrated with dignitaries and community members.

From historical reenactors to a New Hampshire National Guard medic helicopter, and even the blasting of Civil War-era cannons, there was plenty to take in at the celebration, which was the first of its kind.

“We wanted to make it just like a big lawn party,” said Sarah Stanley, communications director for the Veterans Home.

The event started at 9 a.m., when a HH-60 “Mike” helicopter landed in the field adjacent to the Veterans Home, coming from the NH Army National Guard aviation support center in Concord.

“Our primary mission in New Hampshire is to train and be ready to go out and rescue hikers in the White Mountains,” said pilot Christopher Wareing, an aviation training officer and instructor for the NH Army National Guard. “This is our search-and-rescue helicopter.”

The chopper has a nose-mounted, forward-looking infrared camera, to help search for lost hikers. It is equipped with a rescue hoist with 300 feet of cable to lower medics to the ground in areas they can’t hike to. A cargo hook underneath the helicopter can sling load materials and medical equipment. Wareing said it can transport up to six litter patients, or eight ambulatory patients in seats.

Wareing has been in the unit for 18 years, and enjoys the camaraderie, as everyone, from fuelers and operations, to mechanics, flight medics, and pilots work together to get the aircraft ready each day. There are always two pilots — the other is John Blair — and they are joined by Cameron Lagasse, crew chief, as well as Andy Morgan, senior medic.

Bringing the helicopter to the property was the vision of 82-year-old Veterans Home resident Leo Leclerc. Leclerc served in the U.S. Air Force 1963-64, with eight months in Vietnam.

Leclerc said it is important to him that Granite Staters care about their veterans. Last year, he was at an air show at Pease Air National Guard Base, where he met several people, including Maj. Gen. David Mikolaities, adjutant general of the NH Army National Guard.

“I said, ‘Hey, General, how about getting a helicopter up here some time?’” Leclerc said. “He said, ‘we’ll see,’ but through his efforts, and the commandant’s efforts, and through the state, this happened.”

Leclerc was excited to have so many people at the Veterans Home to celebrate America's birthday.

“First of all, I’m a very proud American,” Leclerc said. “To see all my fellow veterans, most of us are in our 80s, and to see them out here and enjoying it, and you look at the smiles on their faces, it’s an amazing thing.”

Pete Satwell, adjutant of American Legion Post 25, in Newport, who was a data processing technician petty officer 2nd class in the U.S. Navy, was enthralled by the helicopter. He found out his son-in-law trained as an Army helicopter pilot at the same base as Wareing, at Fort Rucker, Alabama.

Satwell spent the morning speaking with veterans and celebrating with others who helped make America what he loves.

“I have seen World War II vets, Korean vets, and a lot of Vietnam veterans,” Satwell said. “I was a Vietnam-era vet in the Navy, and never served in Southeast Asia, but spent two years at the Pentagon, and a year in Iceland. My dad was a World War II infantry man, and he spent more time on ships going back and forth than I ever did in the Navy.”

Uncle Sam also made an appearance at the event, played by Jason Flack, who, in character, said he “feels really old.” Flack is a 20-year Army veteran himself, and retired as a first sergeant. He has been going to events as Uncle Sam for five years, but it was his first time at the Veterans Home.

Children at the event were coming up to him and posing for pictures, including the grandchildren of Justine Gimgras, of Goffstown, who said they are a Gold Star family. Gold Star families are those whose immediate family member died serving the country. Her nephew, a U.S. Marine named Ryan T. McCaughn, was killed in Iraq, on Nov. 7, 2006, at age 19.

After 30 years of working in hospitals, Gimgras is now a nurse at the Veterans Home. She was happy to bring her three grandchildren to the event: Remy Rosaly, 4; Kaia Gimgras, 5; and Lincoln Gimgras, 3. Rosaly’s father, Rafael Rosaly, is currently serving in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Attendees could take a walk from the helicopter up to the common area outside the Veterans Home, where food trucks were set up, along with tables for people to eat while listening to live music by Gardner Berry.

Along the walkway, people could view military vehicles of past and present, and representatives from NH Fish and Game, the Lakes Region Veterans Council and Easterseals NH and Veterans Count had tables set up. A K-9 and drone rescue demonstration took place, and Civil War-era cannons were shot off around noon.

Elected leaders made the rounds, including Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH), who said it was an honor to celebrate among the veterans he cares so much about.

“It’s an amazing milestone,” Pappas said. “We have to consider that we’ve only made it this far because of those who have served and worn the uniform. Our history is defined by those who have stepped up and answered the call.”

Henri Avila Thomas Sawyer, resting at a picnic table in the shade, was proud to tell his story. Sawyer was in the U.S. Navy between 1958 to 1960, in Norfolk, Virginia, and kept track of 23 ships under his commodore’s command.

His father, Avila R. Sawyer, also served, and was killed in action on March 18, 1945, in France, where he is buried in an American cemetery.

“I am a Gold Star son,” he said.

Sawyer said, with the assistance of former Rep. Edith Nourse Rogers, a Republican from Massachusetts, he and his two brothers were able to join the service.

“We were not allowed to go to service, because our dad was killed in the war. But Mrs. Rogers is the woman who took care of the necessary paperwork,” Sawyer said.

He said Rogers assisted widows from World War II.

“My mother is a Gold Star mother, and Mrs. Rogers, a congresswoman at the time, got my mother in touch with the Army,” Sawyer said. “She helped my mother get pension, and helped her get money for the three of us.”

Sawyer said he and one of his brothers continued serving the country, but in different capacities. His brother worked for the FBI for more than two decades, and Sawyer is a retired space engineer, whose work was monumental in the industry.

“I am the engineer who developed and applied the seal to the window rubber gaskets on the original lunar module,” Sawyer said. “I developed the adhesive formulation. The adhesive I developed, the government took the formulation, and from what I understand, it was used on the other lunar modules.”

Sawyer is proud of his family’s military history, including that of his father, who he only knew at a young age, and what he himself was able to accomplish afterward, to continue his mark on American history.

Tony Racy, who served from 1971 to 1973 as a specialist 4 in the Army, was sitting nearby. Racy said it's great to live at the Veterans Home, among others like him, and is still adjusting after moving in June 16.

“It’s easy to do it when these people are so friendly and supportive,” Racy said.

Civil War reenactors with the 5th New Hampshire Volunteer Infrantry, Company A, set up an encampment next to the gazebo. They showed their historically-accurate firearms, tents, and gear while dressed in clothing from the time period.

Eamon Golden and Ian Dailey were two soldiers, and said they were honoring those who served for the 5th New Hampshire Regiment of the Union Army Infantry in the Civil War. Golden, who is in his third year as a reenactor, said the 5th Regiment lost their commander, Col. Edward Cross, at Gettysburg.

“Our units had the most on-field deaths during the war,” said Dailey, a first-time reenactor. “This is a way to honor these soldiers.”

Golden was proud to be at the 250th birthday event, among so many veterans who risked their lives for their country.

“It feels great to hold such a high honor for the country we built,” Golden said. “And 250 years, we’ve grown with it.”’

Dailey and Golden told the stories of some soldiers, including to Robert Desrochers, who listened intently about their rifles and bayonets. Desrochers served, 1970-71, as an Army specialist fourth class, and loved hearing about military history.

He was standing alongside Cody McNutt, 8, who was asking Dailey and Golden questions. Later, Cody and his 10-year-old brother Bradley, were watching the helicopter take off. They thought it was fun to watch, and said the celebration made them feel proud to be American.

“I feel free, and I feel proud of our country,” Cody said.

Bradley added, “I feel proud of how this country was born. It’s been a long ride.”