Veterans honored in Laconia with poems, speeches, appeals for services

LACONIA — City residents gathered at Veterans Square for the annual Veterans Day ceremony on Wednesday, where speakers honored those who served, and a commemorative wreath was laid in front of the World War I memorial.

Retired Army Master Sgt. Eric Marsh spent 25 years serving his country, going back to the first Gulf War. For the past five years he’s been reading his poetry to veterans and residents on Veterans Day.

Marsh not only spent time in regular service, but was in the National Guard and Army Reserves. He is proud of his service, as well as all those who have served, and will serve in the future.

“I was the chief engineer for a 24,000-man POW camp, chief enlisted engineer. And I came back, and I had made a vow that I would go right into poetry,” Marsh said. “I had been a writer for 50 years, poetry and everything. I built my house up in the woods of Belmont, and for 30 years, I’ve been writing every single day.”

Marsh estimates he’s written thousands of poems, not all about the military. He is a published author, and on Veterans Day had the chance to read two pieces of work: “Under Our Feet” and “Being With My Friends.”

“Parents walk away with a folded flag in their arms,” he read from "Under Our Feet."

“A heroic son marched off to war to keep all of us from harm. Done each step along the way, remember him, please, but not just on Memorial Day and Veterans Day.”

Lines in “Being With My Friends” also seemed cathartic, with Marsh reading, “the ebb of our life slips away, so being with my friends is where I’ll stay.”

Both poems were moving, as attendees could be seen wiping tears from their eyes, and after the ceremony made their way over to him to pay their respects. People spoke to him about how much they enjoyed his poetry, and thanked him with a handshake.

“I am only publishing now at the intense urging of my peers and my fans to leave an urgency,” Marsh said. “I just write because I’m compelled to write.”

His forthcoming book includes 24 stories, and a bonus novel titled “For Your Pleasure While Waiting.”

“Because we all wait for something,” Marsh said. “Some of us wait for death, some of us wait for doctors, transportation in a terminal, etc.”

Marsh has had health issues, and had a caretaker by his side named Kaitlin Horner, a teacher at Belmont Middle School. She brought Marsh into the school on Tuesday, to meet the students and read his poetry. Horner said the kids loved him, and were chanting his name. She said he was egging them on, something Marsh said fits his demeanor.

“I’m a ham,” Marsh said. “No, I wear many hats. I’m a stand-up comedian. I’m a thespian. I’m a poet. I’m a contractor. What else? A pest. Animal lover. I have a good life.”

Being able to meet the youth around Veterans Day was a treat, and being asked to come back to the city's ceremony for another year was icing on the cake. He has been proud to serve his country, and said it was pivotal in the direction of his life for the better.

“I look forward to it.”

Marsh finished off the ceremony, held annually in Veterans Square. Just before him were words from Charles Reynolds, commander of Laconia VFW Post 1670, who thanked the dozens of onlookers.

“Over a century ago, on the 11th hour, on the 11th month, the guns of World War I fell silent,” Reynolds said. “Every year since, we gather to honor all who have worn the uniform of the United State Armed Forces. While we always carry the legacy of our greatest generation, Korea and Vietnam, in our hearts, today I want to speak specifically to what military service looks like in the 21st century.”

Reynolds said for the last 25 years, the nation has leaned heavily on a volunteer force that includes young men and women from the Granite State. He recognized those who stepped forward after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, enduring multiple deployments to the desert of Iraq, and the mountains of Afghanistan.

“They fought an asymmetric war where there are no clear front lines facing improvised explosive devices, burn pits, and invisible wounds that followed them long after the boots left the sand,” Reynolds said. “And that fight has not ended. Today, in a rapidly changing and dangerous world, American service members are still standing watch.”

Reynolds spoke of the “cyber battlefields, space operations and hot spots across Eastern Europe and the Middle East,” saying there is a new generation of warriors responding to modern threats daily. He said the technology may be new, and battlefields look different, but soldiers have had the same sacrifices.

“When those service members raised their right hand and swore to support and defend the constitution, they entered a sacred two-way contract with the United States of America,” Reynolds said. “They agreed to put their lives on the line, to miss the birth of their children, to bear whatever burden the country has of them.”

Reynolds called for looking after those who return from battle, and said this is a main purpose of the VFW. He called the contract “non-negotiable,” and honoring veterans is more than holding a ceremony, or offering a handshake.

“On Nov. 11th, it means holding government accountable to its promises every single day of the year,” Reynolds said. “It means ensuring full funding for the VA, cutting through red tape for toxic exposure and burn pit claims, and delivering real accessible mental heath care to end the epidemic of veteran suicide.”

Reynolds said in Laconia, “we take care of our own,” and each day at the VFW, they see veterans of all eras stepping up to make sure no local veteran falls through the cracks.

“We are proof that while the uniform comes off, the duty to each other never ends,” he said.

Mayor Mike Bordes also thanked veterans, saying he’s honored to celebrate those who served. He said their service represents “courage, dedication, patriotism, and the willingness to put something greater than yourself first.”

“Whether you served overseas or here at home, your commitment matters,” Bordes said. “We are forever grateful to all of you. We also recognize the families who stood beside you, supported you, and shared in the sacrifices that come with military service.”

Bordes was reelected for a fourth term as state representative last week. He has wasted no time focusing on legislation surrounding veterans, announcing he is sponsoring a bill for state facilities and buildings to have designated parking for veterans. This is much like what has been instituted in the city, on a larger scale.

“It’s a way to honor each and every one of you, by giving you an assigned parking spot,” Bordes said. “It’s just the least we could do as a state, to honor your service and your dedication to the community.”

Brett McCrea, commander of the Sons of the American Legion Wilkins-Smith Post 1, said the organization provides services focused on veterans and the community as a whole. They provide clothing and toys for underprivileged children throughout the city around the holidays.

“The Sons are granted membership through a parent or grandparent who served in the military,” he said. “I love all our veterans. I’m a big advocate.”

McCrea comes from an extended family of veterans, with a grandparent who served in World War I, whose name was on the memorial behind him as he spoke. His father served in the Navy from 1956 to 1960, and his brother served in the Army from 1981 to 1985. His “dear uncle” also served in the U.S. Marine Corps, which celebrated its 251st birthday the day before.

“I want to show my gratitude and appreciation to all the veterans here and abroad,” McCrea said.

Herman Chamberlain, commander of the Wilkins-Smith Post, honored the men and women who served. He said they put everything aside to fight for freedom, and protect the nation’s residents at all costs.

“Our heats beat in the time with those in other nations fighting for their freedom and for dignity, and the opportunity for man,” Chamberlain said.

He said in peace and war, and by uniting, “we can move toward a brighter tomorrow.”

Shirley Brummer, American Legion Post 1 Auxiliary president, thanked the crowd.

“Our veterans were protecting our country, so we can have what we have today,” she said. “They missed holidays, birthdays, and a lot more with their families, friends, and loved ones. These veterans still live those things in their minds. We need to be there for them and their families.”