CANTON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Dozens of veterans received a special honor at Brightview Senior Living in Canton on Friday when the facility unveiled photographs and plaques commemorating them for their service.
One by one, veterans and spouses of veterans from World War II, Vietnam, and the Korean War stood up as their names were read aloud.
That included Paul Berger, a 95-year-old World War II Navy veteran, who said he was honored by the ceremony and wall -- and that his service came at a price.
"I think it's wonderful, I don't think I did anything special," Berger said. "I do have a disability for the stress-related situation -- I used to wake up yelling crazy things, my wife said."
Chuck Bloom, who helped arrange the effort at Bright View, said the wall isn't just for Memorial Day Weekend -- but will stay up year-round.
"These people -- they made the ultimate sacrifice for us, and putting up a wall for them is a small thank you," Bloom said. "We're saying to our community, these people put their lives on the line and served our country, and for that, they deserve our respect."
Al Lavender, a 95-year-old World War II Army veteran, said walls like this one are important to spread awareness about what veterans have endured.
"It's always good, I've always said that we have lost our promotion of what we went through," Lavender said.
The wall also included pictures of a Boston Post newspaper clipping from 1943 that one resident still has in his possession.
WBZ NewsRadio's Suzanne Sausville (@WBZSausville) reports:
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Written by Rachel Armany
(Photo: WBZ NewsRadio/Suzanne Sausville)