Group photo of ceremony attendees. — Photos by Norah Doyle

By Norah Doyle

 On Thursday, June 12, Mayor Katjana Ballantyne hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the Central Hill Veterans Vietnam & Korean Wars Memorial on the front lawn of Somerville High School.

The Central Hill Veterans Vietnam and Korean War Memorial Project was part of the new Somerville High School Campus design, which opened on March 4, 2021. The first phase of this project is reinstalling the Vietnam and Korean War memorials in front of the high school, which will be part of a memorial walk with spaces that chronologically honor veterans dating back to the Revolutionary War. Belko Landscaping was awarded the construction of this project.

“Today marks the beginning of the reinstallation of the Somerville Korean and Vietnam War Memorials- too often called ‘the forgotten wars,’” said Ballantyne. “These memorials represent sacrifice, service, and legacy. They are dedicated to the men and women from Somerville and Cambridge who gave their lives in two of our country’s most difficult wars.”

Ballantyne ended her welcome on a personal note, wishing her recently passed father, a veteran of both the Korean and Vietnam Wars, were there to witness the ceremony.

Jerome Thomas addresses the crowd.

Following the mayor’s remarks, Jerome Thomas, Director of Veteran Services, addressed the crowd.

“The Korean War – often called the forgotten war – will not be forgotten here. We remember the cold, the fierce resistance, and the young Americans from Somerville and Cambridge who gave everything,” said Thomas.

“The Vietnam War tested our nation’s fabric. Many who returned had their service met with misunderstanding. Today, we say clearly to our Vietnam veterans: we see you, we honor you, we remember you,” he finished.

Tom Gorman of the Veterans Commission on Monuments also attended the groundbreaking ceremony. As a veteran who served in the United States Army and deployed to Kuwait for the first wave of the War in Iraq, Gorman felt passionate about this project.

“It’s important to me and an issue I’m passionate about. These people gave their lives. They went to these high schools and walked these streets, and their lives will be cut short, defending our freedoms,” said Gorman. “We can’t forget them.”

Tom Gorman addresses the crowd.

After remarks from the mayor, Thomas, and Gorman, the crowd, which included Korean and Vietnam War veterans, was invited up to take a group photo with the shovels. As school is still in session, no actual ground was broken. Construction will begin once students are out for the summer.

Somerville resident Claude J. Barsotti, who served in the Vietnam War, was among the veterans in attendance. Barsotti expressed his gratitude that veterans of the two “forgotten wars” were officially being recognized.

“Finally!” Barsotti said when asked how he felt about the memorials being reinstalled. “I’ve been pushing for this for a long time.”

For veterans like Barsotti, this memorial is more than an engraved stone; it is a physical manifestation of their hard work and sacrifice. This memorial will help rid these two wars of their nickname “the forgotten wars,” not only for Somerville residents but also for all who visit.

Attendees listening to Mayor Ballantyne’s remarks.