On This Memorial Day, Foxborough Remembered the Sacrifice of Our Country's Fallen Heroes

As Father Steve Madden reminded those gathered around Foxborough Common Monday morning, it’s easy to forget.

“We can forget to remember that more than 40 million Americans who have served their nation and more than 1 million of them have died,” Madden said. “We can forget to remember those who stood on Concord Bridge.

“We can forget to remember the terror of trenches and deadly gases that called the world to a war the first time. We can forget to remember the strife of a Civil War in the quest of a nation to redefine freedom for all.

“We can forget to remember the sacrifice of those who took arms to hold the line conflict after conflict.”

But on Memorial Day, the town remembered solemnly – and some more vividly - those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country’s freedom.

“It is so easy to forget, which is why we gather this day at this place at this time on this Memorial Day,” Madden said. “We are not here to celebrate wars or the power of might but to remember the lessons learned by the sacrifices of lives given in service to ideals greater than personal gain or reputation. We gather to remember not only those who we can name in our own hearts but those who are unknown to us.”

The remembrance began with a parade through downtown with the route leading to the foot of the Common where the community gathered to honor veterans past and present and remember the war dead.

It was on the town’s Common Monday morning that the National Anthem was beautifully played by the Foxborough High School marching band and taps echoed softly.

It was on the town’s Common that local and state representatives delivered patriotic messages similar in meaning …

Remember.

Remember the origin of Memorial Day.

“It is always a very proud day to be an American but particularly this day as this day is our nation’s most special day on its calendar,” said Senator James Timilty. “We remember all those who serve us in the armed forces but particularly those who paid with their lives for our way of life. It is important for us to take time to remember a veteran and remember those who did not come back.”

Remember our nation’s history.

“Memorial Day is a day that is distinctly American,” said State Representative Jay Barrows. “We travel, we gather with our families and we attend parades, ball games, we eat hamburgers and hot dogs and enjoy a long weekend.”

Remember our freedoms and how they came to be. 

“While Memorial Day is a celebration of American culture we must not lose sight of its true meaning to honor the men and women who gave their lives defending this great country and protecting those who could not defend themselves. … Take a moment to remember and honor the sacrifices of these men and women.”

And remember to thank those who have served to defend and protect our way of life.

“Our veterans are those who have stepped forward to serve in [our] defense and over 1 million have paid the ultimate sacrifice. … We owe thanks to our veterans for their self-sacrifice in protecting us,” said Pastor Bill Dudley.

And as Foxborough remembered – and thanked – its veterans past and present, a current service member returned home.

2nd Lt. Patrick Mitchell of the United States Army returned to Foxborough Monday to deliver to the town his second Memorial Day address in four years.

But this message was different from the one he shared in May 2009.

“I do feel a much more significant connection and bond to military service than when I stood here four years ago,” Mitchell said. … “My outlook on service to country has changed as a result of joining the Army and personally knowing those who have forever been affected mentally, physically and emotionally by the ugly realities of warfare.”

Mitchell graduated the United States Military Academy at West Point less than 48 hours prior to giving his Memorial Day address on the Common and took time during his speech Monday to publicly remember fellow soldiers injured in combat and a dear friend who paid the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan.

“Memorial Day is to remember the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who have died while fighting this nation’s wars and whose families will never again be at peace,” Mitchell said. … “At West Point, each time one of our graduates is killed in action the corps of cadets stands attention after breakfast at the mess hall and sings our Alma Mater in respect for them. … The hardest days [at West Point] have been when I heard that mess hall announcement after eating breakfast and knew that in some town, somewhere, a family was torn apart, grieving their lost daughter or son.”

Mitchell was neither immune nor prepared for the grief he felt on an early May morning last year when the mess hall announcement read, “I regret to inform you of the death of 2nd Lt. Dave Rylander, United State Military Class of 2011.”

Rylander was Mitchell’s dear friend and mentor.

“Following that announcement, I stood silent at position of attention trying as I might, unable to utter a single word of the Alma Mater,” Mitchell said. “I thought it must have been a mistake. Dave couldn’t be dead. He was a close friend. Graduated from West Point exactly two years and two days ago [Monday] with the Class of 2011.”

But the reality was Rylander paid the ultimate sacrifice for his country as the 23-year-old was killed by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) while serving in Afghanistan on May 2, 2012.

And Mitchell remembers.

“Dave is from a town in Ohio not much larger than Foxborough where he spent time with his loving family and volunteered in his local library and church,” Mitchell said. “In his community, Dave earned Eagle Scout honors and marched in many parades like this. Less than one year after graduating from West Point, Dave was killed when an Improvised Explosive Device struck his vehicle, causing deadly harm to himself and one of his men. He died on the front of lines of Freedom in Afghanistan leading a platoon of America’s sons and daughters on a dangerous mission.”

Mitchell remembered the bond he and Rylander shared through scouting and how he and others have helped keep the 23-year-old’s memory alive.

“Sharing a bond in scouting, Dave and I worked closely together to plan and host the annual West Point Scout Camporee,” said Mitchell. “This past April, the Camporee was dedicated to the memory of 2nd Lt. Dave Rylander.”

Mitchell recalled to the crowd that Memorial Day unofficially began soon after the Civil War ended but back was known then as Decoration Day. It was made an official holiday so the wives and mothers of the Union and Confederate war dead would have time to decorate the graves of their lost husbands and sons.

The Foxborough native told hometown community one of the “best ways to honor our fallen heroes is to dedicate ourselves each and every day to live the life that these young men and women killed in war never could.”

And of course, to remember the honored dead, as a community and never alone.

“My challenge to each of you is to make sure in this day and age that the families of those killed in action never need to decorate those graves alone,” Mitchell said. … “Just as we are gathered here today, memorializing these men and women is and always will be the responsibility of an entire community. Always remember that a memorial doesn’t have to be a name etched into stone or a 21-gun salute.”

 Following Mitchell’s remarks, the names of the town’s 38 veterans who have died since last Memorial Day were read aloud and wreaths were placed in front of the town’s five memorials to honor all of Foxborough’s local heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

And while all gave some and some gave all, everyone was remembered.