WAKEFIELD — On Veterans Day, November 11, 2022, the Town of Wakefield will host two events to honor and recognize our veterans.
At 9 a.m., a ceremony will be held to rededicate Veterans Field and unveil a new sign donated by resident Lois Benjamin. Veterans Field is located at the corner of Church Street and North Avenue. All are welcome.
At 11 a.m., in the Galvin Middle School auditorium, keynote speaker Thomas J. Hudner III will share the experiences of his father, Medal of Honor recipient Captain Thomas. J. Hudner, Jr., USN, at the town’s annual Veterans Day ceremony. Captain Hudner’s actions inspired the book Devotion and a major motion picture of the same name to be released later this fall.
Capt. Hudner was the wingman of Ensign Jesse L. Brown, the first African-American aviator to fly in combat. Brown was shot down over North Korea in December of 1950. Risking court-martial for his actions, Hudner landed his own aircraft on a snowy mountainside in an attempt to save his colleague and friend. Although Brown succumbed to his injuries, the bond between the Brown and Hudner families endured, and Hudner visited North Korea in 2013 in an effort to locate Jesse Brown’s remains.
In 2017, the USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) was christened in Hudner’s honor. Wakefield native, CDR Shelby M. Nikitin, USN, is currently the commanding officer of the USS Thomas Hudner.
In addition to performances by musicians from Wakefield Memorial High School, the ceremony will feature members of Boy Scout Troop 701, Girl Scout Troop 62842, American Legion Post 63, and local leaders and special guests.
