The members of Citizens for Milford invite all area veterans and residents to attend a special ceremony on Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11 in Draper Memorial Park, weather permitting. The ceremony will begin immediately following the conclusion of the Veterans Day Parade at approximately 11:00 a.m.
Participating in the ceremony will be local veterans, clergy, Scouts, and the Milford High School Marching Band. Commander Eric P. Ruscitti and Jr. Vice Commander Tim McDonough, both representing the Italian American War Veterans Milford Post #40, will present the Colors. U.S. Army veteran Dennis “Jack” Candini, who served in the Vietnam War in communications and intelligence roles and has been honored as Grand Marshal of this year’s Veterans Day parade, will lead the remarks. Also speaking in the ceremony are U.S. Army veteran Adam Beard, who served as a combat cavalryman in the Global War Against Terrorism in Iraq; and Deborah and Michael Heaney, the daughter and son-in-law of U.S. Army veteran Lawrence J. Heron, who served in World War II and was severely wounded days after landing on Omaha Beach. Scroll down to read biographies of the speakers.
Members of the Waters Corporation Veterans Employee Resource Group will present a wreath honoring veterans at the World War I monument. Peter Scandone, who is chairman of the Veterans Day Ceremony committee, will serve as master of ceremonies.
“Milford has a long, proud history of honoring our veterans. We encourage everyone to join us on Main Street for the parade and at Draper Park for the concluding ceremony to honor the service and sacrifice of our veterans.” – Peter Scandone
The Field of Flags, a tribute to the service and sacrifice of our veterans and active military personnel, will be installed in Draper Memorial Park prior to Veterans Day and remain flying until the Monday after Veterans Day. Parade and ceremony attendees are invited to walk among the flags and monuments in Draper Park and read the names of the veterans and active military who are memorialized and honored there.
A limited number of chairs will be available for attendees at Draper Park.
In Case of Bad Weather…
If the parade is cancelled due to rain, the ceremony will be held at the Italian American War Veterans of the U.S. Post #40 Hall (4 Hayward Field) beginning at 10:00 a.m. If the weather is poor but the parade still marches, the ceremony will be held at the Italian American War Veterans of the U.S. Post #40 Hall beginning at approximately 11:00 a.m. Please check the Citizens for Milford Facebook page (Facebook.com/CitizensforMilford) if the weather looks questionable.
Questions?
The Veterans Day Parade is organized by the Milford Department of Veterans Services. Please address questions regarding the parade to this office in Town Hall at 508.634.2311. Questions regarding the Veterans Day Ceremony can be emailed to CitizensforMilford@gmail.com.
Speaker Biographies
Adam Beard is Vice President of Global Service at Waters Corporation in Milford, where he has worked since 2004. Prior to his career at Waters, Beard served eight years as an officer in the United States Army Air Cavalry, including service with the 82nd Airborne Division and the 3rd Infantry Division. In 2003, he led troops into Iraq as part of the first unit into the country during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Beard is a decorated combat veteran who was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his service in Iraq. He also served as Commander of an Air Cavalry Troop and was Distinguished Honor Graduate from his U.S. Army Aviation Flight School class. Beard helped found and lead Waters Corporation’s Veterans Employee Resource Group and is a resident of Holliston, MA.
Dennis “Jack” Candini is serving as Grand Marshal of the 2025 Milford Veterans Day Parade. Candini is a retired Milford High School teacher and lifelong resident of Milford. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in December of 1965, and following duty assignments in the United States, was promoted to sergeant and transferred to Vietnam in September 1967. He served with the USA Special Security Group as Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, then spent three months at Military Assistance Command headquarters in Saigon as a Communications Center Supervisor. Candini was then sent to the 4th Infantry Division at Pleiku, where he was the
Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of his unit, whose mission was the dissemination of intelligence to the 4th Infantry Division units throughout the II Corps in the central highlands. Upon completion of his tour in October 1968, he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service. He returned home and completed his education at Suffolk University where he earned a BS in Business Administration in 1971 and a Master’s degree in Business Administration in 1976. Candini taught at Milford High School until he retired in 2004.
Deborah and Michael Heaney are the daughter and son-in-law of Lawrence J. Heron (1920-1995), a World War II U.S. Army veteran. On June 6, 1944, Heron landed on Omaha Beach. Days later, near Cherbourg, he was in charge of an ammunition detail when a white phosphorus shell exploded in his hands, resulting in cruelly severe burns to his face and body. This explosion also blinded him. The Lawrence J. Heron Post #6 Disabled American Veterans chapter was named in his honor at the dedication ceremony in 1945, the only such DAV chapter to have been named for a living veteran. He was a recipient of the Purple Heart, European African Middle Eastern Ribbon with one battle star, Distinguished Unit Badge, Good Conduct Medal, American Theater Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.
