1,000 Turn Out for Veterans Day Rites as Leverett Saltonstall and Local Leaders Urge Renewed Patriotism-November 13, 1978

Sixty-Former Governor Leverett Saltonstall, Clergy, and Veterans Address Crowds on Town Common Highlighting Global Responsibilities and National Values

NORWOOD — Marking the 60th anniversary of the armistice ending World War I, approximately 1,000 residents gathered on the Town Common on Saturday, November 11, 1978, to honor the nation’s war dead and participate in traditional Veterans Day ceremonies. Following a parade down Washington Street, the assembled crowd heard a series of stirring addresses from religious leaders, veterans, and political statesmen that blended remembrance of past sacrifices with pressing concerns over modern civic and global challenges.

Rev. Albert C. Abracinskas, pastor of St. George’s Church, delivered a pointed critique of contemporary society, decrying what he described as a growing lack of patriotism that has been “tearing apart our country in recent years.” Urging citizens to restore discarded spiritual values, Abracinskas emphasized, “The quality of life is only as good as our value system,” while calling for a renewed spirit of genuine love and heightened respect for civil authority.

Saltonstall’s Global Outlook and Veterans’ Reflections on Changing Times

The keynote address was delivered by former Governor and U.S. Senator Leverett Saltonstall, who reflected on the profound joy and celebration he personally witnessed at the conclusion of both world wars. However, Saltonstall cautioned that the United States cannot afford to turn inward or ignore escalating turbulence across the globe.

“We must look forward to our worldwide responsibilities,” Saltonstall urged the crowd. “Look forward, not back.” He pointed specifically to ongoing political and military flashpoints in the Middle East, South America, Southeast Africa, and Southeast Asia as critical arenas that demand continued American vigilance.

Echoing the theme of vigilance, Eileen Donlan, commander of the Norwood American Legion, paid tribute to the surviving “doughboys” of World War I, noting that subsequent conflicts in Korea and Vietnam demonstrated that “democracy is still seriously threatened as it ever was.” Despite the thousands gathered, Donlan expressed personal disappointment over what she perceived as a lighter turnout along the parade route, reminding spectators of the immense bloodshed and sacrifice borne by veterans of all generations.

Adding historical perspective, 81-year-old Dr. Joseph Hirsch—one of 15 Norwood World War I veterans participating in the ceremonies—remarked that he sensed a distinct dampening of patriotic enthusiasm compared to prior decades. Hirsch suggested that the lingering shadow of the Vietnam War, combined with widespread public anxiety over the catastrophic destructive power of nuclear weapons, had made citizens increasingly fearful of modern conflict.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger