A year of remembrance, service, sacrifice, and the stories that kept Norwood’s military history alive.
In 2025, readers gravitated toward the stories that honored Norwood’s veterans, remembered those lost in service, and explored the town’s deep military roots.
These were the articles that resonated most — the ones that brought people back again and again to reflect, remember, and reconnect with the individuals who shaped Norwood’s legacy of service.
Honoring Those Who Served
Roll of Honor
A solemn and comprehensive tribute to Norwood’s veterans across generations.
Norwood’s WWII Gold Star Veterans
A solemn roll naming residents who gave their lives in World War II.
https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/norwoods-wwii-gold-star-veterans/
Norwood Will Dedicate Memorial Building Tomorrow — November 10, 1928
The town’s dedication of a lasting place of remembrance for veterans and civic service.
https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/this-day-in-norwood-history-november-10/
Guild Monument Unveiled at Norwood — July 30, 1903
Early‑20th‑century commemoration (Aaron Guild) anchoring local memory of patriot service.
https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/this-day-in-norwood-history-july-30/
Honor Roll Committee Meets Tonight — October 21, 1943
https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/this-day-in-norwood-history-october-21/
A Family’s Legacy of Service
Three Generations of the Murphy Family Have Served and Protected
A portrait of a family whose commitment to public service spans decades.
This feature blended military service, civic duty, and family tradition — a combination that resonated deeply with the community.
Readers returned to this story throughout the year, reflecting on the cost of war and the families forever changed by it.
Profiles of Service & Sacrifice
Several individual profiles stood out this year for their depth and emotional resonance.
First Norwood Soldier Loses Life in War (WWI) — August 26, 1918
The town’s first World War I casualty, marking the Great War’s toll at home.
https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/this-day-in-norwood-history-august-26-windahl/
Police Chief’s Son, Lance Cpl. Richard B. Murphy, 19, Killed in Action — June 20, 1968
Lance Cpl. Richard B. Murphy
A remembrance of the 19‑year‑old Marine and son of Norwood’s Police Chief who was killed in action in Vietnam.
Pfc. Russell Webber Is Wounded in Palau Battle — November 21, 1944
Pacific Theater combat wounds spotlighting a Norwood soldier’s frontline service.
Norwood’s Col. Lee Flies 252d Mission to Set New Record — April 28, 1945
Exceptional WWII air service by Col. George T. Lee.
https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/this-day-in-norwood-history-april-28/
WWII Ace George T. Lee Flies Again — April 3, 2005
Postwar legacy and continued aviation milestones by the distinguished Norwood veteran, Col Lee.
https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/this-day-in-norwood-history-april-3/
Families at War: Brothers & Homefront Bonds
Five Elias Brothers Now in Service — March 12, 1943
A household’s extraordinary collective service during WWII.
https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/this-day-in-norwood-history-march-12-elias/
Sixth Breen Boy from Nahatan St. Joins the Service — February 26, 1943
Another Norwood family with multiple sons in uniform.
Fighting Flaherty’s — September 17, 1943
A local family’s wartime contributions, emblematic of Norwood’s shared commitment.
Spierdowis Brothers Come Home After 33 Months Overseas — November 16, 1944
Homecomings and the emotional cadence of war’s end.
Interpreter Turns Out to Be Brother Soldier Has Never Met — March 22, 1946
A remarkable wartime twist connecting family across service assignments.
Veterans’ Lives & Challenges
VFW Lodges Evicted Norwood Vet, Family — July 10, 1946
A post‑war housing dispute that underscores the struggles some veterans faced returning home.
https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/this-day-in-norwood-history-july-10/
First of G.I. Homes Ready — August 20, 1946
Community‑level response providing housing for returning servicemen and families.
Ora Holman, Oldest Man in Norwood, Civil War Soldier, Dies — July 22, 1923
Bridging generations: a Union veteran’s long life remembered locally.
https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/this-day-in-norwood-history-july-22-ora-holman-dies/
Wartime Incidents on the Homefront
Navy Plane Crashes in Norwood — August 5, 1944
A WWII‑era aviation accident inside town limits, tying the global war to local skies.
https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/this-day-in-norwood-history-august-5-2/
Norwood Boy Rescued After 7 Days in Open Lifeboat — August 14, 1942
Survival at sea amid wartime conditions; a remarkable rescue story.
https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/this-day-in-norwood-history-august-14-small-rescue/
War Conditions Cause Change in South End Hardware Hours — November 6, 1942
Rationing and labor demands shape everyday commerce schedules.
https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/this-day-in-norwood-history-november-6/
Civic Rituals & Morale
Christmas Greetings from the 1942 Norwood Messenger — December 24, 1942
Holiday morale in the shadow of a global conflict.
https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/this-day-in-norwood-history-december-24/
Survey Gives Norwood Area Statistics — December 17, 1942
Community data snapshots during wartime planning and civil defense.
https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/this-day-in-norwood-history-december-17/
Norwood Man, 50 Pigeons Join Army — October 26, 1942
Carrier pigeons & specialized service; a lighter note in wartime mobilization.
https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/this-day-in-norwood-history-october-26/
Teen Age Flyers — April 8, 1945
Youth aviation and training culture near the war’s end.
https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/this-day-in-norwood-history-april-8/
A Town Shaped by Service
Honoring Norwood’s Veterans
A sweeping look at the town’s long tradition of service and remembrance.
This piece became a touchstone during patriotic holidays and community events, reinforcing the town’s commitment to honoring those who served.
Military & Veterans Wrapped: Your 2025 Takeaway
This year’s most‑read military and veterans stories reveal a community that remembers. A community that honors sacrifice. A community that continues to tell the stories of those who served — not just as history, but as part of Norwood’s living identityFrom Vietnam to WWII, from multigenerational service families to individual acts of courage, 2025 proved that Norwood’s military history remains one of the most powerful threads in the town’s story.
Bonus: “Wrapped” Stats from the Archive List
Wars Represented
Civil War, World War I, World War II, Vietnam era, and post‑2000 veteran stories.
Most Represented Era
World War II (1942–1946) — reflecting Norwood’s families in uniform, homefront rationing, and multiple memorial efforts.
Common Themes
Service across siblings, aviation milestones, memorial building & honor rolls, post‑war housing, and the daily realities of rationing and work.
Closing
From Civil War veterans like Ora Holman to WWII families with five and six sons in uniform, from memorial buildings and honor rolls to the practical rhythms of rationing, Norwood’s archives record a community that shows up for its service members — during conflict and long after.
Compiled by the Norwood Historical Society, with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini.
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