Page 10 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2021 THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS By Mark E. Vogler H ere are a few tidbits that you might want to know about this week in Saugus. A weekend of reflection I’m two months into my sixth year of covering the town for The Saugus Advocate. I have been writing about Saugus for more than 11 years, if you add in a period of time of five and a half years I covered Saugus back in the late 1980s and early 1990s when I was at North Shore Sunday – during the days when it was considered a feisty, “must read” “magazinish” and alternative-style tabloid newspaper that covered 11 cities and towns on the North Shore. The Saugus I remember back then always distinguished itself as the land of hardcore, rough-and-tumble local politics – so rough that it was nicknamed “the graveyard of town managers.” I remember doing a few stories about the shelf life of town managers back then, and I believe it averaged out to about 18 months. That doesn’t make for good stability and continuity in local government. But, from my perspective as a well-traveled and roving journalist – having reported for newspapers in faraway places like Texas, Florida, Maine, Virginia and New York, I saw Saugus as a town where they truly cared about their local government – and perhaps too much. And the last stint that I covered Saugus, it did have a League of Women Voters. And one thing I’ve noticed over the course of my newspaper career – which now spans close to half a century – a League of Women Voters was always an asset to a community that took pride in itself and strived for good government. My previous stint covering Saugus actually overlapped the days of Norm Hansen, who served as town manager during that time – part of it as a temporary town manager. I remember Norm as a crusty and very colorful and patriotic guy who took great pride in his town – as did and do most of the Saugonians I’ve met. And that pride runs deep in honoring the men and women of this nation’s armed forces – particularly those who gave their lives and who are being honored here this weekend as Memorial Day is being observed locally. At about this time of year during my present stint of covering Saugus, I usually have a nice chat with Saugus Veterans Council Commander Steve Castinetti about the relevance of Memorial Day in the lives of Saugonians. I remember a beautiful Memorial Day celebration a couple of years ago where a speaker’s stand was set up in front of the Saugus Public Library and Steve ripped into the crowd – or whoever was listening – about a disappointing turnout. About 500 people took the time to participate in that day’s parade, so there should be hundreds of town residents out there enjoying the day, but also honoring and reflecting on the sacrifices that Saugus citizens had made for the country. So, I had the occasion a few nights ago to ask Steve about whether the name Arthur Frederick DeFranzo – the town’s Medal of Honor recipient for heroism in World War II – is a household name among the younger generation of Saugus. Steve told me he didn’t think many of today’s Saugus Middle and High School students would even know who DeFranzo was if asked. Hopefully, Steve is being too critical of his hometown. But if he isn’t wrong, that’s a sad thing. Memorial Day isn’t just about cookouts with family and friends, having fun and other holiday plans. It should be a time of reflection in which every proud Saugonian takes time to reflect on people from their community and across the nation who fought to protect the American way of life and our basic freedoms. Every school kid in Saugus should know who Arthur Frederick DeFranzo was. And so should the kids of future Saugus generations. 1945 – a year of sorrow for Saugus Longtime Saugus observer and writer Janice K. Jarosz, who is currently the interim secretary of the Board GUESS WHO GOT SKETCHED! In this week’s edition, we continue our weekly feature where a local artist sketches people, places and things in Saugus. Got an idea who was being sketched this week? If you do, please email me at mvoge@comcast.net or leave a phone message at 978-683-7773. Anyone who correctly identifies the Saugonians being sketched between now and Tuesday at noon qualifies to have their name put in a green Boston Red Sox hat with a chance to be selected as the winner of a $10 gift certificate, compliments of Dunkin’ at the 1204 Broadway Saugus location on Route 1 North. But you have to enter to win! Look for the winner and identification in next week’s “The Sounds of Saugus.” Please leave your mailing address in case you are a winner. (Courtesy illustration to The Saugus Advocate by a Saugonian who goes by the name of “The Sketch Artist”) of Selectmen, this week shared with me some mini stories from the old Saugus Herald “about our Soldiers in World War II.” I’ll share the ones about 11 Saugonians who lost their lives during World War II and who are among those being honored on Memorial Day: • Lt. Fairchild, 4434 Walnut Street, has been reported missing on a mission over Austria on March 31, 1945. • Two Local Boys Killed in Pacific Two East Saugus boys, who were playmates and neighbors for years, died within a month of each other fighting the Japs, their parents learned last night. They were PFC. Vitold Glinski, 21, son of Mrs. Ursula Glinski, 1 Atherton St., and Marine Cpl. Alex Chojnowski, 26, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Chojnowski, of 2 Rhodes St. • Walter Barrett, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Barrett, of 19 Pelham St., is missing in action according to a Navy telegram received by his parents. Barrett was aboard the destroyer USS Halligan that went down in Okinawa last week. • Dan Cameron Missing in Pacific Mr. Irving Cameron, father, received word that his son is missing in action in the Pacific area. Cameron was aboard a destroyer off Okinawa. His brother, Irving Jr., is a prisoner of war in Germany. • Brothers Killed in Italy Two Saugus brothers, PFC John Kasabuski, 21 and Sgt. Walter Kasabuski, 24, of 49 Collins Ave. were mortally wounded the same day during the last month of hostilities in Italy. John was killed instantly and Walter died April 27. • Pfc. MacCrae Killed by Bomb Pfc. William MacCrae, 21, of 66 Winter St., a prisoner of war since Nov. 1943, met his death in Stalag 4B on March 31 when American bombers accidentally blasted the camp, his parents have been informed. • Military Service for Lt. Daniels Full military honors were held Wednesday for Lt. Laurence P. Daniels, U.S.M.C.R., who was killed in a plane crash on April 19. • Pvt. William Hobbs Killed in Italy Pfc. William L. Hobbs, 35, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Hobbs, 46 Central St., East Saugus was killed in action somewhere in Italy on May 15. His parents were informed by the War Department last week. • Pfc. H. Joseph Berrett Killed in Action Pfc. Harold J. Berrett, 20, son of John and the late Alice Berrett, of 8 Wilson St., has been killed in action in Burma, his father was informed Monday in a telegram from the War Department. Remembering Lance Growing up in Swansea – a town of about 14,000 in southeastern Massachusetts, I was taught that Memorial Day wasn’t just a holiday for family get-togethers. I guess being a Boy Scout – an Eagle Scout at that – deepened my appreciation for the purpose and meaning behind the day. It still strikes as odd how a lot of folks I know don’t know the difference between Memorial Day (honoring our fallen service men and women) and Veterans Day (honoring all who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces). Memorial Day was always important to me, but became even more important in 1978 and the years that have followed. It happened 43 years ago this weekend. But I remember it like it was yesterday – one of the saddest days of my life – relived over and over each year when millions of people across the country pause to remember those who sacrificed their lives for this country. I was working as a reporter on the police beat for The San Angelo (Texas) Standard-Times. And one of my assignments was to write a story about the death toll on West Texas roads and highways. That grim task included coverage of a crash in the Texas Hill Country that killed seven people in one family. There weren’t that many deaths the next day, so the editor on duty asked me to rehash the fatal facts so he could “juice up” a recycled story that had very little new information, but would still run on the front page for the second day in a row. It really bothered me as I left the newsroom that day, knowing how some of us in the media can be so callous in the way we treat these tragedies. I carried out the assignment while expressing some dismay to the THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS | SEE PAGE 12
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