BOSCAWEN, N.H. A ceremony was held Tuesday to mark Veterans Day at the state Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen, the final resting place for 5,000 servicemen and women.
Many gathered at the cemetery to remember those who have served and passed, some in combat and some decades after they last wore a uniform.
There are about 7,000 New Hampshire residents serving in the military, and the state paused to thank them and all who came before them.
Lori Marsh said her father, Charles Hosken, served as a sergeant in the Marines during the Korean War. He died in 2006 and is buried at the state Veterans Cemetery. Marsh said she brings her two children to visit their grandfather on this day every year.
“It means a lot because he served our country, and I believe that God’s going to take care of him,” said Riley Marsh, Hosken’s grandson.
“My sons missed him greatly, and he just, it makes us feel closer to him,” Lori Marsh said.
Service and sacrifice tend to go hand in hand, and some get burdened with more than their fair share of both. Gold Star Mother Jean Durgin said her son, Army Sgt. Russell Durgin, was killed in combat in Afghanistan in June 2006.
“I’m so proud of him,” Durgin said. “I’m sad. I wish he were here. I’m sad, but I’m so proud of him.”
Veterans Day is about thanking and recognizing everyday people who heard their country’s call. There are more than 100,000 people living in New Hampshire who have served in the military.
“Our veterans and service members understand that there is a cause greater than any one of us: this country,” said Gov. Maggie Hassan.
Patricia Rocca said her father, Peter, died in 2011. A World War II veteran who loved to garden, his headstone rests under a tree that has shed its leaves.
“He’s not alone,” she said. “He’s surrounded by love and so many other men and women who fought for this country.”
National Guard Maj. Gen. William Reddel urged veterans to take advantage of support programs that are available to them and said if they don’t know what’s out there, just ask a fellow vet who does.
