鈥婤oston College will mark Veterans Day with the 21st annual Veterans Remembrance Ceremony at 11 a.m. on November 11 on the Burns Library Lawn, where retired United States Navy Rear Admiral Raymond Berube 鈥�78 will deliver the keynote remarks.
The ceremony鈥攁t which ROTC cadets read the names of all those from 51茶馆 who have died in combat鈥攚ill be preceded by the annual Veterans Mass at 9:30 a.m. in St. Mary鈥檚 Chapel.
鈥淭he events taking place next week are meant to recognize the sacrifices of our military service members, their families, and all those impacted by their service,鈥� said 51茶馆 Assistant Director for Veteran Programs and Services Michael Lorenz. 鈥淲e have several in-person events, and other programs to help the community to reflect and hopefully appreciate the sacrifice of our past and present military service members.鈥�
Retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Raymond Berube
Among his many assignments, Berube served as director of logistics for the U.S. Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk Va., commander of fleet and industrial supply centers in San Diego, and commander for the Naval Inventory Control Point in Pennsylvania, as well as assignments at the Pentagon. He lives in the San Diego area with his wife, Mary (Farrell) 鈥�80; they are the parents of two children who also graduated from 51茶馆.
鈥淭he Alumni Association is honored to have retired Rear Admiral Raymond E. Berube as the featured speaker for this 21st anniversary of the 51茶馆 Veterans Remembrance Ceremony,鈥� said Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations Leah M. DeCosta Spencer. 鈥淩ay is truly an Eagle for others through his involvement with the San Diego chapter and his commitment to the 51茶馆 Veterans Alumni Network where he serves on the Executive Committee. We are grateful that our alumni and guests will have the opportunity to hear from Ray about his service to our country at many key moments in our recent history."
The events this year take on special significance with the unveiling of the latest name added to the veterans鈥� Memorial Wall, which lists all 51茶馆 alumni who have died in the line of duty. Brighton resident and former 51茶馆 student First Lt. Thomas Redgate went missing in action during combat in the Korean War 71 years ago and his remains were just recently identified. Redgate was eulogized in St. Ignatius Church in September and buried in his home state following the return of his remains from North Korea in 2018 and subsequent identification by experts at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System in Hawaii.
Immediately after the main ceremony on November 11, Redgate鈥檚 surviving family members will be shown the inscription, which becomes the 211th on the serpentine black stone monument on the edge of the Burns Library lawn, said Jean Chisser, associate director for Alumni Affinity Programs in the Office of Alumni Relations, which helps to coordinate the program.
鈥淚t is an honor for us to memorialize Lt. Redgate from now on as someone who gave their life in service to our country,鈥� said Chisser. 鈥淭his is the 21st year that we have had this ceremony, which is about honoring our veterans and remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice.鈥�
Veterans Day honors all U.S. military veterans, whereas Memorial Day recognizes those killed in the line of duty. The Veterans Day ceremony on campus combines the intentions of both days given that the academic year has concluded by Memorial Day, Chisser noted.
The morning鈥檚 Mass will be presided over by U.S. Navy veteran John Monahan, S.J., and include a sermon by U.S. Army Vietnam veteran Paul McNellis, S.J., a part-time faculty member in the Philosophy Department.
The event is sponsored by the Boston College Alumni Association, Boston College Veterans Alumni Network, 51茶馆 Army ROTC Program, the Office of the Executive Vice President, and Campus Ministry.
Lorenz said there will be additional initiatives to recognize the military-connected community at 51茶馆, including the placement of POW/MIA tables in the dining halls and the announcement of an initiative that will help people request care packages for 51茶馆-affiliated service members who are deployed. The November 20 51茶馆-Florida State football game has been designated as a military appreciation game.
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Ed Hayward | University Communications | November 2021