Indian Head, MD – As Indian Head Mayor Brandon Paulin handed Porter Hamrick and Haywood Swisher the keys to the Town of Indian Head at Veterans Day commemorations Wednesday, Nov. 11, he joked, “now that key unlocks everything in the Town of Indian Head, so don’t lose it.”
It was one of the lighter moments in the town’s otherwise somber and reflective memorial to those who serve and have served in the United States Armed Forces.
Hamrick served with the 493rd Tank Battalion in France and later served in the Korean War.
Swisher, Paulin noted, entered the Navy in 1943, retiring as a chief petty officer in 1965 before working his way to Indian Head where he retired after 26 years of civil service.
“Before he entered the Navy, he married his neighborhood sweetheart,” Paulin said of Swisher. “She had just graduated from high school. It was a marriage that lasted 60 years.”
U.S. Army veteran, now Maryland delegate, C.T. Wilson spoke with fire in his voice about the needs of veterans and how year after year, better health benefits are denied the very men and women who defend freedom.
“Some people confuse my passion for anger,” he said. “We need to do more than give lip service to our veterans. Some of us have left friends on foreign soil or come back entirely incomplete. They deserve more.
“I don’t care what party lines are,” Wilson stated. “This is about justice. They won’t consider giving tax breaks to our veterans, when without us there would be no ‘them.’ ”
Col. Stephen Redifer, commander of Chemical Biological Incident Response Force U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command in Indian Head, said he was impressed by the town’s commitment to its military community.
“This community continues to amaze me with its dedication to its service members,” he said.
He praised the color guard, saying, “These are my Marines. Every single one of them volunteered to be here today. Because of the anniversary of the Marine Corps, they have a three-day holiday. Yet, they volunteered to interrupt their holiday to be here today.
“Mayor Paulin said something about being appreciative for our military every day,” Redifer added. “That’s a very important thing. We owe these people our very way of life. The least we can do is honor and respect their sacrifices.
“The purpose of all war is to create peace,” he concluded. “But never forget those who had the desire to live, but the willingness to die to protect something greater than themselves.”
Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com
