Special salute to mark annual Memorial Day ceremonies

Date: 5/24/2011

May 25, 2011

By Debbie Gardner

Assistant Editor

WEST SPRINGFIELD —James Berrelli, Jr., director and service office for the West Springfield Veterans Service told Reminder Publications this would be a special Memorial Day, as the town will finally be able to properly recognize a soldier who fell in battle 61 years ago.

"We will be honoring Korean War soldier Robert Toress, who was declared missing in action 61 years ago," Berrelli said. "We [recently] found out he was actually killed in action."

Berrelli said a unit for the National Guard is scheduled to present a flag to Toress' family in honor of his service during a May 30 ceremony on the Town Green. The unit will also fire a ceremonial volley in the soldier's honor and there will be a flyover by a unit from the Air National Guard's 104th Fighter Wing, stationed at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport.

The ceremony for Toress will take place at the culmination of the town's annual Memorial Day Parade, which is scheduled to step off from St. Thomas School at 9 a.m., following a route down Kings Highway to Elm Street, ending at the Town Green on Park Street.

Among the participants in this year's parade will be Lt. Col. David McCulloh, commander of the U. S. Marines Side Element, based at Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee, Brig. Gen. L. Scott Rice, commander of the 104th Fighter Wing, the Navy's Silver Dolphins, members of the U. S. coast Guard, the town's Veteran's Council, representatives from the Rotary Club and the elks, state and local officials, representatives from local boy and Girl Scout troops, units from the Police and Fire Departments, and other town departments.

Berrelli added that this year's Veteran of the Year, Robert Goodhine, who served in the Navy during World War II, would appear in the parade riding in a horse and buggy. He added that the town's St. Patrick's Day Parade float would also appear in this year's parade.

Debbie Gardner can be reached by e-mail at debbieg@thereminder.com