Veterans' stories on display at Stoneham Field of Honor
STONEHAM - There's something majestic about a waving flag. The stars and stripes tell the story of a nation through the countless tales of the men and women who served. You will find a sea of flags at the Field of Honor in Stoneham. Each flag is for a service member or first responder.
Navy SEAL Don Tocci
Don Tocci is one of several pictures that are attached to flags. He is a Navy SEAL who received a Purple Heart after taking a bullet in the Vietnam War.
"He would be the first line of defense, and he got shot when he was in there," said Stephanie Cherenson, Tocci's daughter. "Anyone who knows my father knows he made big deal out of it and had a celebration with a 'Bullet Party' on the day he got shot."
Tocci passed away from cancer in February. On Memorial Day, Navy SEALs carried his ashes out into the sea at Fort Pierce in Florida. It is also the location of the Navy SEAL Museum.
"They are the best, the sweetest, and the bravest men that I have ever met in my life," said Cherenson.
Part of Tocci's career saw him rescue astronaut pods after they came back to Earth and landed in the ocean.
"He and another man in the SEALs would go help bring them back in. They would be in the ocean, come and grab them, and bring them back in," said Cherenson.
Six members of Craigie family honored
The stories at the Field of Honor are aplenty, including the Craigie family. They have a flag representing six members of their family. Paul Craigie served six years in the Army Reserve.
"It's a family tradition for both of our families to serve in the military," tells Craigie.
His uncle, Lawrence Craigie, was a three-star general in the Air Force.
"He was in charge of the project to develop the first military jet aircraft, and was the first pilot to fly it," said Craigie.
There are pictures from his past that show General Craigie standing with President Franklin Roosevelt and Orville Wright. These stories are told at the field as a way to remember the past, at to never forget their accomplishments.
