In the News

RICHMOND — The green hills are wet and bright, the sky is gray, and the school marching band comes up the road with sounds to rally the troops, and then, to mourn them. 

The parade stops. The rolling countryside goes silent. Rabbi Ivan Caine, a Richmond resident, leads a prayer.

"For a society in which there will be no more need for martyrs," he implored. "How can we pray in a society that has become so selfish? First we pray to be able to pray."

The Richmond Consolidated School band had just taken its slow turn at a funeral beat before stopping at a ceremony where sat U.S. Marine Corps Corporal David Reynolds, who was wounded in the battle at Iwo Jima during World War II. 

Reynolds, whose wife died recently, was a 90-year resident of Richmond, and one with a still-sharp humor and wit, according to U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, who spoke at Monday's early morning Memorial Day event in front of the school. 

Neal said none of America's challenges today compare to the bloody battle where Reynolds found himself in 1945. And he alluded to the messiness of a free society.

"Our democracy is supposed to be noisy," he said.

State Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli D-Lenox said that same war lives on in him. He was named after his father's best friend, killed during WWII. He also told the audience not to think war is anything like what is "glorified in movies." 

State Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield spoke of family who had served and died, and of his time working in a war zone in the Middle East, and said these were constant reminders of what is at stake. 

Reynolds had received a flag from Neal and citations from Pignatelli and Hinds. 

War and remembrance are a serious business, but there were some good laughs.

Pignatelli, handing Reynolds a citation from Gov. Charlie Baker, took this opportunity to, in jest, draw attention to one of Richmond's most famous residents — former Gov. Deval Patrick, who attended the 8 a.m. ceremony.

"Not [from] our favorite governor, but our current governor," Pignatelli said of the citation.