Two of the 29 new Hometown Heroes banners that will hang over JFK Plaza. (Photo Courtesy City of Lowell)
LOWELL — U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kenneth Cameron was just 22 years old when the B-24 Liberator in which he served as a tail-gunner was shot down during a mission over Germany in 1944, claiming the life of Cameron and five other crew members.
Staff Sgt. Cameron was one of 31 Lowell veterans remembered by proud family members and friends this week as the City of Lowell unveiled a new series of Hometown Heroes banners to honor their service.
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Edmund Charron served in the Pacific Theater during World War II, and participated in the bloody battles of Guadalcanal, Enewetak Atoll, the Marshall Islands and the occupation of Guam, among others.
Air Force Capt. William McKee served for over 24 years, and spent the last decade of his life unable to speak due to damage caused by his exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.
Marine Capt. Edmund Murphy, Jr., once came under artillery fire during a battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II, jumped into a nearby foxhole, and found himself face-to-face with a former teammate from the Lowell High School Track Team.
More recently, Army Reserve Sgt. Joshua Aponte, Marine Cpl. Nelson Gallego, Army Major Juan Munera, Air Force Lt. Col. Jennifer Stretch, and Air Force Technical Sgt. Kenneth Santiago, and Air Force Lt. Col. Tahina Montoya all served in the Global War on Terror.
Family and friends told the heroes’ stories during a reception at City Hall on Tuesday that was attended by Mayor Erik R. Gitschier, City Councilors Dan Rourke, Vesna Nuon, Rita Mercier, Sokhary Chau, and state Rep. Tara Hong.
Director of Veterans’ Services Eric Lamarche organized the event and oversaw the creation of the new banners.
Marine Cpl. Paul Jussaume and Army Private First Class Albert Jussaume are among 31 Lowell residents being honored this year by Hometown Heroes banners that will be displayed in the area of JFK Plaza and City Hall. (Photo courtesy City of Lowell)
The Hometown Heroes banner program recognizes and honors the service of Lowell residents who served in the armed forces or as first responders. Banners feature the veteran’s photograph, name, branch of services and credentials.
A total of 72 veterans have been honored via the program since its launch in 2023.
“This program is about saying thank you, preserving who everyone was, what they mean to all of us, who their family members are, and remembering the gifts that they gave us all,” said Mayor Gitschier. “We are grateful for the sacrifices they made, and for the time they gave away from their families.”
A family member read a statement from Air Force Lt. Col. Tahina Montoya, which thanked the City for recognizing the service of those who serve.
“Seeing these banners displayed in the heart of our city is incredibly meaningful, not only to those who served, but also to the families and communities who suppoted them along the way,” Lt. Col. Montoya said.
Lou Champagne, of Lowell, told the story of his father-in-law, Army Staff Sgt. John “Jack” Scannell, who earned two bronze stars and a combat infantry badge while serving in Europe during World War II. He said his father-in-law, like many veterans, never talked about combat or the hardships that come with military service.
“But Jack wore that gosh darn World War II hat every single day of his life,” said Champagne. “This banner would really make him proud. It makes me proud.”
The 31 veterans who are honored by Hometown Heroes banners this year are: Air Force AC3 Robert Higgins, Marine Capt. Edmund Murphy Jr., Army PFC Albert Jussaume, Marine Cpl. Paul Jussaume, Army PFC Ignatius Tabor, Marine PFC Theodore Wozniak, Army PFC Roland Arcand, Navy SK4 Philibert Ruhmann, Army Staff Sgt. Kenneth Cameron, Army Capt. Walter Green, Army Private Aldo Green, Navy AG3 Michael Fitzgibbon, Marine Sgt. Edmund Charron, Marine Cpl. Gerald Gregoire, Army Staff Sgt. John Scannell, Air Force Lt. Col. Tahina Montoya, Air Force Technical Sgt. Richard Looney Sr., Army Staff Sgt. Paul Miron, Army CPC Curtis Chanthaboun, Army Technical Sgt. Clarence Cameron, Air Force Sgt. James Cameron, Air Force Master Sgt. William McKee, Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert Hornbaker, Army Reserves Sgt. Joshua Aponte, Marine Cpl. Nelson Gallego, Army Major Juan Munera, Air Force Lt. Col. Jennifer Stretch, Air Force Technical Sgt. Kenneth Santiago, Air Force Staff Sgt. Emily Crabtree, Navy Midshipman John Crabtree, and Space Force 1st Lt. Katherine Crabtree.
“We are exceptionally proud of and grateful for the hundreds of military veterans who have gone on from Lowell to serve their country, and we hope everyone joins us in honoring their service,” said City Manager Thomas A. Golden, Jr. “I encourage anyone who visits JFK Plaza to take a moment, read the names, look at the photographs, and spend some time in remembrance of the sacrifices that these individuals made for us all.”
For more information on the Hometown Heroes Banner Program, or to nominate someone to appear on a banner, visit: https://www.lowellma.gov/1651/Hometown-Heroes-Banner-Program.
Friends and family members of those being honored gathered in the Mayor’s Reception Room at City Hall to tell stories of their loved ones’ service, and to preview the banners that will soon hang over JFK Plaza. (Photo Courtesy City of Lowell)
