Mansfield Turns Out for Veterans Day Parade

Hundreds, if not thousands of Mansfield citizens came out on Friday for the Mansfield Veterans Day Parade.

The parade itself started at the Memorial Park near the High School, proceeded down Church Street and turned on Chilson Avenue. Then it turned left on to Route 106 and then turned to North Main Street where it stopped at the war memorial on the South Common.

Nearly all town officials came out for the event, and at the war memorial. Agent of Veterans Affairs John Hogan spoke about the importance of remembering the service and sacrifice of America's Veterans.

"For many the war isn't over," he said. "Not all wounds are visible."

Hogan went on to tell the story of Private Walter Scott West, a marine from New England, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery in action during the Spanish American War. West, after the action but before he was given the award, was dishonorably discharged for being drunk on duty.

Hogan said it took 30 years for West to finally get the award, since a dishonorable discharge does not allow any soldier to receive medals. Hogan speculated that the reason for his behavior after showing such bravery in the face of danger was not skin deep.

"In World War I, they coined the term shell-shocked," he said. "In World War II, it came to be known as battle fatigue. In Vietnam, it was the thousand-yard stare, and eventually we've come to know it as post-traumatic stress disorder."

Hogan said that now, the army calls it just post-traumatic stress, because it is not now considered a disorder.

"A natural outcome of an unnatural situation," he said. "As a nation, we have an obligation to take care for those who we send into the most stressful, fearful and dangerous environments one can imagine. We have come a long way, but we have a long way to go. Not all wounds are visible. To my comrades, I thank you for your service and I salute you."

 Hogan said that Private West was buried in neighboring Foxborough.