MONUMENTAL: Miller Green rededicated

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This was in the Fall River Herald and thought you might like to read it. As you know Rick was born in Fall River Massachusetts. Brenda

MONUMENTAL: Miller Green rededicated

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By Michael Holtzman
Herald News Staff Reporter
Posted Jul 04, 2009 @ 08:12 PM
Last update Jul 06, 2009 @ 05:05 PM



FALL RIVER —
The remains of Army Cpl. David L. Miller likely will never be returned to his country or to the South End neighborhood where he was raised. But residents here will always have a reminder of the sacrifice made by the young man once known as "Davey."

City officials, area veterans and Miller's family gathered on a sunsplashed Fourth of July at the beautified Miller Green at South Main and Shove streets, where they dedicated a new plaque honoring the soldier.

Miller was imprisoned by the Japanese during World War II. He survived the Bataan Death March but died of malaria and torture in a Philippines camp in either 1942 or 1943.

More than 100 people gathered to rededicate the space named for Miller, months after the city was criticized for briefly placing another monument at the site. At least 15 of Miller's cousins and several close family friends attended.

"When the call of our country came, David Miller answered," said Chaplain Ken Boyer, a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 486 and the Fall River Veterans War Council. He remembered "a brave man who suffered."

"We now pay tribute to our fallen comrade," Boyer said. "The march of this veteran is over."

Several new tributes were added at the site, including American and POW flags hoisted for the first time. The new flags will be lit 24 hours a day. The old monument was mounted on a new foundation of granite and concrete and placed in the center of the green.

"There’s a real hero among us in spirit," retired Army Sgt. Manuel DaPonte, the city’s veterans agent, told the crowd. DaPonte, himself a decorated veteran, was instrumental and upgrading the memorial and planning Saturday's tribute.

"It’s so hard to look back over 66 years and say, ‘This poor guy went through hell,’" said city resident Lenny Kaplan, an Army veteran.

The Fall River Veterans War Council contributed $628 for upgrading the memorial, DaPonte said. A large contingency participated in uniform, led by Commander Jim Gonsalves.

Mayor Robert Correia chose DaPonte to read the messages issued posthumously to Miller along with his Bronze Star and Purple Heart. In a booming voice, DaPonte read from two proclamations:

"… This is to certify that the President of the United States of America, authorized by executive order, 24 August 1962, has awarded the Bronze Star Medal on Cpl. David L. Miller, Army of the United States for meritorious achievement while serving with the 27th Bombardment Group (Light) in the Philippines from Dec. 7, 1941 to May 7, 1942."

"… This is to certify that the President of the United States of America has awarded the Purple Heart established by General George Washington at Newburgh, N.Y., Aug. 7, 1982."

The Bronze Star is awarded for bravery and/or merit to those in the armed forces serving after Dec. 6, 1941. The Purple Heart is given for those wounded or killed while fighting U.S. enemies.

he Deptartment of the Army Military Awards Branch certified eight more awards Miller earned during his two years in the service: the Prisoner of War Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one Bronze Services Star, WWII Victory Medal, Presidential United Citation with Two Oak Leaf Clusters, Philippine Defense Ribbon Philippine Presidential Unit Citation and honorable Service Lapel Pin.

DaPonte presented the Bronze Star and Purple Heart to two of David Miller's cousins, Rosemary Pettine of Somerset, formerly of Fall River, and Gayle Lemay of North Kingstown, R.I., formerly of Tiverton. Their grandfather, Walter, was David’s uncle. Lemay saidt David Miller was her godfather.

Lemay said she grew up hearing about "all the loving memories of Davey Miller," as well as hearing about the Battan Death March, which she called "one of the signature events of American history."

Mayor Correia, a former high school teacher, said the person they gathered to honor was not just someone out of a history book. He said Miller lived across the street from the green with his aunts Clara and Theresa Miller.

"He died in the service of his country," Correia said. "He made the ultimate sacrifice so that we today could celebrate the Fourth of July."

After DaPonte gave the Bronze Star and Purple Heart to Pettine and Lemay, the latter hesitated to take the prestigious medals. "It’s an honor they were issued to me," DaPonte said, "but I am issuing them to you."

"They wanted someone to represent the family. I intended to give a little background. I was really blown away," Lemay said after thanking everyone. "It was totally overwhelming."

Pettine said preparing for the rededication enabled her to meet new people, engage family ties and even meet a new relative on David Miller’s mother’s side of the family.

"I’m sorry about the way it came about, but I’m glad it’s being noticed," said Pettine, a retired Swansea elementary teacher whose father had a wood and coal yard in the Flint area.

She was referring to a controversy last year when city officials placed at the same site a large monument honoring civic contributions by the late restaurantuer Paul McGovern. Veterans and others objected to the decision, and the McGovern monument was evetually moved. The McGovern family paid for many of the original improvements to the site.

Pettine said the situation has raised the city's awareness of veterans' contributions. "So many times you go over a bridge or to a place that was important in the city," she said, "and nobody knows about it."

"I’m just glad it’s taken care of and we can move on," said local filmmaker Jason Caminiti, who was recording the ceremony and had been among those protesting because of his interest in veterans’ contributions.

"I don’t think we’ll find out what happened, and I don’t think it matters at this point," he said. "I thought it was a good ceremony. I thought everything turned out OK."

E-mail Michael Holtzman at mholtzman@heraldnews.com.