ATHOL – A group of veterans gathered at Vietnam Veterans Park Thursday morning to secure a sign reading “A Purple Heart Town,” one of several that will be set up across town in the coming weeks.
The sign, which also welcomes visitors to Athol, also displays the logos of local veterans organizations. Scott Hume, president of the Athol Veterans Council, said Athol was certified as a Purple Heart Town more than a decade ago. The signs were made by Lyman Signs of Phillipston.
On May 19, Hume approached the Selectboard seeking permission to install signs announcing that the town is a Purple Heart Community. At the time, he told the board, “Back in 2014, Athol was certified as a Purple Heart Town. It was brought to our attention at the American Legion that we’ve never put up any signs at entry points to the town.”
He noted that several local towns, including Templeton and Winchendon, posted Purple Heart signs a number of years ago. The board unanimously approved his request.
On Thursday morning, Hume was joined by fellow veterans Thomas and Gary Williams and Joe Szweda to post the first of the dozen or so signs which will eventually be seen by everyone entering Athol. Szweda, a Vietnam veteran, received a Purple Heart for wounds received during action in 1969.
Szweda said he was a member of Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 9th Regiment, 3rd Marine Division. He said he was wounded when his squad was on patrol in the A Shau Valley near the border with Laos, China. The men were participating in Operation Dewey Canyon, described in U.S. Army records as the last major offensive by the 3rd Marine Division during the Vietnam War.
“We were ambushed and got into a firefight,” said Szweda on July 16. “A full squad was supposed to 12 or 15 guys, but they never had that many. My squad had maybe six or seven guys. Every one of us was wounded, but nobody got killed.”
Szweda said he was wounded in six places by the explosion of a rocket-propelled grenade.
The Williams brothers and Szweda are members of Marine Corps League Pequoig Detachment 1168, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 340, Athol American Legion E.H. Phillips Post 102 and several other organizations.
Szweda also belongs to the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Hume is vice commander and adjutant of Post 102. John Dodge of the North Quabbin Veterans Center, who was unable to attend Thursday morning, is co-chair of the Purple Heart sign effort.
Hume had hoped to place signs on Route 2 entering Athol but was told by MassDOT that “signs cannot be installed on Route 2…which is a high-speed controlled-access highway.” He was told, however, that signs could be posted on routes 2A and 32 “on town or private property outside the state’s right of way…”
Other roads which will soon have the signs installed include Chestnut Hill Avenue, West Royalston Road, Pinedale Avenue, North Orange Road, Chestnut Hill Avenue.
Others under consideration are New Sherborn Road, Conant Road, Fryville Road, Tom Swamp Road, South Royalston Road, Flat Rock Road and Washington Avenue near the bridge just south of South Athol Pond.
“The Select Board was very supportive of Scott’s efforts to re-energize the longstanding values in Athol of supporting our veterans, and specifically, as a Purple Heart community,” said Town Manager Shaun Suhoski. “Today, I felt a sense of appreciation while driving past the green space at Main Street and Starrett Avenue as Scott and his team were installing the Purple Heart recognition. I’m sure that sentiment is felt throughout the community.”