The Oxford Hills community came together with the help of many people to offer the best wishes to the soldiers.
By Jim Smedley
Staff Writer

PARIS – Korean veteran Joseph Cooney had a short message for the Iraqi-bound soldiers of Company C, 133rd Engineer Battalion, U.S. National Guard.

“When you go over there you will see things you have never seen before and then you will know why you are there,” Cooney said. “And when you come back, you’ll be thankful that you’re an American.”

Cooney was one of two veterans to speak to the National Guard unit and more than 400 people who gathered at the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School auditorium Sunday to say goodbye to the guard members.

World War II and Korea combat veteran Myron Pierce also spoke.

“Think of the pluses,” Pierce said. “I know there will be some problems, but think of the positive side and you’ll come out ahead of the game.”

The send off was organized by Lesley Dean, president of the Norway Businessman’s Association, in association with Norway Selectman William Damon, who organized a committee to create the send off and to help the families of deployed Guardsmen.

Dean said the Oxford Hills community came together with many people playing important roles to bring about the best wishes.

Cooney, chairman of the Western Maine Veterans Advisory Committee, said after the ceremony that realizations about America will hit U.S. soldiers on their first time overseas.

“Many here take our lives in the U.S. for granted,” Cooney said. “Overseas they will see poverty, destruction and poor medical and sanitation conditions.”

Company C Capt. Mike Mitchell outlined what could be the next 20 months for the battalion.

He said about half of the soldiers, in a convoy of nearly 100 vehicles, will leave Maine for Fort Drum, N.Y. on Tuesday. The rest will leave Wednesday on commercial buses.

The battalion will arrive together on Thursday.

Mitchell said further training at Fort Drum could take 30 to 60 days and then the Iraq deployment could be from 12 to 18 months.

“I have an outstanding company,” Mitchell said. “No doubt, we’ll accomplish our missions when there.”

Two of his soldiers, Jonathan Stevens and Joshua Metcalf, were promoted to E-4 specialist at the send off.

The gathering featured patriotic music and the Mollyockett Chapter of the Sweet Adelines sang several numbers. Oxford Cub Scout Pack 196 led the audience in reciting the American’s Creed.

To conclude the ceremony Dean, who is also national junior vice president of Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, called Sgt. Eric Richardson of the 133rd’s Norway detachment to the stage.

She told the audience that in Civil War days, if a woman liked a man she would ask him for a button from his uniform.

“And if she really, really liked him she would give him a fabric button with a drop of her perfume on it,” Dean said.

Dean then gave Richardson a fabric button and a button from the Grand Army of the Republic, the early version of the American Legion.

“Take them and bring them back,” Dean said.

jsmedley@sunjournal.com

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