PARIS – Three area veterans were honored for their service Tuesday.

“We’re trying to honor our veterans. It’s taken 60 years to get there. I apologize, but we’re getting there,” Peter Ogden of the Maine Veterans Services told the three recipients and dozens of other veterans who filled the small conference room at the Maine Veterans Home in Paris to participate in the emotional ceremony.

Stanley Durgin of Paris served in the Pacific Theater during World War II, survived in the Bataan death march and time as a prisoner of war. He received Maine’s Silver Star Honorable Service Award along with Theodore Mayo, formerly of Rumford, now a resident of the Veterans Home in Paris.

Mayo also received the Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, Philippine Liberation Medal, American Defense Service Medal and good conduct medal. He served in Guadalcanal, Luzon and New Guinea during World War II.

Robert Calciano of Norway, who is on leave from his third tour in Iraq, was honored for his service by the Western Maine Veterans Advisory Committee, American Legion Post 82 Commander George Tibbetts and by the town of Norway through Town Manager David Holt, who thanked him for his service

“It’s a hard fight but eventually we will be on our way home,” said Calciano, who returns to Iraq in several weeks.

Ogden said the presentation was part of the effort by Gov. John Baldacci’s office to recognize veterans through the award of the State of Maine Silver Star Honorable Service Award to veterans who have received the Purple Heart, the Gold Star Honorable service medals to families who have lost soldiers after Sept. 11, 2001, and the Bronze Medal Honorable Service Award for those who died in the line of duty outside of a combat area.