Since this is Memorial Day Weekend, I decided that maybe there are some who have forgotten or never really knew that this holiday is all about those who have served our country in times of war.

So I decided to write a bit about our World War II and Korean Conflict era veteran’s still living here in Weld. They are native sons, as they were residents at the time of their enlistment. And their families are well known in our Town’s history — Lawrence “Rusty” Lee, Bernard Vining and Edmund Hutchinson.

Lawrence Lee or “Rusty”, as we all have come to know him, served in the US Army from the fall of 1942 until the fall of 1945 in the European, African and Middle Eastern Campaigns. He was wounded several times. He earned a number of medals, among which were the a Good Conduct Medal, Combat Infantry Rifle medal, Gold Star, Purple Heart, Oak Leaf Cluster and Honorable Service, he was discharged with a rank of Technical Sergeant.

Bernard was enlisted in the US Army in July 1943 and discharged Dec. 3, 1945 as a Private First Class. He served in the Anti-Aircraft Artillery in seven countries during his two years — England, France, Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, Wales.

Edmund served in the US Navy Reserves from July 14, 1946 until July 14, 1950. At that time the US Army approached him and asked if he would be willing to enlist with them, which he did and served from Nov. 3, 1950 until Dec. 1, 1952 when he was discharged with the rank of Corporal.

And this year we hope that they, as well as all those who can, attend Weld’s Memorial Day celebration. It will be at the Weld Memorial Library on Church Street the site of our Memorial Stones of those served as well as those who were lost in the Wars this town as usual preceded by a small parade. The “Ladies of the Lake” will be presenting them with a small memento of their service to us and our country.

On Saturday, May 23 the Ladies of the Lake will have a small Bake Sale at the General Store parking lot from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Memorial Day is as early as it can be this year as the last Monday, May 25, will be our annual celebration at the Library at 2 p.m. with, as mentioned above, a special addition to our celebration.

Wednesday, May 27 marks the beginning of the Historical Society’s season with a Pot Luck Supper at 6 p.m. and the first meeting of the season starting at 7 p.m. which will focus on schools in Weld. The Tumbledown Tackers meet at noon on Monday June 1 at the multi-purpose room in the Town Office complex to finish up work on their fire quilts and then they will recess for July and August.

The RSU #9 budget meeting to explain the different line items is on Monday June 1 in Farmington at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium at Mount Blue and the validation vote in the member towns will be on Tuesday June 9. Weld’s will be at the Weld Town Office from 4-8 p.m.

On Tuesday, June 2 the Fire Department has their joint meeting with Carthage at 7 p.m. at the Fire Station in Weld and I spoke with Chief Hutchinson Monday and he told me that Engine 1204 has had the pump rebuilt and is running good now. The last couple of months have been relatively quiet and he’s hoping the summer is a quiet and safe one.

He also wanted to remind everyone that you must get a permit before doing any open burning –ONLY fires in a fire pit or outside fireplace for cooking are allowed without a permit. Although the fire danger at present is lower than it was a week ago, please be watchful of your “permitted” brush and camp fires. He also told me that the Department is happy to be tentatively enrolling some members in a Firefighter I and II course in late August, but they can always use new members;

The Board of Selectmen meet Tuesday June 2 in the multi-purpose room in the Town Office complex at 6:30 p.m. The Weld Congregational Church Ladies Aide meets on Wednesday, June 3 at 7 p.m. at the Parsonage to discuss the summer sale. Ladies of the Lake are meeting at 7 p.m. at the Winter-Vining home on Thursday, June 4 to schedule their summer sales. Come join us and help plan fun things for our seniors to do!

Now a look back — to the May 1944 edition of the Blue Mt. Bugle, a publication of the Blue Mountain Grange, the editor-in-chief being Althea Jenne, and whose cover proclaimed that this issue contained Gossip, Jokes, Original Poems, Stories and Chatter. One of the items was First of May in Weld, 1944.

“Spring has been very backward about coming forward, but at last is here. We have had several extremely warm days followed by cooler weather. As usual, Maine weather is rather erratic.

“Swallows came the last week in April without apparently having sent scouts ahead, as is supposed to be their custom. A crow with white wing feathers has appeared again this year, having been a summer visitor for several years previous.

“Deer are very plentiful and are seen in large numbers. A herd of 13 was seen recently on the Dixfield Road. Six to nine deer have been coming evenings too feed in a field of clover across the road from Ray Jenne’s house. Deer are thought to be very hungry after a winter of such deep snow.

“A great deal of damage has been done to our forests by the 36-inch first snowfall last November. Many large limbs are broken from trees and small trees are broken off. Pine and Elms seem to have been damaged most. Acres of alders and gray birches are so badly bent they can’t straighten.

“The ice was officially declared, by Game Warden Mendall Conant, to have left the lake at 9 a.m. May 7. The annual lobster dinner of the Ice Guessing Party will be held May 21. Mabel Schofield guessed May 7 at 11 a.m. and was the nearest.

“Orrin Merchant has sold his pine “on the stump” to Stephen Getchell, who has a crew cutting it. About 150,000 feet will be cut.

“We are all glad to hear that Pfc. Lawrence Lee has recovered from wounds received in an Italian battle. He was awarded a beautiful Purple Heart, which he has sent home to his parents. “Rusty” is again in the thick of battle.

“The old schoolhouse looks very attractive, as last fall it was painted a reddish-brown with white trimmings – effective against the green shingled roof. Mr. Cornwall’s gift of the paint was much appreciated.

“Cpl. Vernon Hutchinson was recently home on a furlough. Vernon has put on a lot of weight and is looking very fit. He is stationed at a camp in Georgia.

“Pvt. Earland Masterman was home on furlough from California in April, this being his first furlough since enlisting in August, 1942. Earland is an Airplane Engine Specialist and enjoys his work.

“Good cordwood is hard to get and high in price. The ceiling price is $10.50 for green wood at the roadside.

“Arlison Maxwell has sold his Model T to Douglas Vining and Richard Blodgett, who are working in the Wilton Woolen Mill.

“On April1, the Brothers of the Grange were on the Supper Committee, and the refreshments were certainly different. The piece de resistance was gingerbread with French Mustard frosting. Sandwiches were varied and had a touch of cotton batting.

“Martin Richards has made some high grade maple syrup this season. The “sap-run” was not as abundant as in some years. The ceiling price on syrup is $3.39 a gallon.

“Muriel Hutchinson, June Winter and Bernice Clemens are the only Seniors left to graduate this June. Muriel and June have already signed up for the Cadet Nurse Corp and taken their examination prior to entering the Maine General Hospital in Portland for training.

“Road Commissioner Oscar Sanborn is busy with work on the roads. At a special town meeting it was voted to bar off Mt. Blue road beyond Oscar Sanborn’s. If anyone passing through that way now had an accident, he could not collect “damage” from the town.

“There was good attendance at a May Ball held in the Town Hall. Music was furnished by Mahlon Cochran, playing the violin and Archie Swett of Wilton, playing either the violin, piano or banjo.”