Veterans’ Memorial Squares
We are pleased to present the information for some of the many Holliston Veterans on our website. For more information and individual service awards, please click on the Veteran’s name. The information presented on the individual pages are originally from Mr. Jon Varrel’s pamplet “Holliston Remembers.” We are especially grateful for his invaluable information and photos. Additional information has been added that was obtained from the Holliston Historical Society Library, Vital Records from the Holliston Town Clerk, Lake Grove Cemetery, and old newspapers on microfilm found at the Milford Public Library and Framingham Public Library.
If you see any data that is incorrect, please contact us at: librarian@hollistonhistoricalsociety.org.
Below are listed the memorial squares dedicated to those individual servicemen cited on these pages. These acknowledgements are presented in honor of those servicemen who died while serving their country in World War I (WWI), World War II (WWII), or the Vietnam War.
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World War I
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Served in World War I
Corporal, US Army
Died: January 4, 1919 in Columbia, South Carolina of pneumonia
Buried: Lake Grove Cemetery, Holliston, MA
Memorial Plaque in sanctuary of First Congregational Church of Holliston
Born: March 18, 1890 in Holliston, son of Albion M. and Emma I. (Adams) Cutler
Graduate: Holliston High School, Class of 1910
Memorial Square: Washington Street & Summer Street
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Served in World War I
Sergeant, US Army
Co M, 326th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Infantry Division
Died: October 14, 1918; killed in action in Argonne Forest, France
Buried: Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France, Plot E Row 27 Grave 40
Memorial Stone in family’s plot at Lake Grove Cemetery, Holliston, MA
Born: March 11, 1895 in Everett, son of Charles and Rosanna M. Duford
First Man in Holliston drafted for World War I; entered 20 Sept 1917; overseas 29 April 1918
Charles F. Duford American Legion Post 47 Holliston organized in 1920 named in his honor
Memorial Square: at Former Post 6 GAR, American Legion Building, 13 Exchange Street, currently Banfield Pet Hospital
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Served in World War I
Mechanic US Army
38th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division
Died: July 5, 1918
Buried: Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, Plot B Row 10 Grave 65, Belleau, France
Memorial Square: Arch Street & Water Street
World War II
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Served in World War II
Aviation Radioman Second Class, US Navy
United States Naval Reserves
Died: December 24, 1943; shot down over the Pacific off Tarawa, body not recovered
Memorialized at the Honolulu Memorial, Hawaii
Memorial Stone in Family Lot at Lake Grove Cemetery, Holliston, MA
Holliston Leonard D. Chesmore VFW Post 8507 chartered in 1946 named after Leonard D. Chesmore
Awards
- World War II Victory Metal
- Air Medal
- Purple Heart
Born: Dec. 10, 1920 in Holliston, son of George and Edith (Heath) Chesmore
Graduate: Holliston High School, Class of 1938; member of H.S. Basketball Team
Residence: Franklin Street
Memorial Square: Central Street & Franklin Street
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Served in World War II
First Lieutenant, US Army Air Forces
377th Squadron, 362nd Fighter Bomb Group
Died: June 13, 1944 over France while dive bombing bridge, body not recovered. Correction: remains identified December 2018.
Memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at Brittany American Cemetery, St James, France.
Accounted for on December 13, 2018 by Defense Prisoner of War / Missing in Action Agency (DPAA).
Additional Information (by mail Dec. 26, 2018 from a DPAA volunteer near Briouze France):
Curtis was a member of the 377th Fighter Squadron, 362nd Fighter group, piloting a P-47D aircraft on a dive bombing near Briouze, France, when his plane crashed. Witnesses reported that he was not seen bailing out of the aircraft prior to the crash. The inhabitants of Briouze had honored his memory 20 years ago (see Photo at bottom).
Awards
- Purple Heart
- Air Metal w/1 Silver Star and 2 Bronze Service Stars
- World War II Victory Medal
- World War II Service Lapel Button
Born: February 24, 1922 Freeport, Maine, son of Leslie and Lilian Curtis
Graduate: Holliston High School, Class of 1939; Class Vice President
Family Residence: Irving Place
Married: October 1943 to Louise Murray of Medfield
Buried: To be buried in June 2019 Chase Cemetery, Windham, Maine
Memorial Square: Elm Street & Irving Place
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Served in World War II
Sergeant, US Army
85th Cavalry Reconn Squadron, 5th Armored Division
Died: August 12, 1944 in France from wounds received that day
Buried: Brittany American Cemetery, Plot G Row 14 Grave 17, St James, France
Awards
- Purple Heart
- Bronze Star
Born: May 12, 1913 in Roxbury (Boston); son of Charles S. and the late Ellen (Shannon) Handy
Attended: Holliston schools and Holliston High School
Memorial Square: Norfolk Street & Franklin Street
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Served in World War II
Corporal, US Marine Corp
Died: February 23, 1945, from wounds during invasion of Iwo Jima
Buried: At Sea (died while on hospital ship)
Memorialized at the Honolulu Memorial, Hawaii
Awards
- Purple Heart
- Presidential Unit Citation w/ Ribbon Bar and one Star
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
- Victory Medal World War II
Son of Dorothy F. and the late William E. Kelley
Member: Holliston High School Basketball Team, 1939
Enlisted: during last year at Holliston High School
Residence: Rockland Street
Memorial Square: Braggville Cemetery, Rockland Street
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Served in World War II
Second Lieutenant, US Army Air Force
729th Bomber Squadron, 452 Bomber Group
Died: April 21, 1944; crash in England of his B-17 Flying Fortress Bomber
Buried: Cambridge American Cemetery Plot B Row 6 Grave 47, Cambridge, England
Memorial on Family Monument in Lake Grove Cemetery, Holliston, MA
Awards
- Purple Heart
- Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Born: November 12, 1916 in Holliston, son of Charles W. and Bertha Ellen (Phipps) Lovewell
Graduate: Holliston High School, Class of 1934
Married: November 10, 1943 to Natalie Kolfeth in Walla Walla, Washington
Family Residence: High Street
Memorial Square: Locust Street & High Street
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Served in World War II
Seaman Second Class, US Navy
Died: April 9, 1942 in Newport, RI (Naval Hospital) of pneumonia
Buried: St. Mary’s Cemetery, Holliston, MA
Born: September 23, 1923 in Holliston, son of Cornelius and Helen (Meyers) Mahoney
Graduate: Holliston High School, Class of 1941; member of High School Basketball Team
Residence: on Pearl Street
Memorial Square: Washington Street & Pearl Street
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Served in World War II
Corporal, United States Marine Corps
Died: November 20, 1943, killed in action in Battle for the Gilbert Islands
Buried: Central Division Cemetery, Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands
Reinterred: National Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii
Awards
- Purple Heart
Born: February 26, 1924 in Melrose, MA, son of Otis W. and Annabel Munn; grandson of Thomas Jefferson Munn, Jr. and Annie Pierce
Memorial Square: Linden Street & Woodland Street
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Served in World War II
Private First Class, US Army
Died: May 26, 1946 in a plane crash in Florida
Buried: Lake Grove Cemetery, Holliston, MA
Born: May 1, 1927 in Natick, MA, son of Ernest S. and Emily Bistor Phipps; registered in Holliston Births
Residence: 19 High Street
Memorial Square: Woodland Street & Washington Street (opposite High Street)
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Served in World War II
Second Lieutenant, US Army Air Forces
336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group
Died: September 26, 1942, shot down over Brest, France
Buried: cemetery near Brest, France by the Germans
Reinterred: Brittany American Cemetery, Plot H Row 10 Grave 15 St James, France
Awards
- Purple Heart
- World War II Victory Medal
- World War II Service Lapel Button
- European African Middle Eastern Campaign medal w/ One Bronze Service Star
Born: February 18, 1911 in Danbury, New Hampshire, son of Wilson Heath and Eliza (Thomas) Ryerson
Residence: Moved to Holliston in 1925 and lived first at 249 Central Street and then 1797 Washington Street, where family operated the Ryerson Poultry Farm (location now known as Cedar Brook Estates at Johnson Street)
Flying Experience: Learned to fly at East Boston Airport (Logan) and moved in late 1930s to California as a flying instructor. Prior to United States entry in World War II, joined RAF in 1941 and was assigned to 133 Squadron as a fighter pilot becoming one of 242 Americans in three British Eagle Squadrons. Transferred to United States Army Air Force on September 16, 1942. Died ten days later on what was expected to be a routine mission to escort a formation of B-17s on a bombing raid on Morlaix.
Memorial Square: Washington Street & Johnson Drive
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Served in World War II
Staff SGT, US Army Air Corps
Died: May 22, 1945
Buried: Long Island National Cemetery
Awards
- Purple Heart
- Air Medal
- Good Conduct Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 1 Silver & 1 Bronze service star
- Philippine Liberation Ribbon w/ 1 Bronze service star
- WWII Victory Medal
- Lapel Button
Memorial Square: Central Street & Fiske Street
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Served in World War II
Private, US Army
15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division
Died: November 9, 1944
Buried: Lorraine American Cemetery, Plot F Row 5 Grave 22 St Avold (Moselle), France
Name listed on Family Stone in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Holliston, MA
Born: April 8, 1917 in Framingham, MA; son of Anthony and Mary Serocki
Awards
- Purple Heart
- World War II Victory Medal
- World War II Service Lapel Button
- European African Middle Eastern Campaign medal w/ One Bronze Service Star
- French Fourragere
Residence: Rogers Road
Memorial Square: 34 Rogers Road (moved from opp. Washington Street & Whitney Street)
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Served in World War II
Second Lieutenant, US Army Air Forces
514th Bomber Squadron, 376th Bomber Group
Died: July 8, 1944
Memorialized at Florence American Cemetery, Via Cassia, Italy
Memorial on family’s monument at Lake Grove Cemetery, Holliston, MA
Awards
- Air Medal
- Purple Heart
- American Campaign Medal
- World War II Victory Medal
- World War II Service Lapel Button
- European African Middle Eastern Campaign medal w/ One Bronze Service Star
Graduate: Holliston High School, Class of 1939; Treasurer of Senior Class
Family Residence: Highland Street near Prospect
Memorial Square: Highland Street & Prospect Street
Vietnam
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Served in Vietnam
Lance Corporal, US Marine Corps
Died: June 7, 1967, Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam
Buried: Baltimore National Cemetery
Born: March 19, 1947
Graduate: Holliston High School, Class of 1966; Manager of High School Basketball Team (1965 State Class D Championship)
Memorial Square: Clark Street & Norfolk Street
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Served in Vietnam
Corporal, US Army
196th Light Infantry Brigade
Died: January 10, 1968, Quang Tin Province, South Vietnam
Buried: Lake Grove Cemetery, Holliston, MA
Born: July 27, 1947 in Framingham, MA, son of Francis H. and Elizabeth Kampersal Ghelli
Graduate: Holliston High School, Class of 1965, AVA (Audio Visual Aid)
Residence: Fiske Street
Memorial Square: Goodwill Park, 37 Green Street
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Served in Vietnam
Sergeant First Class, US Army
Advanced Team 2 MACV Advisors
Died: August 7, 1966
Buried: Lake Grove Cemetery, Holliston, MA
Awards
- Purple Heart
Born: October 31, 1929
Memorial Square: Concord Street & Ashland Street