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: .

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

James Abner Cutler, d. 1919

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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Charles F. Duford, d. 1918

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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Ernest G. Kehoe, d. 1918

World War II

Leonard Dean Chesmore “Lenny”, d. 1943
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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Burleigh Edward Curtis, d. 1944
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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John Phillip Handy, d. 1944
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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William E. Kelley, d. 1945
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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Charles Walter Lovewell Jr, d. 1944
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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John Edmund Mahoney, “Jackie”, d. 1942

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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Thomas Jefferson Munn, d. 1943
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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Roger Emerson Phipps, d. 1946

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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Leonard Thomas Ryerson, d. 1942
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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Harry Sands, d. 1945
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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Joseph Serocki, d. 1944
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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Dorrance A. White, d. 1944
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

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Vietnam

John Joseph Chase, d. 1967

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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Thomas Alfred Ghelli, d. 1968

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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Clifford Damon LaChance, d. 1966
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

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