The death of 26-year-old Andrew J. Bacevich put a face on the war in Iraq for most people in Walpole.
Besides the moving tributes paid to Bacevich during his funeral this morning, dozens of onlookers lined Main Street, waving American flags during the funeral procession from the James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home in Walpole to St. Timothy’s Church in Norwood.
Danielle Mahoney, whose father fought in Vietnam, said she came out to show a sign of respect. Mary Cummings and Margaret Sheehan, too, came out to honor a fallen hero.
“I think it’s wonderful that the Walpole Fire Department is out here giving flags to everyone to show respect for this soldier,” Cummings said.
“I’ve never seen a town do it before,” Sheehan added.
Bacevich, whose family lives on Courtney Road, died May 13 of wounds sustained when an IED (improvised explosive device) tore through his patrol in Salah Ad Din province in Iraq. He was serving with the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division out of Fort Hood, Texas.
Patty Digan of Franklin noted her son’s fifth-grade class at Blessed Sacrament School in Walpole “adopted” Bacevich’s unit last year, writing letters and sending care packages to Iraq.
“The saddest thing is that his father is opposed to the war … and that his son had to die in this war,” Digan said.
The senior Bacevich, also named Andrew J. Bacevich, is a Boston University professor of history and international relations, and a retired lieutenant colonel, who is a critic of the war.
Linda Coletti, whose 86-year-old father fought in World War II, said she felt compelled to come downtown and pay tribute to the younger Bacevich.
“I didn’t know him,” she said, “but I respect his bravery and efforts to resolve the conflict in Iraq.”
John and Ethel Simeone parked their World War II-era medical Jeep on Main Street –a stone’s throw from the Delaney Funeral Home – to pay their respects to an admirable soldier.
“It’s the greatest generation saluting the latest generation,” John Simeone said.
Also as a tribute to Bacevich, the Norwood Fire Department assembled an arch over Main Street using two extended ladders bridged by a large American flag.
“That’s the least we can do,” said firefighter Steve Lydon.
At two other locations further north on Main Street – at the Stop & Shop plaza and in front of the Norfolk County Agricultural High School – hundreds of students and adults stood along the road to salute the funeral procession.
The tremendous support that spilled onto Main Street continued later in the morning, at Bacevich’s funeral service at St. Timothy’s.
Several dignitaries, including Governor Deval Patrick, U.S. Sen. John Kerry, and former Lt. Governor Kerry Healey, attended the funeral. Also on hand were representatives of the Walpole police and fire departments, the police and fire honor guards, Town Administrator Michael Boynton and selectmen Chairman Joe Denneen.
The procession also featured 23 motorcyclists from the Metro-LEC (law enforcement) unit, representing Norfolk, Norwood, Norton, Weymouth, Dedham, the sheriff’s office and the state police.
Those who knew Bacevich described the U.S. Army first lieutenant as a mature, confident and dedicated young man.
“I didn’t know he was in the service nor did I know he was in Iraq, but it certainly did not surprise me to learn that he had volunteered to serve, because that was consistent with his character,” Boston University Professor Stephen Quigley said last week.
An associate professor of communications, Quigley taught Bacevich in a public relations lab class in spring 2003.
For the class, Bacevich worked as a press aide and legislative aide for then-state Sen. Jo Ann Sprague, R-Walpole.
“Andrew always gravitated toward public service, government and politics. For him it was a clear match to work in government. He was very interested in policy and the like,” Quigley said.
Bacevich graduated from Boston University in 2003 with a major in communications. He joined the Army in 2005.
“He was a nice kid, very quiet,” said the Rev. John Culloty of St. Timothy’s Church in Norwood, where members of the Bacevich family are parishioners.
Though Culloty said he only saw Bacevich when the soldier was home from college, the priest said, “I know he wanted to be a soldier very, very much.”
At Boston University, Bacevich was a member of ROTC until he was asked to leave because of childhood asthma. Despite the asthma, Bacevich was a marathon runner who went on to enlist in Army officer training.
“They’re a very close-knit family,” Culloty said of the Bacevichs. “They are people who have very deep faith, and I think that’s going to be source of strength to them in the difficult days that lie ahead.”
An online article from Boston University last week reported Bacevich’s father hopes to establish a memorial at the university, as well as a memorial fund. The elder Bacevich asked that contributions be sent to First Lieutenant Andrew John Bacevich Memorial Fund, Boston University Donor Relations, One Sherborn St., Boston, MA 02215.
Daily News staff writer Patrick Anderson contributed to this article.
