Congressional Medal of Honor Society Will Hold 2015 Convention in Boston This Week

Convention Staff Writer Posted September 14, 2015

BOSTON –September 14, 2015– Many of the nation’s Medal of Honor Recipients will be in Boston this week when the Congressional Medal of Honor Society holds its annual convention and Patriot Award Gala in the city for an unprecedented third time.

Approximately 42 of the 78 living Medal of Honor Recipients will participate in a number of events available to the media.

“These Medal of Honor Recipients have formed a strong bond with the city and people of Boston and to be able to honor them here for the third time in 14 years is unprecented in the history of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society,’’ said Thomas J. Lyons, Chairman of the Boston Medal of Honor Convention Host Committee. “The service and sacrifices they have made on behalf of the nation, and their unwavering support for our men and women in uniform, is awe inspiring and we intend to host their convention in a manner that will truly honor and celebrate these incredible heroes.’’

“The Medal of Honor recipients are thrilled to be coming back to Boston this week,’’ said Thomas G. Kelley, one of two Medal of Honor Recipients who live in Massachusetts. “The outpouring of warmth we experienced in our previous conventions in 2001 and 2006 left an indelible impression on all of us. I am especially excited that our most recent recipients from Afghanistan and Vietnam who have not been here before will be able to experience the sense of patriotism and honor which is the hallmark of Boston,’’ added Kelley, a retired Navy Captain who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his gallant and courageous actions in Vietnam on June 15, 1969.

Thomas J. Hudner, Jr., the other Medal of Honor Recipient who resides in Massachusetts and who is also a retired Navy Captain, received his Medal of Honor for his gallant and courageous actions as a fighter pilot in North Korea on Dec. 4, 1950.

“Every year a committee designated by the members of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society selects a location for its annual convention and with one exception, no city has hosted the society more than once and that city is Boston,’’ said Hudner. “The city must be proud to be chosen not once but three times. We are proud of the warm relationship that exists between us and look forward to being in Boston again this week.’’

The 2015 convention will culminate with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s Patriot Award Gala on Saturday, Sept. 19 at the Seaport World Trade Center where the Recipients will honor Marine Corps Commandant General Joseph F. Dunford Jr., New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Bob Woodruff of ABC News and celebrity Chef Robert Irvine for their commitment to our veterans and men and women currently serving in the Armed Forces.

 There will be a number of events for media availability during the week including:

Tuesday, Sept. 15

• Press conference and Recipient availability at the Seaport Boston Hotel in Plaza C at 3 p.m.

Note: Broadcast media requiring truck parking are asked to park on World Trade Center Avenue opposite the Plaza Turnaround. Media wanting to attend the press conference are also asked contact Tom Farmer at 978-729-9212 or smeob@yahoo.com by 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Wednesday, Sept. 16

• Boston-area school visits 9 to 11 a.m. Note: (H) designates Recipients being flown to the school via Massachusetts National Guard Blackhawk helicopter. Media interested in covering school visits should contact the school directly as some visits may not be open to the media.

Wakefield High School (H) - Recipients Harvey “Barney’’ Barnum and Robert Ingram

Malden Catholic High School (H) – Recipients Joe Marm and Brian Thacker

Worcester Technical High School (H) – Recipients Ty Carter and Gordon Roberts

St. John’s Prep, Danvers (H) – Recipients Patrick Brady and Charles Hagemeister

Beverly High School (H) – Recipients Robert Patterson and James Taylor

Belmont High School (H) – Recipients Clint Romesha and Tom Norris

Boston College High School, Boston (H) – Recipients Tom Kelley and Gary Wetzel

Somerville High School – Recipients Allan Kellogg and Donald “Doc’’ Ballard

Chelsea High School – Recipient Paul Bucha

Condon Elementary School, South Boston – Recipient Sammy Davis

Matignon High School, Cambridge – Recipients Roger Donlon and Hal Fritz

North Quincy High School – Recipients Melvin Morris and Hershel “Woody’’ Williams

UMass Boston – Recipient Bob Kerrey

• State House Visit and Welcome from Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Polito 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

• Shaw Memorial Wreath Laying with the 54^th Massachusetts Regiment Reenactors across from the State House at approximately 1:30 p.m.

Note: Helicopters will arrive in formation to the Black Falcon Pier area of the South Boston waterfront over Boston Harbor at approximately 8:30 a.m. and then depart for the school visits. The best photography vantage point will be on Boston Harbor. Media wanting to cover the arrival and departure aboard a Boston Police Department or Boston Fire Department boat are asked to report to the Boston Police Marine Unit, 9 Terminal St., South Boston, by 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Media wanting to cover the arrival and departure of the helicopters are asked to contact Tom Farmer at 978-729-9212 or smeob@yahoo.com by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15.

Following the school visits, helicopters will land on Boston Common adjacent to Charles Street at approximately 11 a.m. Media wanting to cover the Boston Common landings and the events at the State House are asked to park inside the Common on the Beacon Street side. A representative from the Boston Police Department will allow media access to parking from the intersection of Beacon and Charles Streets.

Saturday, Sept. 19

• Recipients visit Concord North Bridge, Minuteman National Park, Concord, 11 a.m.

• Patriot Award Gala, Seaport World Trade Center, 6:30-10:30 p.m.

Note: Media wanting to cover the Patriot Award Dinner should contact Tom Farmer at 978-729-9212 or smeob@yahoo.com by 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17.

Sunday, Sept. 20

• Rededication of South Boston Vietnam Memorial, Medal of Honor Park, approximately 11:30 a.m. (Medal of Honor Park is between M and N Streets in South Boston.)

Note: A separate press release on Thursday, Sept. 17, will provide more information on this event.

For more information about the 2015 Medal of Honor Society Convention please visit www.mohboston.com and Boston Medal of Honor Convention on Facebook.

About the Medal of Honor

Created in 1861 by President Abraham Lincoln, the Medal of Honor is our nation’s highest and rarest military decoration. It is bestowed by the President of the United States, in the name of Congress, upon a member of the United States Armed Forces who distinguishes himself or herself through “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against the enemy of the United States. Fewer than 3,500 individuals have received the Medal, half of which have been posthumously. There are currently only 78 living recipients.

About the Congressional Medal of Honor Society

In 1958, the United States Congress chartered the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The purpose of the Society, among other things, is to perpetuate the legacy of the Medal of Honor. The living recipients of the Medal of Honor constitute the members of the Society. These recipients congregate annually for their national Medal of Honor Convention.

Contacts:

Tom Lyons: 781-953-9662 | tjlusmc@comcast.net

Tom Farmer: 978-729-9212 | smeob@yahoo.com

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