thedrifter
06-21-07, 07:14 AM
Saugus bestows another honor on fallen Marine
Vets from around region to attend dedication of American Legion post to Scott Procopio
By Kathy McCabe, Globe Staff | June 21, 2007
SAUGUS -- Marine Corporal Scott J. Procopio died last year when his Humvee struck a roadside bomb in Iraq's troubled Anbar province, becoming the first Saugus resident to die in combat since Vietnam.
At 10 a.m. Saturday, Marines wounded in the attack, along with their company commander, will join area veterans for the dedication of the Corporal Scott J. Procopio Saugus American Legion Post 210 on Taylor Street. The ceremony will be open to the public.
Marines who buried Procopio with full military honors at Riverside Cemetery will return to Saugus to salute their fallen comrade. Procopio, who was 20 at the time of his death, was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq. He was assigned to the Third Battalion, Eighth Marine Regiment, Second Marine Division.
Major Andrew DelGaudio, Procopio's commanding officer in Iraq, will be among the guest speakers at the ceremony.
"We're grateful that they'll be with us," said Kevin Procopio, Scott's father, who will speak on behalf of the family. "Some of them served with Scott. They know what it was like for him over there. They were with him when the incident happened."
Kevin Procopio gave DelGaudio high marks for leadership during a time of crisis. "He stood guard in the roadway, while the vehicle burned, while insurgents fired on him," he said. "He didn't return fire. . . . He stood waiting for assistance to come."
Scott Procopio died April 2, 2006. He and Kristal Procopio had been married for six months. He also left his mother, Mary, and brothers Michael, Greg, and Mark, a junior at Saugus High School.
The Saugus American Legion is one of the first posts in Massachusetts to be renamed for a service person who died in Iraq. About 70 percent of the 373 American Legion posts in Massachusetts are named for people, including John F. Kennedy American Legion Post 17 in Brighton, according to the Massachusetts American Legion organization.
The Saugus post, which has 246 members, has invited veterans groups from around the region to the dedication. The Marine Corps Junior ROTC drill team from Lynn English High School will perform, as will a Navy band from Newport, R.I. As many as 500 people are expected for the ceremony, a post official said.
"Hopefully, this will remind people about Scott, and the thousands of others like him who are serving now," said Bob O'Toole, the post's senior vice commander. "The young men and women who serve have a tremendous responsibility. But we forget about that sometimes, until there is a tragedy."
The p ost is the third public memorial to Procopio. A granite monument stands outside Town Hall; inside, Procopio's medals, helmet, and an American flag are displayed in a glass case. A new glass-and-wood cabinet has been built by the Procopio family for the post. It will also display his medals, ribbons, helmet, and other memento s. His family plans to donate an acrylic painting of Procopio in his dress blues.
"We wanted to do our part for the post," said Kevin Procopio, whose office on Main Street looks onto the back of the post building. "An awful lot of preparation has gone into preparing this post. We really appreciate it."
A community fund-raiser in April raised $10,000 for the dedication. A donation also will be made to a memorial scholarship fund set up by the Procopio family. The Saugus Lion s Club will donate money to the scholarship fund from its charity motorcycle ride from Everett to Saugus scheduled for Saturday.
"Everybody has really jumped on this dedication," said O'Toole, 61, a Marine who served in the Vietnam War era. "The community is really behind this."
A dozen students at Northeast Metro Tech High School in Wakefield made the sign bearing Procopio's name for the post.
"It was a good thing to do," said Ken Hulings, 16, of Saugus, a carpentry student at Northeast who worked on the sign. "I was helping my town, and honoring him. I tried to do my best on it."
Kathy McCabe can be reached at kmccabe@globe.com.
Ellie
Vets from around region to attend dedication of American Legion post to Scott Procopio
By Kathy McCabe, Globe Staff | June 21, 2007
SAUGUS -- Marine Corporal Scott J. Procopio died last year when his Humvee struck a roadside bomb in Iraq's troubled Anbar province, becoming the first Saugus resident to die in combat since Vietnam.
At 10 a.m. Saturday, Marines wounded in the attack, along with their company commander, will join area veterans for the dedication of the Corporal Scott J. Procopio Saugus American Legion Post 210 on Taylor Street. The ceremony will be open to the public.
Marines who buried Procopio with full military honors at Riverside Cemetery will return to Saugus to salute their fallen comrade. Procopio, who was 20 at the time of his death, was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq. He was assigned to the Third Battalion, Eighth Marine Regiment, Second Marine Division.
Major Andrew DelGaudio, Procopio's commanding officer in Iraq, will be among the guest speakers at the ceremony.
"We're grateful that they'll be with us," said Kevin Procopio, Scott's father, who will speak on behalf of the family. "Some of them served with Scott. They know what it was like for him over there. They were with him when the incident happened."
Kevin Procopio gave DelGaudio high marks for leadership during a time of crisis. "He stood guard in the roadway, while the vehicle burned, while insurgents fired on him," he said. "He didn't return fire. . . . He stood waiting for assistance to come."
Scott Procopio died April 2, 2006. He and Kristal Procopio had been married for six months. He also left his mother, Mary, and brothers Michael, Greg, and Mark, a junior at Saugus High School.
The Saugus American Legion is one of the first posts in Massachusetts to be renamed for a service person who died in Iraq. About 70 percent of the 373 American Legion posts in Massachusetts are named for people, including John F. Kennedy American Legion Post 17 in Brighton, according to the Massachusetts American Legion organization.
The Saugus post, which has 246 members, has invited veterans groups from around the region to the dedication. The Marine Corps Junior ROTC drill team from Lynn English High School will perform, as will a Navy band from Newport, R.I. As many as 500 people are expected for the ceremony, a post official said.
"Hopefully, this will remind people about Scott, and the thousands of others like him who are serving now," said Bob O'Toole, the post's senior vice commander. "The young men and women who serve have a tremendous responsibility. But we forget about that sometimes, until there is a tragedy."
The p ost is the third public memorial to Procopio. A granite monument stands outside Town Hall; inside, Procopio's medals, helmet, and an American flag are displayed in a glass case. A new glass-and-wood cabinet has been built by the Procopio family for the post. It will also display his medals, ribbons, helmet, and other memento s. His family plans to donate an acrylic painting of Procopio in his dress blues.
"We wanted to do our part for the post," said Kevin Procopio, whose office on Main Street looks onto the back of the post building. "An awful lot of preparation has gone into preparing this post. We really appreciate it."
A community fund-raiser in April raised $10,000 for the dedication. A donation also will be made to a memorial scholarship fund set up by the Procopio family. The Saugus Lion s Club will donate money to the scholarship fund from its charity motorcycle ride from Everett to Saugus scheduled for Saturday.
"Everybody has really jumped on this dedication," said O'Toole, 61, a Marine who served in the Vietnam War era. "The community is really behind this."
A dozen students at Northeast Metro Tech High School in Wakefield made the sign bearing Procopio's name for the post.
"It was a good thing to do," said Ken Hulings, 16, of Saugus, a carpentry student at Northeast who worked on the sign. "I was helping my town, and honoring him. I tried to do my best on it."
Kathy McCabe can be reached at kmccabe@globe.com.
Ellie