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By Laura Eisener
At the April meeting of the Saugus Historical Society, several speakers provided fascinating stories and remembrances on the theme of World War II and shared several personal ways that those who fought that war are memorialized today. This year is the 80th anniversary of dates that several key battles were fought, including D-Day on June 6, the liberation of Paris in August and the start of the Battle of the Bulge in December. In the historical society’s mini-symposium, moving stories of World War II were told by several people for whom history has a special significance.
Three relatives of Medal of Honor winner Arthur DeFranzo, who is well remembered in Saugus (our VFW post is named for him; there is a monument on Main Street, and the Main Street bridge over Route 1 is also named for him) spoke about how their family remembers our hero. Arthur DeFranzo was born on Baker Hill, and during his school years had a paper route morning and evening. He later worked at Sims Farm for 10 cents an hour, and during the depression joined the CCC on forestry projects in Vermont. In October 1940, he was the first to volunteer from Saugus and left to go overseas on the day of his father’s funeral. After being captured by the enemy, he escaped the POW camp and made it back to the allied lines. While approaching the Americans, he was recognized by former Saugus classmate John Naigle, who helped him recover and return to Company K. Once recovered, Arthur returned to action. He sent his mother a bouquet of roses, which she kept, dried, for the rest of her life, along with the accompanying letter. On June 10, 1944, near Vaubadon, France, he was wounded while rescuing an injured man from hostile fire and died from his wounds after being hit several more times and destroying an enemy machine gun position. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. When his body was at last returned to the United States in 1947, he lay in state at Saugus Town Hall for several days before being given a military funeral at St. Margaret’s Church in Saugus and being buried here in Riverside Cemetery. Over in France, Julien Harvel reenacts Arthur DeFranzo’s actions frequently as those who live in Normandy have not forgotten D-Day and other battles fought there.
Jack Marino and gold star wife Dee Whittemore Farris performed the Missing Man Table ceremony, as they do at Patriotic events throughout the year. The table is set with symbolic items, such as a plate empty except for a slice of lemon, to remind people of the bitterness experienced by those whose loved ones were not accounted for as a result of war, such as those missing in action.
Dave Savoie and David Hilf are reenactors of the 82nd Airborne Division, and brought a museum’s worth of equipment to display, including a life size mannequin in uniform. The 82d Airborne Division is the U.S. Army’s most strategically mobile division, and it fought in many World War II campaigns. Formed in World War I, it is known for its parachute assaults, and it remains active today.
The program was filmed by Anthony Moschella and will soon be viewable on Saugus Cable TV. Additional World War II stories are planned for the October meeting, and as always, members and the general public are invited to attend free of charge.
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