Veterans Day in Saugus 2025 – A ‘Rolling Rally’ by Veterans Park will kick off this year’s observance shortly before 11 a.m. next Tuesday

By Mark E. Vogler

For the second consecutive year, Guy Moley has organized a patriotic-themed parade of antique cars, military trucks, jeeps, fire trucks and police vehicles to pay tribute to the men and women of Saugus – living and deceased – who served in all branches of America’s Armed Forces. Moley, who has organized many antique car shows and parades for a variety of noble causes for his hometown over the years, plans to contribute to the town’s Veterans Day observance in a loud and patriotic way shortly before 11 a.m. next Tuesday (Nov. 11).

“We’re going to do a slow roll past Veterans Park – with horns blowing, sirens blaring and a lot of waving to pay tribute to our veterans,” Moley told The Saugus Advocate this week.

“It will be kind of like a parade, but it’s not a parade. It will be a special event that we will be bringing to the veterans. We will pass Veterans Park and proceed into Town Center where we will disperse and go our own separate ways without interfering with the traffic,” Moley said. “This is just a group of residents and friends who want to show their appreciation to the service men and women. We encourage people to come out to Veterans Park and show the veterans that they have not been forgotten.”

Last year, Moley organized a “rolling rally” that immediately followed the Veterans Day observance. This year, his patriotic procession will proceed to the special service at Veterans Park. The collection of antique cars, military and emergency vehicles will assemble at 10:45 a.m. in the parking lot of the Saugus Senior Center at 466 Central St. The Veterans Day observance will begin at 11 a.m., soon after the “Rolling Rally” passes the park.

Moley will be driving his Dodge Ram pickup truck with two large American flags and armed with speakers playing patriotic music. The Saugus Fire and Police Departments will be joining the procession, along with the “Action” Emergency Management Tower Ladder 1 Truck from Revere, which sports a screaming Eagle on both sides of the truck’s cab.

Retired Marine Lt. Col. Grace will be keynote speaker

The Annual Veterans Day Celebration and Ceremony will begin AT 11 a.m. sharp near the monuments at Veterans Park. Terri Osoro of Saugus is scheduled to sing the National Anthem. Lt. Col Thomas Grace (U.S. Marine Corps, retired) will be this year’s keynote speaker. Lt. Col Grace has been the senior Marine instructor of the MCJROTC Program at Salem High School since August of 2022. During this year’s ceremony, the Saugus Veterans Council will recognize several veterans whose names have been inscribed on the wall or who have been honored with recently installed bricks on the walkway.

The ceremony will bring together veterans, families, town officials, students and community members to recognize the courage, dedication and sacrifice of those who have served in the United States Armed Forces, according to Saugus Veterans Council Commander Steve Castinetti, a retired U.S. Navy captain. “This day is about gratitude and remembrance,” Commander Castinetti said.

“We gather not only to honor our veterans but to remind each other of the values they stood for, service, commitment and community,” he said.

The program will also include remarks from local leaders, musical tributes, demonstrations by the Lynn English JROTC and the traditional recognition of honoring Saugus veterans. The event is free and open to the public. Veterans and their families are especially invited to attend.

Veterans Day is one of the two major federal holidays that pays tribute to the American military. Veterans Day is a floating holiday – always observed on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. – marking the date and the time of the signing of the Armistice agreement between the Allies and Germany and the end of World War I. The holiday was later broadened to include recognition of all veterans who served with the U.S. military, living and deceased.

Memorial Day – observed on the last Monday in May – is a solemn holiday that honors those who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. It’s a day of remembrance to honor the fallen: those who gave lives for their country. It originated as “Decoration Day” shortly after the American Civil War, when the graves of fallen soldiers from the Union and the Confederacy were decorated.

The purpose of the two holidays is often confused, particularly with younger generations of Americans.

For more information, please contact Commander Steve Castinetti at st*************@*****st.net.