Local veterans march through rain to lead Memorial Day observances

There was steady rain throughout Memorial Day observances in Harpswell this year, but roughly 50 people turned out with raincoats and umbrellas to watch the parade and ceremony in Harpswell Center.

Before the parade, members of the John Leo Murray Jr. American Legion Post 171 marched onto the Ewing Narrows Bridge at 10:15 a.m. for an annual ceremony to honor service members who died at sea. In rain-soaked uniforms, Legionnaires tossed a wreath into the waters and fired a salute.

The ceremony usually draws a few spectators to the span between Harpswell Neck and Great Island, but none were present in the rain this year.

Members of American Legion Post 171 stand in position during the Memorial Day wreath-toss ceremony on May 25. (Hannah Miller Photo)

A member of American Legion Post 171 stands in the rain before the Memorial Day wreath-toss over Ewing Narrows Bridge on May 25. (Hannah Miller Photo)

American Legion Post 171 fires a three-volley salute. The three-volley salute, in which the rifle team fires three blank rounds, is a traditional part of a military funeral. (Hannah Miller Photo)

Chuck Kapela plays “Taps” on the bugle while it rains on May 25. (Hannah Miller Photo)

Jack Miller, 3, holds his grandma, Rebecca Kellogg’s hand, before the Memorial Day parade starts on Route 123. (Hannah Miller Photo)

Commander Michael Doyle places a wreath on the World War II memorial outside of the Harpswell Old Meeting House. (Hannah Miller Photo)

Ari Bradbury and her daughter, Adeline Bradbury, 1, watch Adeline’s dad as he drives by in the Memorial Day Parade. (Hannah Miller Photo)

Attendees watch the Memorial Day Parade with raincoats on and umbrellas in hand. (Hannah Miller Photo)

Rev. Joseph Connolly leads the attendees in prayer after the Memorial Day Parade on May 25. (Hannah Miller Photo)

Brogan Teel and her son Declan Teel, 7, stand with their umbrellas while listening to the speakers at the Memorial Day event. (Hannah Miller Photo)

Attendance picked up for the annual parade on Harpswell Neck Road, from Lookout Point Road to the Harpswell Meetinghouse. Some attendees watched from their cars to avoid the downpour, while others stood alongside the road in rain gear.

Past parades have included a marching band, Girl Scouts and Civil War reenactors, but this version was just a few minutes long. The Legion post led the parade, followed by a few classic cars and emergency vehicles.

Brogan Teel and her son, Declan Teel, 7, attended two Memorial Day ceremonies on Monday. Teel said it was important to show up, despite the rain.

“We get to be here and celebrate this as a family and with our friends, and all of our community,” Brogan said. The experience also teaches her son “the importance of being a patriot, regardless of weather,” she added.

After the parade, speakers and singers gathered under a small green tent next to the historic Harpswell Meetinghouse.

Guest speaker Ben Porter, a retired U.S. Army major, spoke of his experience in a military family and the significance of Memorial Day. Members of his family have served in the U.S. military since the Revolutionary War.

“In closing, on Memorial Day, we reflect and share the experiences of our fallen loved ones,” Porter said. “But tomorrow, and in the days that follow, we must act.

“Let’s carry their sacrifice with us in our hearts and strive to honor their memory by being good and faithful, hopeful and strong, and committed to building a brighter future for all.”