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From YouTube: Albert Downing Hero Square Dedication
Description
Mayor Walsh, Commissioner Santiago, and members of the Downing Family attend the dedication of the newest Hero Square which honors Private Albert Downing, a serviceman who was killed in action during the First World War. Hero Squares allow us to honor fallen service members in a very visible, permanent way. Having the squares is meaningful to the family and friends of the service member, as well as other community members.
A
A
Thank
you
all
for
coming
out
as
a
beautiful
day
here
today,
mayor,
Walsh,
members
of
the
Downing
family,
Benjamin
and
Joseph
councillor
Edwards
representative,
and
our
own
senator
bond
Cory
fellow
veterans.
Ladies
and
gentlemen,
we
are
gathered
here
today
to
pay
tribute
to
a
great
American
in
a
city
of
Boston
hero.
This
hero
emigrated
to
Winthrop
from
Canada
with
his
father
and
siblings.
Ultimately,
the
family
moved
here
to
East
Boston
and
called
this
neighborhood
their
home.
A
We
are
here
to
dedicate
a
hero
square
in
the
remembrance
of
private
first
class
Albert
Henry,
downing,
hero
squares
allows
us
to
pay
tribute
and
honor
to
our
fallen
servicemembers
in
a
very
visible
and
permanent
way.
The
hero
squares
program
is
meaningful
to
the
family
and
friends
of
the
service
member,
as
well
as
a
community.
They
lived
in
once
we
unveiled
private
Downing's
hero
square.
Please
notice
the
gold
star
this
gold
star
is
a
symbol
that
represents
the
Downing
family.
A
The
Downing
family
has
been
a
gold
star
family,
since
July
11th
1918
being
a
gold
star
family
is
an
honor.
Nobody
wants.
No
wife
wants
to
lose
a
husband.
No
father
wants
to
lose
a
daughter,
no
sister
wants
to
lose
a
brother,
and
no
brother
wants
to
lose
a
sister,
but
it's
proof
that
servicemembers
do
not
serve
alone.
Their
families
serve
with
them.
A
So
let
us
all
remember
that
with
each
hero
square
there
are
families
mourning
that
fallen
service,
member
who
is
being
honored
because
they
were
killed
in
action
while
serving
in
a
time
of
conflict.
I'm
sure
a
private
downing
did
not
want
to
die,
but
I
can
tell
you
he
was
willing
willing
to
make
this
great
sacrifice.
Private
downing
finally
succumbed
to
his
wounds
and
paid
the
ultimate
price
for
the
freedoms
that
we
all
enjoy
today.
A
B
Thank
You,
commissioner
and
I'd
like
to
on
behalf
of
myself
city
councilor,
the
Edwards
state
represented
rheometer
Oh
state
senator
Jovan
Cory.
Welcome
everyone
here
today
would
like
to
thank
the
the
downing
family
for
being
with
us
today,
I'd
like
to
recognize
Joe
downing
and
vent
former
state
senator
been
downing
as
well.
That's
with
us
today
and
all
the
Donny
Donny
family.
That's
here
today
on
this
very
special
day.
We
gathered
here
today
to
dedicate
a
hero.
Squid,
a
private
first
class,
Albert
H
downing
every
sponson
before
I.
B
B
Private
downing
passed
away
just
over
100
years
ago,
but
we
still
remember
his
honor
and
his
sacrifice
for
his
neighborhood
is
his
City
in
his
country
he
was
a
true
American
hero.
Probably
private
downing
was
born
in
New
Brunswick
Canada.
He
immigrated
with
his
family
to
Greater
Boston,
which
they
eventually
settled
here
in
eesti
he
enlisted
in
the
United
States
Army
during
World
War
one,
and
he
proudly
served
the
26th
division
of
the
hunt
and
1st
Infantry
Regiment
alongside
the
French
army.
His
unit
made
a
raid
into
Germany
lines.
B
Making
this
the
first
time
an
American
unit
has
launched
a
raid
in
the
war
he
passed
away
from
injuries
he
sustained,
while
in
France
in
1918
he
was
awarded
the
World
War
one
Victory
Medal
for
his
courage
and
ultimate
sacrifice.
Private
downing
joins
over
1700
hero
squares
across
the
city
of
Boston.
These
squares
are
found
in
intersections,
like
the
one
we're
at
today
across
all
across
our
neighborhoods
streets.
We
walked
by
and
walk
down
every
single
day.
These
are
familiar
sights
sometimes
that
go
unnoticed,
but
they
deserve
to
be
noticed.
Each
square
represents
a
person.
B
A
resident,
a
hero.
Boston
has
a
long
leg,
see
of
Patriots
generations
of
men
and
women
who
have
fought
for
our
country
in
nearly
400
years.
Since
our
city's
existence,
they
always
have
been
brave,
Bostonians
ready
to
answer
the
call
to
service
they
followed
this
call
with
wherever
it
took
them.
Sometimes
two
lands
far
away
from
their
neighborhoods.
Many
of
those
men
and
women
didn't
make
it
home.
The
commitment
to
service
should
be
remembered
in
this
story
should
be
told.
Our
veterans,
Department
is
currently
reading.
B
Rededicating
several
of
our
hero,
squares
all
across
our
city,
we're
installing
a
bio
log,
a
biologic
by
a
log,
a
biology
plaque,
sorry
to
give
more
information
to
tell
about
a
hero's
life.
So
when
people
walk
by
and
they
see
the
name
on
top
of
the
sign,
they
don't
know
who
that
person
is
and
we're
putting
some
facts
on
there.
So
people
understand
who
they
are,
we're
installing
them
all
across
our
city.
B
We
want
these
signs
to
be
eye-catching,
so
people
stop
and
read
about
the
history
of
service
in
their
neighborhoods,
so
the
generations
that
come
behind
them
understand
that
the
people
that
came
before
them
fought
for
their
freedom
and
fought
for
their
country
and
fought
for
their
city.
It's
a
reminder
to
all
of
us
that
not
busy
lives.
B
All
of
you
being
it's
a
it's
a
very
special
day
here
in
East
Boston
into
the
dining
family.
I
want
to.
Thank
you
very
much
for
being
number
one
for
being
here,
but
thank
you
for
the
sacrifice
that
your
family
made
in
1918.
That
war
was
a
very
important
war
for
the
future
and
the
history
of
the
United
States
of
America
as
world
World
War,
two,
the
men
and
women
who
fought
in
those
two
wars
if
they
didn't
find
those
was
we'd,
be
in
a
very
different
place
today.
So
thank
you
very
much.
A
C
Thank
you
very
much,
commissioner,
and
it's
an
honor
to
stand
up
here
on
behalf
of
my
entire
family.
First,
thank
you
to
the
mayor
and
to
Senator
bond
Corey
representative
mater
Oh
councillor
Edwards,
for
taking
the
times
of
your
incredibly
busy
schedule
to
be
here
and
for
making
this
possible
I
know.
I
speak
on
behalf
of
my
entire
family.
When
we
say
thank
you
and
I
know:
I
speak
on
behalf
of
the
current
East
Boston
contingent
of
the
family.
My
wife
Michaela,
my
son.
C
C
And
in
particular
to
our
point
of
contact
in
the
city
of
Boston,
Darrell
Miller
who's
just
been
great
at
responding
to
our
questions
around
this
thinking
about
this
in
making
this
whole
day
possible.
Thank
You
Daryl
for
your
service
as
well,
and
to
my
former
colleague
former
state,
senator
Anthony
Petrocelli.
We
sat
next
to
one
another
in
the
Senate
chambers.
Our
relatives
will
be
recognized
across
the
square
from
one
another
here
in
East,
Boston,
I
guess
this
means
we
have
to
find
a
way
to
recognize
your
family
in
Pittsfield.
C
Somehow,
so
we
will
find
a
connection.
I
am
sure
there
was
produce
in
the
market
that
came
from
Western
Mass.
At
some
point
we
will
find
the
farm
and
we
will
recognize
that
building
on
what
the
mayor
so
eloquently
said,
I
think
the
wonderful
thing
and
the
special
thing
about
today
and
about
all
of
the
hero
squares
across
the
city
of
Boston
and
those
that
are
recognized
in
the
other
350
cities
and
towns
in
Massachusetts,
is
that
they
are
both
remarkable
and
unremarkable.
They.
C
In
some
cases,
in
the
most
dramatic
of
ways
so
on
behalf
of
my
family,
I
simply
want
to
say
thank
you
to
the
city
of
Boston
for
continuing
to
recognize
the
sacrifice
that
was
made,
but,
more
importantly,
for
recognizing
the
sacrifices
that
thousands
of
families
and
many
more
in
their
community
have
made,
and
what
those
sacrifices
have
made
possible.
The
wonderful
community
that
we
call
home
here,
the
wonderful
Commonwealth
that
we
call
home
in
Massachusetts.
So
thank
you
very
much
and
I'm
happy
to
bring
up
now.
E
Thank
You
Benjamin
again,
thank
you
to
the
mayor
for
showing
a
great
respect
here
today.
You
know
their
elected
officials.
My
granduncle
was
the
third
of
five
children.
His
father
Daniel,
born
in
Canada,
came
to
Boston
to
be
in
the
molasses
business
as
the
third
of
five,
his
death
great
loss
to
his
family
and
his
younger
brother
Sanford
Sanford
downing
senior.
E
My
grandfather,
who
lived
here
in
East
Boston,
the
many
Downing's
that
are
here
today
now
when
did
the
married
names
of
Greene
and
Matthews
and
surrett,
are
all
descendants
of
Sanford
senior
Sanford
gave
birth
to
five
children
and
all
five
of
those
children,
including
my
father,
played
a
role
in
World
War.
Two,
my
oldest
aunt,
was
in
served
eisenhower
on
a
staff
in
Washington
uncle
George
was
in
the
Navy
Sanford's
jr.
E
was
a
manager
in
the
shipbuilding
business
at
Bethlehem
and
the
youngest
in
the
family.
My
father
was
a
rate
setter
under
him
and
the
Union
man
building
ships
in
the
world
war.
Two,
the
remaining
sister
took
care
of
my
grandfather,
his
family,
so
and
so
his
memory
depends
on
those
of
us
who
loved
him
and
knew
him
and
those
who
came
before
since
again,
he
died
without
wife
or
child
of
his
own,
but
I
want
to
reinforce
something.
Ben
said
this
is
very
much
a
Boston
story.
My
family
has
stayed
in
Boston
in
various
ways.
E
For
almost
130
years
my
parents,
Benjamin's
grandparents
and
the
grandparents
of
many
here
John
and
jr.
downing
and
Gertrude
graduated
from
East
Boston
high
in
1935
Ben's
parents
when
they
started
their
marriage,
lived
in
the
north
end
as
that
I
in
the
late
1970s.
So
Boston
has
remained
a
home
and
a
center
of
gravity
for
our
family
and
when
I
look
at
that
over
the
generations,
including
when
I
started
here
in
the
70s
I,
have
to
pay
a
great
compliment
to
the
mayor.
Who
has
recognized
what
is
best
about
the
city.
E
The
parts
of
the
past
that
need
to
be
preserved
and
continued
were
the
beneficiaries
of
that.
We
are
representatives
of
that
and
hopefully
you'll.
Take
that
as
a
sign
of
confidence
of
the
leadership
you
bring
to
the
city
and
the
representatives
you
bring
around
you
so
on
behalf
of
my
late
great
uncle,
all
of
the
people
say
the
Breen's.
The
Matthews
is
the
syrettes
and
the
others
who
are
here,
children
and
grandchildren,
and
not
even
great-grandchildren
of
Albert.
A
Thank
You,
Benjamin
and
Joe
at
this
time,
I
would
like
to
say
thank
you
for
everybody
who
showed
up
here
today.
Our
next
hero
square
dedication
is
going
to
be
in
the
Jamaica
Plain
neighborhood,
it's
going
to
be
the
William
II
cannery
square,
and
it's
right
there
in
the
corner
of
marine
and
Center
Street,
and
it's
gonna
be
at
11
o'clock
as
well,
and
he
was
also
another
World
War,
one
veteran
who
was
killed
in
action.
He
was
actually
the
first
American
that
was
killed
in
World
War
one.