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In the City:
A different time, a different war — but a familiar spirit
By JOHN CLAYTON
Union Leader Staff
IN CASE YOU missed it, there was a story in the New Hampshire Sunday News last week about local employers who were honored for their support of employees who are serving in the Guard and Reserves.
The awards were presented as part of a federal program called Employee Support for the Guard and Reserve — ESGR for short — and local recipients included the town of Salem, Turbocam Inc. of Dover and the Manchester branch of a national engineering and architectural firm called Edwards and Kelcey.
The companies were cited for providing things such as paid differential and continuing health-care coverage to deployed workers and their families and — just as importantly — for providing them with ongoing emotional support. The ESGR would have loved Maxwell Duckoff.
MAXWELL DUCKOFF
wrote workers at war |
Back in 1943, Mr. Duckoff was general manager of Salvage-Malloy and the Louis H. Salvage Shoe Co. here in Manchester.
With World War II raging, 90 of his employees were engaged in military service and in a letter to those servicemen — part of his ongoing correspondence with them — he explained that the number would soon top 100.
In one such letter, written to Pfc. Leon Forcier, he outlined his continuing commitment to each and every one of them.
“Just a line to let you know that you are not forgotten at home,” Mr. Duckoff wrote. “All of us here in both factories go over the names on the bulletin board from day to day, watching out for the new names that are constantly being added to the already long list.
“I am pleased to see that many of you continue to write to the factory and those letters are retyped and placed on the bulletin boards, so keep on writing as the boys, and we, too, are always glad to hear from you.
“I hope that all of you have received your Christmas packages and also the birthday gifts, which are going forward to you all the time. We are all thinking of you here and hope and pray that you will be back home with us very soon.”
In addition to the letter, Mr. Duckoff also enclosed a list of names and addresses, so Leon Forcier — like every other employee — would be able to stay in touch with co-workers from the Salvage shoe firms who were in the service.
The names on that list touch every ethnic base in Manchester and there are many names you may recognize.
There’s Manir Ganem and Anthony DalPra and Angelo Angelides. There’s Armand Provencher and Thaddeus Albrewski and Richard Mahoney and Walter Piecuch. There’s Patrick Welch and Theodore Menswar and Spiros Grezotes and let’s not forget Camille Boulanger and Gertrude Warchol and Betty Cox, because women served as well as men.
In closing, Mr. Duckoff wrote what mattered most: “We have many new faces in all departments,” he noted, “mostly youngsters and women, and we all have in mind, of course, to reserve your place for you when you return home.”
Yes, I think the ESGR would have loved Max Duckoff.
Manchester West
Since we’re beating the drum on behalf of those who support men and women in our military, let’s start pounding on the tom-tom for the girls and boys in the band at Manchester High School West.
The marching musical representatives of my alma mater — along with the concert band, jazz ensemble and color guard — have been invited to perform at the dedication of the long-overdue World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., over Memorial Day weekend.
I first found out about it when I got a call from Patrick Barger, a freshman saxophonist who — in a display of initiative I never had as a freshman — wanted to know how to get some publicity for the band’s fundraising efforts (which have been substantial, by the way), so here we go.
The kids have done the lion’s share thus far.
“They did car washes and yard work in the fall,” said music director Mike Adams, “and we’ll do more this spring as soon as the weather allows. They’ve been selling candy bars and there’s a bake sale at the school every week — all the usual stuff — plus we had a real strong raffle with donated airline tickets, so we’re doing OK.”
They’re not there yet, however.
To get the 155-person entourage to and from Washington (and cover the cost of a five-night stay) they set a budget of $75,000. Right now, they have $64,000 in hand and they have to reach their goal by their May 28 departure date.
They’ve had a lot of help. They just need a little more.
Roger Gagnon, who’s a volunteer with the West High Music Supporters, rattled off an impressive list of contributors. It includes service clubs and nonprofits like the Queen City and Bedford Rotary Clubs, the Hooksett Kiwanis and Lions Clubs, the Bedford Men’s Club and the Frederick Smyth Music Trust. Businesses include St. Mary’s Bank, Doble’s Chevrolet, the IMS Corporation and Ben Franklin Press.
It’s all made an impression on the kids.
Paul Bordeleau will, too.
Paul’s a piano teacher from Bedford. He had hoped to accompany the kids from West as a chaperone, but he’s been asked to take on a more active role. Thus, he’ll be conducting the kids in the band during one of their concerts in Washington when they perform a number called “The Luzon March.”
It’s Paul’s own composition. He wrote it as a tribute to the 11th Airborne Division when he was at Fort Campbell during the Korean conflict, but it is another part of his military experience — from a previous conflict — that makes him a perfect choice to make this trip to help dedicate the World War II Memorial.
“I was at D-Day,” Paul said. “I was with the First Army, specifically the 246th Signal Corps, and we had to put in the first telephone switchboard on the continent for Gen. (Omar) Bradley. We didn’t reach the beach until D-Day plus two, but we were in the harbor on June 6 waiting to go in.”
Every year, on June 6, he’s invited to local schools to talk about his experiences. He sees it as a chance to give the kids some context to what they learn in history class. Now, thanks to so many generous donors, he’ll have an opportunity to help students from West High appreciate their role in commemorating an important part of that history.
To contribute to the West High Band’s participation in the dedication of the World War II Memorial, write to the West High Band, 9 Notre Dame Ave., Manchester, NH, 03102 or call 624-6384.
John Clayton’s latest book is a collection of veterans-related stories titled “New Hampshire: War and Peace.” His e-mail address is jclayton@theunionleader.com.
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