10/30/2026
Honoring the Fallen. Remembering Their Sacrifice. Keeping Their Stories Alive.
The Billerica Veterans Services Department and the Billerica Honor Platoon would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to Mary Leach and The Sun News for their thoughtful coverage of the Iraq and Afghanistan Dog Tag Memorial that our community was honored to host earlier this month.
This memorial was more than a display of over 7,000 dog tags. Each tag represented a life lost, a family forever changed, and a story that deserves to be remembered.
Throughout the weekend, we witnessed moments of reflection, remembrance, and deep emotion. Veterans remembered friends they served alongside. Families honored loved ones who never returned home. Community members stood quietly, taking in the tremendous sacrifices made by so many.
These are the moments that remind us why remembrance matters.
We are especially grateful to our incredible volunteers, community partners, first responders, and everyone who helped bring this meaningful memorial to Billerica. Your dedication, compassion, and willingness to give your time helped create a place where families could remember, veterans could reflect, and our community could come together in honor of our fallen heroes.
We also want to express our sincere gratitude to Mary Leach for helping share these stories with the greater community. Local journalism serves an important role in preserving our history, recognizing service and sacrifice, and giving a voice to stories that might otherwise go untold.
While the memorial may have only been in Billerica for a few days, the memories, emotions, and connections it created will remain with us for years to come.
To the Gold Star families, our veterans, and everyone who visited: thank you for being part of something so meaningful.
Our commitment to honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice does not end when a memorial is taken down. It continues every day through remembrance, education, and ensuring their stories are never forgotten.
Behind every dog tag is a name.
Behind every name is a story.
Behind every story is a family whose sacrifice must never be forgotten.
Thank you, Mary Leach and The Sun News, for helping us honor their lives and preserve their legacies.
đź“° Read the full article here:
https://www.lowellsun.com/2026/10/29/honoring-the-fallen-in-billerica/?share=lhi9lliwnonolnfetnii
