Ceremony to feature U.S.S. Arizona artifact

PARIS — With the assistance of Senator Olympia Snowe’s office, the Maine Veterans’ Home of South Paris has recently acquired a piece of the Battleship, U.S.S. Arizona, which was sunk during a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese Navy Forces on December 7, 1941 with the loss of 1,777 lives.

There will be a Pearl Harbor remembrance ceremony, open to the public, held at the South Paris facility on December 7 at 1 p.m. Residents, family and community members are cordially invited to attend. After the ceremony, the Arizona artifact will be put on permanent display at the South Paris facility located at 477 High Street, South Paris.

When asked what motivated Maine Veterans Homes to pursue acquiring this piece of history, Joel Dutton, Administrator of the facility stated “We are always looking for military artifacts that reflect the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform. Part of our mission at MVH is to remember and honor those who have served in uniform for the security of our nation. We are very pleased to have received this historical artifact and look forward to having it on display here at our facility.”

For more information about this event, or about the 90-bed facility located at 477 High St in South Paris, call 743-6300 or visit the website, www.mainevets.org.

PREPARING FOR CEREMONY — From left are Joel  Dutton, Administrator of the MVH in South Paris and  Joe Cooney, co-chairman of the WMVAC.

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PREPARING — From left are Joel Dutton, administrator of the MVH in South Paris and Joe Cooney, co-chairman of the WMVAC.