Who will stand and answer for the fallen? This question echoes through the history of the Boston College Veterans Memorial. It is a place of remembrance. It honors alumni who died serving their country.
The Boston College Veterans Memorial began with a simple act. The alumni association and ROTC created a committee in 2001. They organized an annual Veterans Remembrance Mass. During the mass, ROTC cadets read the names of alumni who died in war. They asked the poignant question. Alumni-veterans would step forward. They’d answer “I will answer for all those who gave their lives.” Then they would light a candle.
This tradition sparked a larger vision. A Veterans Memorial Committee formed in 2005. Paul G. Delaney and Paul L. Lufkin co-chaired it. They expanded the remembrance list to 209 names. The committee launched an appeal in 2007. They raised $500,000 from alumni veterans and others. This money funded the memorial’s construction and installation.
The Boston College Veterans Memorial website honors these alumni. Each veteran has a dedicated page. It shows their class year, military rank, and branch of service. You can often find their date of birth and hometown. Military awards, decorations, and date and location of death are listed too. Some pages even have photos and documents. The university welcomes more information. They seek remembrances, photographs, and other documents.
The Boston College Veterans Memorial marks an important tradition. It is the annual commemoration of Boston College alumni. These alumni died in service to their country. The memorial stands as a permanent tribute to their sacrifice. It ensures their stories are never forgotten. It reminds us of the cost of freedom.