Veterans in Ipswich, Massachusetts, are planning a major commemoration to mark 80 years since D-Day, inspired in part by the top-secret role the historic town played in World War II.
Main Street will shutdown for the 1.5 mile parade and block party on June 8 at 1 p.m. The event will feature nine major marching bands, including the Massachusetts State Police Pipes and Drums, along with classic cars and a working World War II Sherman tank and halftrack.
“It’s going to be a parade to remember,” Vietnam Veteran Ted Lemieux said.
The first-ever D-Day parade in Ipswich was partly inspired by the significant role the town played in World War II. Dozens of women assembled parts by hand for the highly classified variable time (VT) proximity fuze while working at Sylvania Corporation in the Ipswich Mills, according to Ipswich Town Historian Gordon Harris.
“Collateral damage was much stronger if you could detonate it above the ground and that’s what the fuse did,” Harris said. “They didn’t even know what they were doing. They weren’t told what they were doing. Their bags were checked when they came in and went out every day.”
Larry Jordan, the parade organizer and Commander of VFW 1093 Ipswich, said George Patton actually said that the proximity fuse helped save WWII efforts by the allied troops.
“It’s a fuse that was made in ultra secrecy. As a matter of fact, there were FBI agents that lived here in Ipswich while this was going on,” Jordan said.
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Even the Crane family playing their part – contracted by the US navy to build over 200 patrol torpedo boats at their yard in Ipswich.
“Six-hundred Ipswich residents -- including ladies -- worked on these ships around the clock,” Jordan said.
“Between that and the proximity fuse, there was a lot of people working on the war,” Harris said.
It’s personal for many in town, who had relatives in World War II.
“It’s important for us to say their names. Ipswich lost 36. Essex county lost over 400,” Jordan said
“It hits our heart,” Ipswich veteran George Gallant said. “After this anniversary – the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the 90th anniversary -- there probably won’t be any veterans left from WWII.”
