Hingham Journal By Audrey Cooney

The pandemic continues to limit in-person gatherings, but Hingham still found a way to mark Veterans Day. A virtual ceremony featuring pre-recorded speeches and footage from previous ceremonies aired on Harbor Media on Wednesday.

Chair of the Board of Selectmen Mary Power said that while everyone has sacrificed times with loves ones because of the pandemic, remembering the sacrifices made by members of the military and their loves ones makes these recent challenges pale in comparison.

“It put our recent experiences into context for me,” she said.

Thomas Burbank, a veteran of the U.S. Army, was named the 2020 recipient of the Hank Maude Veteran of the Year award. Hank Maude, a World War II veteran and longtime Hingham resident who was active in the veteran community, died earlier this year after contracting COVID-19.https://7237ab6fdb66f61120d510a76aab4f57.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html

State Rep. Joan Meschino, State Sen. Patrick O’Connor and U.S. Congressman Stephen Lynch all participated with pre-recorded speeches.

Lynch said the U.S. must ensure it gives proper treatment to veterans in VA hospitals and soldier homes, where problems have become increasingly obvious because of the pandemic, and address the rising rates of PTSD and suicide among veterans.

“This is a shared responsibility that we owe to our veterans as a nation,” he said.