Marines gathered from Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut at American Legion Post 40 in Plymouth, Mass., on Saturday, October 20, to recognize and celebrate Henriette Sununu Kramp as she received her WWII Victory Medal and American Campaign Medal for the first time.
Capt. Bridgett Soares, SSgt Justin Rheaume and SSgt Darius Sterling, all active-duty recruiters from the region, took time out of their busy schedules to present Henriette with her medals.
Henriette enlisted in the USMC on November 8, 1943 and served until August 28, 1946. She was an admin clerk stationed at Henderson Hall, Arlington, Va. In October 1945, she proudly remembers, she marched in the Victory Parade in Washington, D.C., with three companies from Henderson Hall led by two officers, Lt. Suzanne McWethy and Capt. Dorcas Crawford, to welcome home Adm. Nimitz of the Pacific Fleet.
Just before we celebrated Henriette Kramp, Jamie DePaola, area director for the Women Marines Association, announced that she will be starting up a new chapter in Massachusetts to honor Capt. Jennifer Harris, who was KIA in Iraq in 2007. Her father, Ray Harris of Swampscott, Mass., was present and emotionally shared with the guests the story of his beloved daughter. He said he wasn't happy that she chose the USMC over the USN since she graduated from the Naval Academy, but she really loved the Corps so he supported her. The new chapter will be named MA-3 Captain Jennifer Harris Chapter.
Also in attendance for this celebratory day was another Gold Star Family from Rhode Island, Cpl. Holly Charette's parents, Ed and Regina Roberts. They came to meet and support another Gold Star Parent who lost their daughter in the war on terror. They also have been honored with the WMA naming a chapter after their daughter, the RI-2 Cpl Holly Charette Chapter.
Jamie DePaola, SgtMaj, USMC (ret.), and her sister Marines have pledged to keep our fallen sister Marines' spirit alive in their communities back home by helping the needy female veterans and supporting the Gold Star Families in whatever they may need. Our fallen Marines are our sisters and brothers, which makes the Gold Star Families our family too.