Chips Norcross, Blandford Historical Society, holds us the first banner of Civil War veteran and Medal of Honor recipient Private Charles A. Taggart. (Photo submitted)
BLANDFORD – The Town of Blandford invites residents and organizations to honor the “Hometown Hero” in their lives with a public banner noting military service. The Office of the Board of Selectmen is accepting applications for the Hometown Heroes Program, which involves sponsoring a banner to honor a Veteran from the Town. The banner will contain the name, photo, branch, and era of the honoree and will be publicly displayed along Main Street by Memorial Day.
Interim Town Administrator Joshua Garcia said they got the idea from the City of Holyoke, which displays the banners during Memorial Day. “It’s quite a sight,” Garcia said. He said other cities and towns around the country have also adopted this practice.
The Blandford Historical Society was the first to sponsor a banner to honor Private Charles A. Taggart. Following the Civil War, the Congressional Medal of Honor was awarded to Private Taggart for the capture of a Confederate flag during the Battle of Sailor’s Creek, VA. He was born in Blandford on January 17, 1843 and enlisted at the age of 19. He fought in more than 20 battles and was wounded three times at Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. Private Taggart’s canteen, tin cup, knife and spoon, cap, cartridge box, pieces of the flag he captured, and his Medal of Honor are on display at the Blandford Historical Society located at 2 North Street, Blandford, MA 01008.
The Veteran has to be a former or current resident of Blandford with an honorable discharge. The Town Administrator will work with the Town’s Veteran’s Agent Officer to confirm the Veteran status of the honoree. Once confirmed, the applicant request will go to vendor for processing. The applicant cost to the vendor is $80.
Garcia said the town will display the banners during service holidays, and at the end of the year, they will be returned to the families or organizations that sponsored them.
Anyone interested in sponsoring a banner for their Hometown Hero can visit the town website at townofblandford.com to upload the application. Be sure to fully read and complete the application, and submit to the Town Administrator along with a high-quality picture of the Veteran in their service uniform and proof of honorable discharge (badge number / DD 214 number). You can also pick up the application at the Town Administrator’s Office located at Town Hall, 1 Russell Stage Road, Blandford, MA or request a copy via email at [email protected].
