Valley Patriot of the Month Bob McCann from Methuen - June 2008

06/03/08

VALLEY PATRIOT OF THE MONTH - HERO IN OUR MIDST
Bob McCan of Methuen

Tom Duggan

This month, The Valley Patriot honors Methuen resident and former Veterans’ Services Director for the City of Lawrence, Robert “Bob” McCann. He was Director for the City of Lawrence for over 20 years, from 1983-2004.

As with most veterans we interview, McCann humbly resisted being interviewed as a Hero in our Midst, because, he says, “I didn’t do anything heroic, like some of the servicemen you’ve highlighted. I really don’t deserve a recognition like that.”

McCann’s heroism may not have come on the battlefield while serving in the U.S. Marines, but since being honorably discharged in 1955, he has been a stalwart advocate for military families and honoring our deceased military veterans.

McCann was 23 years old when he joined the Marines. He trained at Paris Island, was then stationed at Camp Lejeune, where he worked in the motor pool, and was then transferred to Camp Pendleton where he worked in the warehouse. McCann served from 1952-1955.

McCann, who has been married for 52 years, not only served as the City of Lawrence’s Veteran’s Services Director, helping military families obtain medical and education benefits, but McCann has volunteered on dozens of city projects and spearheaded the erection of at least three war monuments on the Campagnone Common in Lawrence.

Lawrence resident William Lord, who served as a drummer with the 40th Massachusetts Infantry carried Union Colonel Eldridge G. Floyd of the 3rd New York Infantry to safety from behind enemy lines. He was awarded the Medal of Honor by Congress. Bob McCann, knowing the history of William Lord, formed a committee and began fund raising to erect a monument in honor of Lord.

McCann raised more than $10,000 from private businesses and local citizens, working with City Attorney Charles Boddy and Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan to have the labor provided by the city and securing the site on the Common where the memorial stands today.

On June 14th 2004, the day the William Lord Monument was unveiled on the Campagnone Common, the program that day read: “We join today to celebrate the support of the unified community that brought one man’s dream to reality. The Lord monument does much more than memorialize William Lord, it celebrates Lawrence’s ability to unite behind a cause, as it has so often done over its 150 year history, and to accomplish its goals. This monument symbolizes through the efforts of William Lord and Bob McCann, that we can achieve our visions, if we set our hearts and wills to the task.”

McCann was also instrumental in the erection of the Korean War Monument on the Common and a Monument Honoring All Women who served in the military during all wars.

McCann may be best known as president of the South Lawrence West Little League, where he was also a business administrator, putting in 25 years helping the children of the Mount Vernon area of Lawrence to have a baseball league each summer.

McCann served as President of Lawrence Veteran’s Council, was the State Commandant of the Massachusetts Marine Corps League, and Commandant of the Merrimack Valley Marine Corps.

In short, though he may not think he is deserving of being named as a Hero in our Midst, Bob McCann is and has always been a man who has given of himself for his family, his country and his community. Whether it is delivering flags to the wakes and funerals of military servicemen and women or working with veteran’s services agencies and organizations to honor those who have offered and sometimes given their lives in service of their country, Bob McCann is always there to make a difference.

We at The Valley Patriot are pleased this month to honor Robert “Bob” McCann as out Valley Patriot of the Month, Hero in Our Midst.

If you are interested in joining Marine Coprs League you can send your informationto P.O. Box 1491, Lawrence, MA 01841

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