Herb Podel — the 101-year-old World War II Seabee veteran and longtime Westporter — did not get to ride in a car, as grand marshal of the 2026 Memorial Day parade.
The event was canceled, by a forecast of rain.
But the longtime businessman and civic volunteer took center stage at Town Hall, where the ceremony was moved.
In a heartfelt speech, delivered in a clear, powerful voice, Podel brought listeners from Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, to current events.
Noting the spread of autocracy around the world, he asked, “How do we respond to the call to always go to war?”
Michael Chait taped Podel’s 8-minute talk. To listen to the message from the Pacific Theater veteran, click here or below.
