On Sunday, the 15th of September, 2024, the Wm. F. Eggo Post 2597 sponsored our 4th Annual “Freedom” Road Race”. Once again, it was a beautiful day filled with family fun and entertainment. This year’s race was dedicated to the honor of Vietnam combat veteran Bob Solomon.
2024 VFW “Freedom” 5K in HONOR OF MR. BOB SOLOMON
Bob Solomon was a true Billerica Boy. He graduated from BMHS in 1961and worked at various jobs before joining the U.S. Army in 1964. He proudly served with the 335th Air Transportation Company at Ft. Bragg, N.C. In preparation for his tour of Vietnam, Bob successfully completed the following courses – Aircraft Maintenance Course, Single Engine Observation & Utility Airplane Maintenance Course, and Multi Engine Observation. He shipped over to Dong Ba Thin with the 335th in September 1965. He remained in Vietnam completing two tours back-to-back. Part of their mission when the 335tharrived was to start the buildup of Don Ba Thin. He remembers the spraying of Agent Orange to kill the dense foliage. At the beginning of his arrival in Dong Ba Thin, Bob was responsible for scheduling and performance of maintenance on all aircraft assigned to the 14th Aviation Battalion. He was part of the recovery team and flew every day with the CO in the Company. He was a crew chief on the Caribou 442 for the remainder of his time in Viet Nam. Bob received the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Aircraft Crewman’s Badge. Bob’s rank was SP5 (T) when he was discharged on April 5, 1967.
Upon returning home to Billerica, Bob followed in the family footsteps becoming a Journeymen Pipefitter until 1974 when he applied and was hired by the Town of Billerica as the first Rink Manger. He eventually returned to his former profession. Along with his brother they started their own company called Solomon Mechanical. It was a great run.
On a more personal note, Bob married his high school sweetheart, Barbara McGinness Solomon. Bob and Barbara remained in Billerica raising their daughter. He was very active in his community during his lifetime. He was a Town Meeting Member, served over 10 years on the Housing Committee, and a Billerica Jaycees past Vice President and Treasurer. Also, he was Billerica’s Representative on the Board of Directors of SHARE Inc.
Bob’s family suffered a tragic loss in World War II. His Uncle Albert was killed during a combat mission in Germany on his second tour of duty and his Uncle Robert was killed when the USS Jacob Jones was torpedoed by a German submarine. Bob’s father Stanley served in the U.S. Navy but remained stateside during the war. The VFW Post 8819 is named in their honor. Bob’s grandparents were the only double Gold Star parents in Billerica. Sadly, we lost Bob on June 17, 2018. “A Life Well Lived”
Beneficiary: The funds raised from this event will be used in furthering our mission of fostering camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts, serving our veterans, the military and our communities and to advocate on the behalf of all veterans.
Post-race Refreshments: Once again this year, Billerica Moose Club members donated food and their time to grill for our race contestants.
Awards: 1st place finishers in each race category received trophies and gift certificates.
Entertainment: Caryn from Curtis Knight Entertainment provided a mix of great music prior to race start and for hours after the race.
T-Shirts: All contestants received race t-shirts.
The Wm. F. Eggo VFW Post 2597 would like to thank all of the donors listed below for their VERY GENEROUS DONATIONS;
Marquis Tree Service
Billerica Moose Lodge
Billerica Fire Department Union
Billerica Police Department Paramedics Union
Sweeney’s Funeral Home
Enterprise Bank, North Billerica
Billerica Police Union 5A and 5B
Marshall’s Autobody
O’Connor’s Hardware
Whole Foods, Bedford, MA
Market Basket, Tewksbury, MA
W.L. French, Billerica, MA
Billerica Country Club
High Octane Harley
On Sunday, the 17th of September, 2023, the Wm. F. Eggo Post 2597 hosted our 3rd Annual “Freedom” Road Race. This was a family friendly event which proved to be a fun-filled day for all.
2023 VFW “Freedom” 5K in MEMORY OF MR. JAMES A. PERRY
The 2023 race was run in memory of the late Mr. James Albert Perry. Mr. Perry was a United States Marine Corps (USMC) Vietnam Combat Veteran. Mr. Perry served his country honorably and with distinction both during wartime and peace. Sometime after his Honorable Discharge from the U.S. Marine Corps he became involved with the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), where he formed a strong bond with fellow veterans, while assisting those veterans in need. Mr. Perry was described by his comrades at the Wm. F. Eggo VFW Post 2597 as a hardworking, caring and selfless man, who all remembered fondly as a “good friend.” Mr. Perry served as the Wm. F. Eggo VFW 2597 Post Commander for three (3) years, where he dedicated many hours of his time insuring Post members and many other veterans needs were met.
RACE ROUTE: Right onto Boston Road, Right onto Lowell Street, Slight Left onto Old Elm Street, Through Faulkner Street and Mill area, Right at the island onto Rogers Street, Right onto Call Street, Right onto Pollard Street, Right onto Talbot Street, Left back onto Lowell Street, Left onto Colson Street, Right onto Old Elm Street, Left onto Franklin Street, Left onto Lowell Street, Left onto Boston Road. Race finish was at the Billerica Moose Club (3.1 miles)
Post-race Refreshments: Once again, Billerica Moose Club members are donated food and their precious time to grill for our race contestants.
Awards: 1st place finishers received awards in each race category.
Entertainment: Caryn from Curtis Knight Entertainment provided a mix of great music prior to race start and for hours after the race.
Photography: Mr. David Rando took professional photographs of the event.
The Wm. F. Eggo VFW Post 2597 would like to thank all of the donors listed below for their VERY GENEROUS DONATIONS;
Marquis Tree Service
Billerica Moose Lodge
Billerica Fire Department Union
Billerica Police Department Paramedics Union
Sweeney’s Funeral Home
Marshall’s Autobody
Billerica Country Club
O’Connor Hardware Store
Enterprise Bank, North Billerica
Jack’s Junk Yard
Dunkin Donuts
VIP AUTO
High Octane Harley-Davidson
W.L. French Excavating Corporation
Garrison’s Restaurant Bar and Grill
Billerica Police Union 5A and 5B
Whole Foods, Bedford, MA
Market Basket, Tewksbury, MA
Beneficiary: The funds we raised from this event are used in furthering our mission of fostering camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts, serving our veterans, the military and our communities and to advocate on the behalf of all veterans.
The 2nd Annual VFW Post 2597 5K “Freedom” Road Race was held on Sunday the 18th of September, 2022. The race started and ended at The Moose Club, 104 Boston Road, Billerica, MA. The race started at 10 A.M. and ended as last participant crossed the finish line a little over an hour later.
Grand Flag: It was an absolutely beautiful day, which was made even more spectacular when Marquis Tree Service posted a grand American flag, which flew overhead.
D.J.: Caryn from Curtis Knight Entertainment provided a mix of great music prior to start and for hours after the race.
Food: Moose Club members were gracious enough to donate food and their time grilling hamburgers and hot dogs for the many people who came out for this event.
Photography: Mr. David Rando donated his time and resources to provide professional photographs of the event, as well as Drone footage.
Money: The funds we raised from this event are used in furthering our mission of fostering camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts, serving our veterans, the military and our communities and to advocate on the behalf of all veterans.
The Wm. F. Eggo VFW Post 2597 would like to thank all of the generous donors listed below for their very gracious donations;
Billerica Police Union 5A and 5B
Billerica Moose Lodge
Billerica Fire Department Union
Billerica Police Department Paramedics Union
Sweeney’s Funeral Home
Marshall’s Autobody
Billerica Country Club
O’Connor Hardware Store
Enterprise Bank, North Billerica
Jack’s Junk Yard
Police Survival Equipment Company
Dunkin Donuts
VIP AUTO
Marquis Tree Service
High Octane Harley-Davidson
W.L. French Excavating Corporation
The Magnan Family
Garrison’s Restaurant Bar and Grill
Mr. Joseph Smith
Starbucks Coffee Company
RACE START: 104 Boston Road, North Billerica, MA
Right onto Boston Road, Right onto Lowell Street, Slight Left onto Old Elm Street, Through Faulkner Street and Mill area, Right at the island onto Rogers Street, Right onto Call Street, Right onto Pollard Street, Right onto Talbot Street, Left back onto Lowell Street, Left onto Colson Street, Right onto Old Elm Street, Left onto Franklin Street, Left onto Lowell Street, Left onto Boston Road
FINISH at the Moose Club (3.1 miles)
This year’s race was in memory of the late NORMAN LARRABEE BOUTWELL
Norman was lifelong Billerica resident and an active member of Pinehurst’s Wm. F. Eggo VFW Post 2597. Norman was a Korean War veteran and Prisoner of War (POW), who spent 3 years and 13 days in a Korean Prison Camp after being wounded and captured following fierce fighting on the 38th Parallel.
CORPORAL NORMAN LARRABEE BOUTWELL was born November 1st, 1930 and died on October 19th, 1987. Corporal Norman Boutwell enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 17 in November of 1948. Assigned to the U.S. Army’s 21st Infantry Regiment, he went to Japan and then to fight in Korea. It was during fierce fighting near the 38th Parallel that Corporal Boutwell was taken prisoner. He was wounded during fighting in which practically his entire unit was killed or captured as the enemy poured through their lines.
Corporal Boutwell spent 3 years and 13 days, from July 11, 1950 to August 25, 1953, in captivity subjected to some of the harshest conditions in a North Korean Prisoner of War Camp (Camp #3) before being released back to his family home in Billerica.
Norman was lifelong Billerica resident and an active member of Wm. F. Eggo VFW Post 2597, Pinehurst section of Billerica, Massachusetts.
Our 1st Annual 5K “Freedom Race”
was on Sunday the 26th of September, 2021. It was a spectacular day filled with friends and family supporting our Post, while enjoying the fantastic weather, food and drink. We THANK YOU ALL!
Please see pictures from the event.
