A few good men
A memorial statue to Somerville solider and World War I hero George Dilboy at Hines VA hospital in Hines, Illinois.
As a sidebar to our recent article on military veterans, here are profiles of three of Somerville’s most decorated soldiers. Keep them in mind as you enjoy the July 4 weekend.
George Dilboy, Private First Class, Army, 1896-1918. Born in Alastra, Asia Minor, Dilboy came to Somerville at age 12 and lived at 85 Linwood St. As a boy he worked in the laundry of Mass. General Hospital. Once he learned English, he became a busboy at the Georgian Café in Boston and later a bellhop at the Copley Square Hotel. In July, 1918, he received a posthumous Medal of Honor “for gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty near Belleau, France.” You can find a detailed description of Dilboy’s valor on his bust outside City Hall. Both VFW Post 529 and Somerville’s largest stadium bear his name.
Henry Hansen, Sergeant, Marines, 1919-1945. A graduate of SHS in 1938, Hansen was one of six soldiers who first raised the American flag on Iwo Jima’s Mount Suribachi. Seven days later, Hansen died in combat. In 2004, Somerville named Henry O. Hansen Memorial Park (at the corner of Medford St and Partridge Ave) in his honor.
John Sheehan, General, Marines, 1940-. Raised on Putnam Road in Ten Hills, General Sheehan served 35 years in the Marines, including combat tours in Vietnam and Desert Storm. He earned a Purple Heart and a Silver Star, among numerous other honors of high distinction.
photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons
