By William Tauro

SOMERVILLE — On Sunday, September 20, 2026, the Winter Hill Yacht Club once again opened its docks and its heart to the men and women who served this country.
Nearly 100 military veterans from every branch of the armed forces gathered at the club for the annual Veterans Cruise, a tradition that has become one of Somerville’s most meaningful community events. Fifteen privately donated boats, ranging from 30 to 55 feet and piloted by club members, provided the transportation. Captains and crews volunteered their vessels and their time so veterans could spend a day on the water being honored rather than forgotten.

The morning began at 9:30 a.m. with a continental breakfast. Fourteen ROTC cadets from Lowell, organized through David Smith, greeted the veterans as they arrived with a ceremonial sword salute and honor guard salute. At 10:45 a.m. the group boarded the waiting boats and shoved off under two Massachusetts State Police escort vessels coordinated by Massachusetts State Police Trooper Kamb.
The flotilla moved in an orderly procession through the Amelia Earhart Dam locks, under the Tobin Bridge, and across the harbor toward the USS Constitution. From there the boats continued toward Castle Island, where two Boston Fire Department and Massport vessels met them with a ceremonial spray from their water cannons — a longstanding salute that never fails to draw cheers from the decks.
After the harbor tour, the flotilla returned to Winter Hill Yacht Club for an old-fashioned American barbecue. Hamburgers, hot dogs, pulled pork, pulled chicken, and clam chowder were served to veterans, captains, and crews.
The day was made possible by generous sponsors. The Chelsea Rotary Club provided annual financial support. Vince Lombardi of Summer Shack in Cambridge supplied the continental breakfast and the full lunch spread that fed everyone before and after the cruise.
Special thanks go to Commodore Vinny Palmisano, WHYC Veteran Cruise Coordinator Kenny Webber and all the dedicated members of the Winter Hill Yacht Club of Somerville. Year after year they donate boats, time, food, and organization so veterans can be recognized on the water they helped keep free.
This cruise is not a spectacle. It is a simple, practical thank-you: a meal, a ride through the harbor, a fireboat salute, and a few hours among people who understand what service costs. The veterans who boarded those 15 boats on September 20 gave years of their lives. The Winter Hill Yacht Club, the Chelsea Rotary, Summer Shack, the Massachusetts State Police, the Boston Fire Department, Massport Fire Department the Lowell ROTC cadets, and everyone who showed up on the docks gave a day in return.

That exchange is worth repeating every year.