The Salem Evening News, December 14, 2001
In 1636, the Massachusetts General Court issued an order that created three militia units for the defense of Boston and its surrounding communities. Of these three regiments of volunteer citizen soldiers (North, South, and East), the East Regiment was the first to meet, train, and be fully prepared to defend their homeland. They mustered on Salem Common in the early months of 1637, and today's National Guard traces its roots to that event and to the East Regiment. Since 2001 marked the 365th anniversary of the creation of the East Regiment and the National Guard, BG Albert A. Mangone of the Mass. Army National Guard had the vision and foresight to ask the Peabody Essex Museum and the City of Salem to work with him to create a special event. The celebration would mark the year-long "build-up" to Armory Park Dedication Day, an event the Peabody Essex Museum was planning for the newly-created park that would be finished and that was designed to honor over three centuries of Essex County's service to nation. General Mangone had been serving as a consultant on the project.
The event included:
• Honors to the Nation
• Speeches by military and city, and museum dignitaries
• Reception and "birthday cake" cutting at one of the museum's historic houses
Tasks:
• worked closely with the Mass. Army National Guard, City of Salem, and Peabody Essex Museum administration on logistics
• designed and distributed posters and fliers
• arranged for media coverage
• managed the reception
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