"That's My Country ..."

For the past few years, William McGurk's business slogan was, "Rockville Bank … That's my bank."

How into it was the recently retired bank president and CEO? He was known to have  handed a lottery ticket to anyone who came up to him and recite the slogan.

For a lot longer than that, McGurk's personal slogan was something like, America, that's my country. How into it is he? His last words at the helm of Rockville bank were directed at new CEO William Crawford - "I stand relieved.''

Yes, McGurk is a Navy man. He had two years of active duty, but then stayed in the reserves for parts of five decades from the 1950s to the 1990s - 28 years of service in all. He takes his service record - and his patriotism - seriously.

So when he was chosen to be the keynote speaker at Sunday's and as the grand marshal for Vernon's parade on Monday, he went right for the closet.

And the dress whites.

''It's a honor,'' McGurk said.

McGurk was born in December of 1941, so in a way a Naval career was his destiny. He went through the ROTC program at Holy Cross and was commissioned as an Ensign in June of 1963.

His initial assignment was on the USS Forest Sherman on which he was the electronics materiel officer and the main propulsion assistant. He was assigned tours in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.

McGurk, a captain, served as the commanding officer for eight different units in his career. 

He began his career in the Vietnam era, experienced the Cold War and even served during peacetime.

He said it is a lot different now.

"You knew who the enemy was back then,'' he said. ''Those who are in our military now are doing a great service against an enemy we really do not know. We should thank them.''

For a list of Memorial Day events in the area, check out .