Andover Kiwanis event a clean sweep

The Eagle Tribune, Andover, Massachusetts
www.eagletribune.com/punews/local_story_315002155.html

Members of the Greater Lawrence Kiwanis club gathered recently to clean up the George L. Street Memorial Bridge, named for the town’s most decorated naval officer.

Kiwanians organized the cleanup to coincide with Veterans Day as a way to honor Street, a longtime Kiwanian, said club president Al DeLuca.

Street, who served in the Navy for 29 years, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military honor, while commanding the submarine USS Tirante during World War II. He was the recipient of the Navy Cross, two Silver Stars and a Presidential Unit Citation recognizing the entire crew of the Tirante.

His Pacific exploits inspired the 1958 movie, “Run Silent, Run Deep,” which starred Clark Gable. The movie was based on a novel by Edmund “Ned” Beach, Street's executive officer on the Tirante.

Street lived in Andover for 30 years, until his death in 2000 at the age of 86.

“We were lucky to have him,” DeLuca said. “He was a great guy.”

The bridge, which crosses over Interstate 495 on Greenwood Road, was named in Street’s honor after his death, but the area hadn’t been cleaned up since. About 17 Kiwanians and their children cut grass, pulled weeds and swept the sidewalks.

This was the first year the Kiwanis club members conducted the cleanup. DeLuca said he’d like to make it an annual Veterans Day event.