The Florence Eastman American Legion Post 280 will host a Memorial Day ceremony and parade on Monday, May 30 at 1:30 p.m. at the Mattapoisett Library.

Mattapoisett resident Richard Langhoff, professional engineer (retired), will be the guest speaker. Langhoff is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is a Vietnam War era veteran, trained primarily as a US. Air Force pilot through the Aviation Cadet Program. He also trained as a navigator. He served in the 463rd Troop Carrier Wing of the Tactical Air Command and holds a commercial pilot license.

Langhoff began his work career as a 17-year-old technician at Westinghouse Electric's Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, builders of the nuclear reactors in the first nuclear submarine, Nautilus; the world's first commercial nuclear power station; and the first nuclear powered aircraft carrier, Enterprise.

While at Bettis, Langhoff worked his way through college, interrupting his education for an enlistment in the Air Force. Upon graduation with a bachelor's degree in metallurgical engineering, he worked as a metallurgist for a number of companies. He retired from Raytheon's Integrated Defense Systems in Portsmouth, Rhode Island as a principal systems engineer in 2002. He was also licensed as a professional engineer in Massachusetts.

In retirement, he obtained a commercial driver's license and is a part-time school bus driver and part-time driver for the Mattapoisett Council on Aging.

He is a lifetime volunteer flight crew member of the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation, a past member of the Atlantic Warbirds, a member of New England Triumphs, and a member of more than 30 years in the Florence Eastman Post where he currently serves as a director and chaplain.

In addition to Langhoff's address, the ceremony will feature music from the Old Hammondtown Concert Band, junior high student Luke Thomas Cuoto's recitation of the Gettysburg Address and posting of the colors by the New Bedford High School Junior ROTC.

Following the ceremony, a parade will march through the Village with stops at Town Wharf and Cushing Cemetery.