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NORTH ATTLEBORO - A record crowd gathered to salute the town's veterans Wednesday, less than a week after laying to rest Marine Capt. Kyle Van De Giesen, who was killed while serving in Afghanistan.

With yellow ribbons fluttering in the breeze on wreaths set before the town's memorials, Van De Giesen's death in a midair helicopter collision was clearly on many people's minds.

Almost 150 people attended the Veterans Day ceremony - many more than in years past - to pay tribute to the sacrifices of all the town's veterans.

"This is a town that knows how to stand up and honor its veterans," Veterans Agent Jim McCann told the crowd. "Today is the day we salute our living veterans and ask that they continue to be beacons of what is good and noble about our country.

"It is again a cold November day and the town has gone through some painful moments in the last two weeks," he said. "We have been reminded of the price of liberty." State Rep. Betty Poirier, R-North Attleboro, said she was proud of the town for its "magnificent tribute" to Van De Giesen and its overall commitment to honoring veterans.

"It's impossible to stand here today without thinking of the events of the last week," Poirier said, adding she was proud to see all of the yellow ribbons and children who held U.S. flags in tribute to Van De Giesen after his funeral. "It shows the true core spirit of this town."

In a ceremony at the Statehouse, Gov. Deval Patrick also remembered Van De Giesen during his remarks.

Patrick said the importance of Veterans Day was driven home to him when he saw a young girl say, "Hello Daddy" to her Marine father as he stood at attention while serving as a pallbearer at a funeral last week.

The governor nearly came to tears Wednesday as he told a Statehouse ceremony how sad he felt that 18-month-old Avery Van De Giesen would never get the chance to say the same thing to her father.

Avery became a big sister when Van De Giesen's widow, Megan, gave birth to the couple's second child - Colin Joseph - on Tuesday, the 234th anniversary of the Marine Corps.

During North Attleboro's ceremony, Poirier spoke about the importance of state legislation called the Home of the Brave bill, which enhances the financial "welcome home" benefit for veterans who serve multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, expands access to health care, provides increased opportunities for housing and employment and calls for consideration of a veterans' Hall of Fame.

The legislation was signed by the governor on Wednesday.

"Let's never forget the sacrifices veterans have made for us and our country," she said.

State Sen. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, said it is important to ensure that military service members are given the resources they need to succeed in the war on terror. He also said he was pleased by the event's turnout.

"I can tell you, by far, this is the No. 1 event in terms of community participation,"

Selectmen Chairman Paul Belham, himself a Navy veteran, thanked the town's veterans for their service.

"To all of you, I take my hat off and thank you for your dedication, service and pride," he said.

McCann closed the ceremony with a rallying cry against political correctness, saying people should not be afraid to pray out loud or refer to Christmas instead of the "winter holiday season."

He said veterans fought for the rights outlined in the Constitution - meaning that all have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

"It's the veteran that has given these words meaning and sinew, whose blood wrote the words of the Constitution," he said.

Firefighter Rich McDonagh played several musical selections on the bagpipes as part of the ceremony.

Material from the Associated Press was used in the this report.