Annual parade, ceremonies will commence at 9 a.m.
The United Veterans of Hicksville will hold their annual Memorial Day Parade and Service on Monday, May 28, as parade participants will begin assembling in the Sears parking lot at 8 a.m. before the parade steps off at 9 a.m.
The parade will march south on Broadway to Old Country Road where it will turn west. It will continue to Jerusalem Avenue and then turn south to go past the parade reviewing stand and end at the Hicksville Middle School. The service at the Middle School Veterans Memorial will begin once the parade ends and the community is invited to stay for the ceremonies and presenting of the wreaths.
The United Veterans of Hicksville, in commemoration of those who made the ultimate sacrifice during past and present wars, invites all military veterans, active duty personnel, Gold Star Parents and Blue Star Parents to join in the parade and ceremonies.
“We extend a ‘welcome home’ to all our veterans. We are also pleased to honor the local Pearl Harbor survivors and their Commander Michael Montelione, who participates every year in the parade and ceremonies,” said Commander William Walden.
This year’s parade is hosted by the Catholic War Veterans, Joseph Barry Post 1946, under the leadership of Commander Joseph Messana, who will be the master of ceremonies. The United Veterans of Hicksville Memorial Day Committee consisted of members from the Joseph Barry Post 1946 Catholic War Veterans Commander Joseph Messana, Charles Wagner Post 421 American Legion Commander John Mauro, William M. Gouse Jr. Veterans of Foreign Wars Commander William Walden and Robert Chiappone of the Nassau County Chapter 82 Vietnam Veterans of America. Also attending the meetings was Charles Rockwood, Tom Basacchi of the American Legion: Arlene Howard and Harold Deegan of the Catholic War Veterans. The Gier-Levitt Post 655 Jewish War Veterans, under the commandership of Jack Hayne, will not be participating in this year’s events due to the Jewish holiday of Shavuot coinciding with the Memorial Day weekend. The United Veterans of Hicksville wishes them well and looks forward, once again, to their participation next year.
The Grand Marshall of this year’s parade is American Legion Commander John Mauro. Commander Mauro was responsible for the successful coordination of last year’s parade and ceremony.
“We congratulate John, his lovely wife Terry and all of the Mauro family for John being selected as the Grand Marshall and we thank him for his service to our country and the Hicksville community,” Walden said.
The United Veterans also extend their appreciation to all the Hicksville groups, fraternal organizations, houses of worship, Scouting groups, sports groups, the Hicksville Fire Department and federal, state, county and town legislators who participate annually in the Memorial Day Parade and Service. The committee would also like to thank the Nassau County Police Second Precinct, the Hicksville Auxiliary Police Unit 312, Sears and the Hicksville School District for all their support.
