The American Legion Post No. 349 held their Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 25 from Wilson Park to the Mineola Memorial Library for a ceremony to honor and remember those who have died serving their country. Mineola residents lined up along Marcellus Road, Westbury Avenue, Roslyn Road and Jericho Turnpike with American flags on a beautiful 80-degree day to cheer on the parade and celebrate with friends and family.

The parade featured members of the Mineola Fire Department, Mineola Junior Fire Department, Mineola Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, Nassau County Police Department Third Precinct, Catholic War Veterans Post 1949, the Irish American Club, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1305, Village of Mineola officials, the Mineola Portuguese Center, LUSO American Riders, Chaminade High School marching band, Mineola Chamber of Commerce, Dance Dynamics Dance Studio, the Ladies Auxiliary Portuguese American Club, the Knights of Columbus Corpus Christi Council 2502 and local boy scouts, cub scouts, girl scouts and brownies.

For more photos, click here.

Carl Marchese, commander of Post 349 hosted the ceremony, and attendees included NY State Senator Jack Martins, Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth, Nassau County Legislator Richard Nicolello, New York State Assemblyman Ed Ra and New York State Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel. Msgr. Robert J. Batule of Corpus Christi Church held a prayer service to open the ceremony.

Marchese is a Vietnam-era veteran who served stateside as an infantry officer and executive officer of advanced infantry training at Riffle Company at Fort Dix, NJ.

“We are here because of men and women who gave their all so we can enjoy a day like today,” Marchese said, who introduced World War II veteran Walter Hobbs. He served in the Naval Air Corps as a lieutenant and D-Day veterans Oracio ‘Ray’ Vaz and Thomas Scardino.

Hobbs’ service included collecting the remains of those who died in the USS Indianapolis sinking and Marchese referred to the three veterans as “men who have seen it all, and done it all.”

Vaz, private first class, and Scardino, staff sergeant, both served in the 90th Infantry Division and landed at Utah Beach and as Marchese recalled, the two did not meet until 30 years later as Mineola residents.

Other veterans attending were Gabe Parajos, who was drafted into the Army in 1951 with his twin brother, Felice DeLape and Bill Grimm. Steve Stolarik of the Mineola Fire Department played “Taps” to conclude the ceremony.
Senator Martins noted that Vaz and Scardino were both inducted this year into the New York State Veterans Hall of Fame, and hailed them as “two true American heroes.” Hobbs was inducted in 2013.

“Everyone we remember today wrote a blank check to this country when they enlisted,” Martins said. “All the names you see who have died in battle, remember they were people—most if not all were teenagers at the time—they don’t get to see their kids grow up or walk them down the isle at their wedding, they made the ultimate sacrifice so we can be here.”

Village of Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss, who was joined by village trustees Paul Pereira, Paul Cusato, George Durham and Dennis Walsh, noted that 2015 marks the 70th anniversary of World War II’s end, and the 50th anniversary of Operation Hump during the Vietnam War.

“World War II was the most widespread war in history, involving over 100 million people from over 30 countries,” Strauss said. “This war resulted in an estimated 50 to 85 million fatalities. These men and women fought for us, and we remember them today.”

Schimel read a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow titled “Decoration Day” and remarked “it is our duty to keep the memory of those who sacrificed so we can enjoy the warm sun in our face, the love of a handshake and the laughter of our children.”

Marchese also highlighted the presence of Irish American Club President Patrick Kearney, who served as a senior master sergeant in the United States Air Force, and Sergeant Jacob Petion, who came off active duty in 2011.

Bosworth spoke of the importance to hold Memorial Day ceremonies each year, saying “it’s important that for generations to come, we will be remembering and be grateful to those brave men and women who took the call without hesitation and protected our democratic values.”