Heroes that go unmentioned, unnoticed, unrecognized or remain silent need commending. It’s days like Veterans Day that shine light on those who fought for the United States, both young and old. The United States previously observed Armistice Day before the U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.
“We should continue to serve our veterans as well as they served their nation,” American Legion Post 349 Commander Carl Marchese said at Mineola’s Veterans Day ceremony in Memorial Park last week.
Marchese mentioned U.S. servicemen Spencer Stone and Alek Skarlatos and college student Anthony Sadler who disarmed a terrorist on a France-bound train in August. Stone suffered stab wounds while subduing a 26-year-old Moroccan, Sliman Hamzi, and helped aid a wounded passenger. Hamzi was carrying 270 rounds of ammunition on the train, according to the Associated Press.
“There are those who face pain and death so others can be spared. Such was the case with those three when they stopped a terrorist attack. Those men ran toward a future that could have meant instant death,” Marchese said.
Veterans spanning multiple wars stood at the veterans memorial just east of the still-rising Memorial Park renovations, including a new bandshell and tennis courts. World War II D-Day survivors Ray Vaz and Tom Scardino, two staples in the veteran community, flanked Marchese on the windy, brisk Wednesday. Vaz and Scardino landed on Utah Beach 71 years ago as part of the U.S. Army 90th Infantry Division during the D-Day landings of June 6, 1944.
The two lived in Mineola a few miles from each other when they met, 60 years after hitting that Normandy beach under heavy German fire and realized their shared experience.
“This day honors everyone,” Adolf Block VFW Post 1305 Commander Scardino said.
Bill Cassidy of Mineola served on the Third Ranger Battalion from 2001-04, with two deployments in Afghanistan. With his family in tow, Cassidy noted the history lesson days like Veterans Day can teach future generations.
“It’s important for the younger kids to see the representation of veterans of all ages,” Cassidy said.
To think there was a time where veterans were neglected is troublesome. But today’s veterans notice the men and women who fought for freedom have been getting their rightful respect.
“Many many years ago…vets weren’t even recognized,” former Mineola School Board president Terence Hale said. He served on the USS Nimitz from 1980-86. “It’s been getting better for the last 20 years. It’s good to see the younger guys are active and proud.”
Last week’s ceremony was a first for Greg Pryor, who served on the USS Harry S. Truman in 2004-08. He quickly pointed to the older veterans that served America when they needed them most.
“I think a lot of the older veterans are often forgotten about, but they’re the backbone of this country,” Pryor said. “They did all the legwork for us to have the freedoms we have today.”
Combined ceremonies would serve each other well, says John Viola of Williston Park. He served from 2006-10 in the U.S. Marine Corp in Iraq, and thinks a crowd would do the day justice.
“There’s like three or four of these ceremonies going on within two miles,” Viola said. “It’d be nice to get them all together to see 60, 70 people. But it’s nice to see more people came out here as opposed to other ones.”
Men of valor are action takers and fight for the cause.
“It takes men of courage, men of determination, men of action, and sometimes men who are just willing to be in a difficult place to keep things from getting even more out of control,” First Presbyterian Church Pastor Chestor Easton said.
To most, the heroes span generations that epitomize volunteerism.
“This is what a hero looks like,” Deputy Mayor Paul Pereira said, pointing to Korean, Vietnam and Gulf War veterans, and servicemen from World War II, Afghanistan, among others present last week. “This just goes to show us throughout the generations, Americans have always stood up and volunteered to go and fight for our freedom.”
