By Mary Ellen Zangara, Special Writer
The Veterans of Foreign War Post 2290 held their Vietnam Memorial Ceremony on Saturday at the post hall. The ceremony was to honor those who served in Vietnam.
Bagpiper Sean Dalgauer of Readington played to start the solemn service. Post 2290 Commander Charles Goodyear began the ceremony by saying “The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States of America and its ladies Auxiliary join together this day to honor our comrades of the United States Armed Forces who died in the Vietnam War. They made the supreme sacrifice; they gave their lives to keep America free. For it is only through their heroic efforts that America enjoys the freedom and prosperity that are her hallmarks.”
The ceremony proceeded with the members of the VFW and Ladies Auxiliary laying a red, white and blue carnation, and a wreath on the symbolic grave. Commander Goodyear also went over to the flag on at the site and said, “On behalf of our glorious republic for whose integrity our comrades enlisted and served, I place this emblem of our nation, the flag of our country. Its glorious colors shall wave over them in death as in life for everyone to behold.”
A few of the guests spoke briefly, including Mayor Lillian Zuza. She thanked everyone for coming to the service as she said, “It was very, very important that we continue to have these services and that we continue to remember those who did not come home and those who are POW/MIA. We all pray that they come home to their families. So gentlemen I want to thank you for your service to our country during this war. I want to thank our veterans for their service because unfortunately, a lot of people failed to say thank you.”
Congressman Leonard Lance (R-7) came to support the veterans as he has done in the past.
”Thank you very much for this ceremony of remembrance. The statistics that I have are 58,193 soldiers were killed, more than 150,000 were wounded, and 21,000 were permanently disabled. Sixty-one percent of those who were killed were aged 21 or younger,” he said. “This afternoon in Manville in Somerset County in the United States of America we pay homage to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam. They performed their duty magnificently. All of those who served in Vietnam we honor them today as we continue to honor the United States of America. The country we loved and the country that they gave lives.”

