By Gene Robbins, Managing Editor
Assemblyman Peter Biondi, a former mayor, and 90-year-old Armando “Monty” Consalvo of Branchburg will be co-grand marshals of the township’s Memorial Day ceremonies on Saturday.
Mr. Biondi said he met Mr. Consalvo last year, when the World War II veteran wrote the assemblyman’s office to say he hadn’t received the medals he was due. Mr. Biondi’s office worked to correct that, and Mr. Consalvo was presented multiple medals last Pearl Harbor Day in a ceremony at the Manville VFW.
”It’s an honor to be asked to be the grand marshal in my own hometown,” said Mr. Biondi, adding he thought the turnout at the holiday events has been rising in recent years.
While colorful and meaningful, please don’t call the township’s activities a “celebration.” The township has gone to pains to educate people over the years to the somber tenor of the occasions, said Richard Resavy, director of parks and recreation.
”It’s to honor the soldiers who gave their lives to help preserve the country in which we live,” he said.
The day will begin at 8:30 a.m. with the sixth annual Salute to Veterans’ breakfast, by invitation, in the multi-purpose room of the municipal center. Spouses and widows are invited, too. The room will be decorated by township senior citizens’ groups with flags and photos and veterans living in Hillsborough, and students in the high school chorale will sing.
One by one, the roll will be called and veterans will come to the microphone to give their name, branch of service and say short remarks, if they wish. “It’s a pretty powerful thing,” said Mr. Resavy, “to hear the names of all the famous battles. I’m taken back by all the living history in Hillsborough.”
Congressman Leonard Lance is expected to attend the breakfast.
Veterans who wish to march in the parade will be bused to the staging area at Triangle and Auten roads. The parade, which begins at about 10:30 and takes 45 minutes to one hour, will proceed down Auten Road to the Garden of Honor in front of the municipal building on Beekman Lane.
In all, perhaps a thousand people will parade, said Mr. Resavy. A police color guard will lead the procession, followed by veterans groups and military vehicles, and the 78th Infantry World War II reenactment group. Scouts, baseball and soccer players will be in the line of march. The senior citizens of the Hillsborough Rockettes and Rockets dance group will perform in front of the reviewing stand.
Refreshments will be provided on the Municipal Building lawn at the end of the ceremony.
The rain date for all events, other than the breakfast, is Sunday.
Mr. Biondi, an Army veteran from his service in the early 1960s, will speak succinctly and from the heart, he said. Mr. Consalvo may add his thoughts.
Boy Scout Troop 1776 will fire a black-powder volley in salute.
There’s a lot packed into a few hours, said Mr. Resavy.
”It’s actually an honor to do this,” he said. “It’s not hard to get up for, and we’re anxious to do things for the veterans. Anything we can do we’re very happy to do.”

