On Veterans Day, names of recently lost vets are read
By Mary Ellen Day, Special Writer
VFW Post 2290 honored fallen veterans at its annual Veterans’ Day memorial service Sunday. Post members and the ladies auxiliary participated in the service.
Veteran Andy Henkel reminded the audience the day honored American veterans who throughout our history have unselfishly placed their lives on the line for freedom.
”On every Veterans Day we remember those from World War I who died on the battlefield,” he said. “Originally called Armistice Day, this day was conceived as a tribute to the Americans who sacrificed their lives in that war.”
VFW members laid red, white and blue carnations and a wreath on a grave of a soldier, a gun salute was shot, and the names of the deceased members of the VFW Post 2290 who passed away within the year were read by Commander Fred Gorbatuk. A bell tolled for each remembered one.
Mayor Angelo Corradino said his thoughts led to the word “choose.”
”We choose what time we want to wake up in the morning,” he said. “We choose what friends we want and ultimately who our life partner is going to be. We choose what religion we want to practice or we can choose not to practice at all. We can even choose who will represent us in our community, our state and nationally. We also have the right to object to the decisions that these representatives make for us.”
”We can make these choices because someone in their late teens or early 20s left either their mother, father, wife, husband, sons or daughters and went to some foreign land to protect our right to choose,” he said.
Some came home and others made the ultimate sacrifice in order for us to be able to make the choices, he said.
”I want to say thank you to all the vets and for the future vets who are now making those same sacrifices all over the world for protecting our right to chose,” said the mayor.
Raritan Mayor JoAnn Liptak said she was honored to attend the ceremony and read a story, “The creation of the Vietnam vet,” that she felt was touching and appropriate.
Ms. Liptak became teary-eyed as she read, as did many who listened.
After the service concluded, all the veterans and guests sat for breakfast.