SOUTH RIVER — For Sara Goldman, a vintage film discovered in a closet at the South River Library provided a link to her family history.
The silent 16 mm film labeled simply “Vets Parade” featured an unexpected cameo that took Goldman by surprise.
“The thrill I personally had in seeing my father as one of the marchers was absolutely overwhelming,” she said.
After discovering the film, the library turned it over to the South River Historical and Preservation Society.
“There is a great deal of interest about World War II. As that generation has almost died out, people are starting to ask questions now,” said Goldman, who is the president of the Friends of the Spotswood Library as well as a trustee of the South River Historical and Preservation Society.
“We can’t tell people how the world was, but we can tell them about what the homecoming for these veterans was like.” On Oct. 10 and 11, the library will screen the film, titled “Welcome Home Celebration for Veterans of World War II.”
The library and the Friends of the South River Library, as well as the South River Historical and Preservation Society will serve as the hosts to the event.
The three-day-long welcome home celebration kicked off with a memorial service at the Campbell School Stadium on Sunday, June 30, 1946.
On July 1, the borough held a parade and the next day hosted a fireworks display.
According to the historical society, newspapers accounts at the time said that 20,000 people attended the parade for the returning veterans and over 1,800 veterans participated in the parade.
“If you can figure that there were approximately 1,800 men and women who served during the war and today South River has about 16,000 people in it. It means that over a tenth of the population served in the war,” said Goldman.
“This is really big because if there is 16,000 today approximately there were a lot less in 1946.”
It is estimated that 2,000 people in total marched in the parade. Other groups that marched in the parade included the East Brunswick Fire Department and Sayreville Rescue Squad.
The South River Lions Club filmed the event.
The borough is very proud of its World War II past. During the war years, there was a public honor roll that displayed the names of those who went off to war.
“There was a great deal of public appreciation for what was happening,” said Goldman.
According to Goldman, residents who didn’t go off to war helped the cause in their own way.
Residents planted what was called victory gardens, which allowed them to grow their own fruits and vegetables to counter shortages in labor and transportation due to the generation of young men going off to war.
Although the war ended 70 years ago, Goldman said interest continues to be high in that period of the nation’s history
“World War II is still a very relevant topic as far as a lot of people are concerned,” said Goldman.
Residents can reserve seats for the screening by visiting southriverlibrary.org or by calling 732-613-3078.
Contact Michael Nunes at mnunes@gmnews.com.