Overshadowed by the lingering aftermath of the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center, the Memorial Day ritual held on the lawn outside Town Hall on May 26 took on new meaning as – for the first time in years – America is at war, and young men and women from Secaucus have been called up to serve in the military.
Some of these young people, Mayor Dennis Elwell said during a brief speech Sunday, risk being killed in combat.
Each year on Memorial Day, Secaucus veterans and other residents come out to the lawn to put flags on crosses bearing the name of a Secaucus resident who died at war. The 20 crosses represent members of the military who perished in combat during World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War.
In his speech before the gathering of residents Tuesday, Elwell said that the event marks the passing of soldiers who have died fighting for freedom in all wars. “We’re here to honor the young men who have given up their lives in the support of freedom,” Elwell said, “but Sept. 11 reminds us of how vulnerable we are and how fragile our freedom is, and how we need to keep our guard up.”
Elwell said the men and women who go into service now are putting themselves at risk.
“They are doing their duty, and that could result in each of them becoming someone who might be honored here someday,” Elwell said.
The keynote speaker, Al McClure, a past president of the local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said, “This is a day to review memories of past honors and extraordinary sacrifices. It is also a reminder that we have an obligation to safeguard the precious legacy of our founding fathers, a legacy of freedom, justice and liberty.”
Their names shall be remembered
Although the town held a more elaborate memorial in Buchmuller Park on May 23, which about 200 people attended, the annual reading of the names on Memorial Day is a ritual that the most ardent supporters maintain, and includes family members of the fallen, public officials and others.
Although the tradition of Memorial Day goes back to the Civil War, Secaucus honors those who died in 20th century wars fought after the town was incorporated in 1900.
On Monday, to the tolling of a bell, friends, relatives or fellow veterans walked out to crosses placed on the front lawn of Town Hall and put an American flag on it. Each cross bore the name of a fallen veteran. Some of the names had faded into the background, now-historic figures from World War I whose families only remotely remembered a relative talking about them. Others from the more recent wars were still mourned, even though in some cases their passing had occurred more than 50 years ago.
Those honored were Edward Ivonoski, Paul Shetik, Edumun R. Naters, Joseph Hassenforder, Thomas G Blondell, Howard Eckel, Anthony F. Fusco, Angus J Gillis, Fred H. Koelle Jr., Louis A. Lanza, William C. Mansfield, Edward C. Reidel, Martin J. Sampson, Frank I. Schultz, Adrian H. Smit, Arnold P. Spamann, Henry P. Walters, Armond Alvino, and Raymond Schopmann.
As part of the tribute to these men, then Mayor Anthony Just and Town Historian Dan McDonough found photographs for each these veterans, photographs posted in the lobby of Town Hall.
“I wanted people to know that these were real kids, and by seeing their faces, we realize that,” Just said during a brief interview in late May.
Called up for service
While in the past, members of the military had stood guard in uniform over those crosses, offering a salute as the bell tolled as each deceased veteran was named, this year, two of the people in uniform expected military call-up within days.
Marine Sergeant Clark Rheil and Gunner’s Mate First Class Kevin Carpenter, two of the four town employees in the active military reserves, came to the ceremonies with a dual purpose.
Carpenter and Rheil came not only to pay homage to those who had died in America’s wars, but to thank the town for its support of those going off to war today.
Although other Secaucus residents who enlisted in the military since Sept. 11 – such as Valerie Harper, Carpenter, Rheil, George Sikaffy and Barbara Warths – are reservists, living lives outside the military, they are always on call in case the nation needs them. Carpenter, Rheil and Sikaffy are police officers, Warths, a violations clerk.
“Most people don’t realize it, but reservists make up 53 percent of our military,” Carpenter said during a pre-ceremony interview.
Many people also don’t realize the dramatic disruptions a call-up can cause in a reservist’s life, because a call up can happen at any time, and often when least expected.
Carpenter, for instance, just gutted part of his house for renovation, and the call-up would have left him uncertain about family finances if the town did not supplement his pay.
“The town will pay the difference between my military salary and what I make as a police sergeant,” he said. “This is different from some places which don’t do it, or even places like New York City, where the city only pays for 20 days.”
Carpenter and other reservists could spend a year on active duty. Indeed, Carpenter is scheduled to go for two weeks of training before shipping out to an U.S. military base in Cuba.
Rheil said Sikaffy, who was called up by the Air National Guard on Sept. 12, is still on active duty, and did not know at the time that the town would continue to pay his salary and provide health benefits to his family.
“It makes a tremendous difference going off and knowing our families will be taken care of,” Rheil said.
The town has also agreed to adjust Carpenter’s wife’s working hours. She works in the town’s finance department.
Presented a plaque
Incorporated in the usual Memorial Day ceremony, the two police officers – dressed in their military uniforms – presented the mayor and council with a plaque.
“We wanted to show our appreciation for their support of employees who also happen to be part of the military,” Carpenter said.
Elwell said this amounted to supporting the troops and showed the town’s commitment to those who make sacrifices for the county.
“It shows our commitment to this country, but more than that, it shows that we have fine men employed by us who also gave a commitment to our country,” Elwell said. “I know that Kevin Carpenter has been activated for one year. That’s one year away from his family.”