More than 170 combined service members with family members, community leaders and additional supporters gathered at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center on Saturday, April 1 to celebrate and honor the veterans of the Vietnam War. This marked the second celebration of this ceremony for the Hudson Valley.

James Leach led with the playing of the bagpipes as West Point cadets and members of the United States Marine Corps presented the colors before all those gathered. The Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a rendition of the National Anthem by Sergeant Major MaryKay Messenger, continued on through the early parts of the ceremony. The ceremony was made possible through the efforts of the Cemetery of the Highlands, Inc. Deacon Paul Weirerter led the invocation. “Let us pray. Dear God, we call your name today. Please look with mercy on our brave and selfless brothers and sisters who served in Vietnam, during the Vietnam War, and for all veterans who served in wars. These veterans did not shirk from that task, but gave themselves completely to the cause of defending and protecting us all. Bless all who have given their lives for the sake of liberty and grant them eternal rest with you. We ask this, in your name, oh Lord, Amen.”

Christian Farrell, Director of the Orange County Veterans Service Agency, served as the keynote speaker for the ceremony.

“Today’s a special day. As we know, we honor and say thank you to a generation of American service members who were never properly thanked, actually who were never really thanked at all. And we do it 50 years later, all around the country on March 29, which is officially National Vietnam War Veterans Day,” said Farrell. “Why March 29? Well, the answer is for a number of reasons. March 29, 1973, was the date U.S. Military Assistance Command Vietnam was disestablished. In addition, March 29, 1973 was the day the last U.S. combat troops departed Vietnam. Nearly nine million Americans served their country during that 20 year period. Sadly, more than 58,000 American service members never made it home, killed in action. Three hundred thousand were wounded in action and still 1,553 remain missing in action. The average age of the Vietnam service member was 22 years old.”

Farrell went on again to say thank you to the veterans present in the audience, asking the crowd to applaud and cheer for the veterans once again. Following Farrell’s remarks, a medley of the various songs of the various military branches present were sung by the service members who were able to. Members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marines were recognized for their service.

Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus was then called to pin members of the NAM Knights of America Motorcycle Club, Orange County Chapter who had served. Reverend Robert Hershberger led the final benediction, the colors were retired and Garcia Warren played a rendition of Taps on the trumpet.

Assemblyman Christopher Eachus also shared several remarks on the celebration of these servicemembers. “I had the privilege of honoring Vietnam veterans up in Albany on Wednesday, and I get to do it again, here in the neighborhood. It’s not exactly my district, but it’s right on the edge of my district and certainly a lot of these vets here are my friends,”said Eachus. “We’re doing more than just saying thank you for your service, welcome home, we’re saying thank your families, thank your friends, thank you and we’re sorry, we’re apologizing somewhat too because the treatment they received on coming home from Vietnam was not worthy of the service that they did.”

Those who have since passed were also recognized, as follows: Brian J. Bennett, John Joseph Blaha, Bernard Brady, John Conklin, Robert Dall, William Daniels, Rodney Alfred Ervin, Miguel A. Escobar, Joseph Gill, Thomas H. Hansen, Jr., Richard B. Keeley, Michael Kline , William J. Larkin, Jr., Robert Lomauro, Dennis McCarthy, James J. McCarthy, Joseph Ryan, Peter J. Santopietro, Raul Torres, Edgar C. Ulrich, Ubiel Valencia and Patrick Fra Van Duynhoven.

Other service members recognized included: Howard Aiello, Ronald Aillet, Robert F. Aldinger, Edward Altenau, Mark G. Arnowitz, Russell Astrab, Leonard Auchmoody, Ed Backus, Kenneth Balzano, Benjamin Barbato, Bobby Barresi, Robert Beemer, Steven Beemer, Tom Behany, Don Blair, Edmund Bourke, Thomas Brennan, Joseph Brescia, Andrew Brew, Gerald Brewer, Harry Brown, William Brown, Al Bull, John Call, Peter Calvano, M. Steve Cardwell, Louis E. Carrasco, Ralph Caruso, Bob Christie, Charles Clark, John Clauson, Michael Cody, Donnie Collica, Joseph Cooper, Jose Cortez, Ted Coughlin, Theodore Coughlin, Everett Cox, Edward Creighton, Dennis Cucinella, George Cummings, Charles Czocheanski, Daniel Dambrozio, Jack D’Angelo, Frank Day, Robert DeAngelis, Robert Delgado, Jerry Di Sisto, Gary Dimke, William Doyle, William Dumiak, Michael Eckert, Ron Edlin, Dan Faulkner, Tony Ferraiuolo, John Fraino, Jim Franco, Gary M. Gaffney, Vincent Gallipoli, Robert Garreau, Gary Garrett, Carl Garritt, Phil Gattis, Robert Gesner, Frank Gilner, Abraham Gonzalez, Carlos Gonzalez, Frank Greco, William Grohoski, Robert E. Haight, Ralph Hartman, Kevin Hathorn, Rev. Robert Hershberger, Tom Jablonski, William Jesse, Dennis Johnson, Arthur Judge, Kenneth Kavanagh, Edward Keane, Michael Kearney, John P. Kemp, Gerard Killenberger, Cory Kilvert, Arthur J. King, Robert Kippel, Henry Kirsch, Tom Kivel, Jim Kline, Ray Knapp, John Kolodziejski, Richard Lay, Bob Lewis, Robert Lewis, Jim Licardi, Dominic Lombardi, William Long, Ray Lopez, Stephen Luca, John J. Luffman, Michael Lutz, Robert Mallon, Ralph Mancino, Mike Marco, Raymond Margotta, Joe Marshall, Stanley D. Martin, Mike Martino, Jim Masi, John Masten, Michael Mastrolia, Richard Mazur, James McGuiness, Edward McLeod, Jim Meehan, Stephen Merando, Marvin Mickle, Doug Mitchell, Charles Moore, Robert Moran, Phil Morello, John Morrissey, Leroy Morse, Robert Morse, Michael Motyka, Thomas Muff, Tom Murtaugh, Charles Naccarato, Tom Neppl, Eugene Newman, Richard Odonnell, William O Donnell, Arthur Olah, William O Neil, Louis O’Neil, Ronald Orts, James Palminteri, Frank Pettine, Dale Plumer, John Powell, Robert Rainey, Richard Randazzo, George Reilly, Jim Reynolds, William Roies, Eugene M. Rose, Frank Rzeczkowski, Marie Sanchez-Neville, Peter Sasko, Jerard A.Schacker, Robert Schiela, Arnold Shavuo, Ken Smith, Sue Sommerlad, Frank Sommerlad, Maureen J. Space, Arthur Steinkamp, Fr. Robert J. Sweeney, Daniel Tandy, John Thompson, Fred Ungerer, Robert Warner, Bruce Weiner, Deacon Paul Weirter, Don Wells, Dave Whitbeck, William J. Wiand, David Wilcox, Stanley Wong and Anthony Yozzo.