Marching in their memory

Frank Colon Jr. to lead Memorial Day parade

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Frank Colon Jr. will lead Rockville Centre as it honors those who gave their lives for the nation in the Memorial Day Parade on Monday.

Colon, 64, will be the grand marshal of the parade, which starts at 10 a.m. at Firemen’s Field on Shepherd Street, next to South Side High School. Marchers will head west to Long Beach Road and then south to the Recreation Center. At 11 a.m. there will be a remembrance ceremony at the memorial park on the Recreation Center grounds.

Colon grew up in North Bellmore, and joined the U.S. Army in March 1972. He was sent to Hanau, Germany, and then to Italy, and then back to Fort Hamilton, in Brooklyn, where he served with the military police.

That was followed by time in Korea, after which he spent many years in Fort Meade, in Maryland. Then, after being stationed in Harrisburg, Pa., for two years, he retired in 1994, as a sergeant first class.

He was inspired to serve by his father, Frank Sr., who fought in both theaters of World War II on the destroyer U.S.S. Wainwright, and then taught in the North Bellmore school district. “Guess I took it from him, being involved in a lot of stuff,” Frank Jr. said. “Dad taught me to serve with the community.”

In 1997, Colon married Mary DeVito. They live in Rockville Centre. His father-in-law fought in the Korean War, and he also has three nephews in the Marines who served in Iraq.

Colon has been involved with many veterans’ organizations, including the Vietnam War Veterans Association of Nassau County and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3350 in East Rockaway. He has a lifetime membership in the Association of the United States Army, is a former commander of the Nassau County American Legion, and is the current president of the Long Island National Cemetery Military Organization.

He chairs the Nassau County American Legion’s annual Military Ball and Post Commanders Night, and with the Nassau County United Veterans Organization, he travels to schools to teach children about respect and handling of the flag.

“The biggest thing a lot of us guys are doing is veterans taking care of veterans, and taking care of the community,” Colon said. This includes, he says, some 5,000 homeless veterans on Long Island.

He will take over as the commander of the Rockville Centre American Legion Post 303 on July 1.

He also works as a night security guard at Oceanside schools, and is a member of the Rockville Centre Fire Department’s Woodland Engine Company No. 4. He is a former captain of the Rockville Centre Fire Police.