Two South Shore veterans will be among 46 Long Island servicemen and women honored when the American Airpower Museum and Honor Flight Long Island host a patriotic reunion on Aug. 1 in Farmingdale.
Among those recognized will be John Wachter of Oceanside, who served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War as a sergeant (E-5), and Alfonzo Ruocco of Island Park, who served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War as a seaman. They will reunite with fellow veterans who participated in Honor Flight Long Island's free trip to Washington, D.C., on May 2.
The reunion will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the American Airpower Museum's Hangar 3. Veterans, their guardians and families will receive free admission, and the public may attend free from 10:30 a.m. until noon.
Honor Flight Long Island provides veterans with free one-day trips to the nation's capital to visit the memorials dedicated to their military service. During the May 2 flight, the veterans toured the World War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, the Air Force Memorial, Navy Memorial and other historic sites. They returned to Long Island later that evening to a hero's welcome from hundreds of family members, friends and supporters, accompanied by the Nassau County Firefighters Pipes and Drums Band.
Honor Flight Long Island President Bill Jones said the trip included 41 Vietnam War veterans, many of whom never received a proper welcome home after returning from service, along with one World War II veteran and four Korean War veterans.
"What this flight really represented was a 'big hug' to all our veterans from Honor Flight, their families and supporters, who make such flights possible," Jones said in a statement.
During the reunion, veterans will receive tribute journals featuring photographs from their Washington trip. The ceremony will also include remarks from Jones and American Airpower Museum President Jeff Clyman, a performance of the "Armed Forces Salute" by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla Band, and a performance of "Welcome Home, My Brother" by longtime Honor Flight guardian Eric Wieboldt of Merrick. Wieboldt wrote the song as a tribute to Vietnam veterans who did not receive the recognition they deserved when they returned home.
Free refreshments will be provided during the event. Honor Flight Long Island's mission is to recognize veterans for their service and sacrifice by giving them the opportunity to visit the memorials built in their honor while sharing the experience with fellow veterans and loved ones.
