Honoring the fallen for their sacrifice

Rockville Centre pays tribute to those who gave their lives to protect our country

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Memorial Day is a holiday where we pause and reflect on the lives of those who fought courageously and sacrificed their lives in order to preserve our American way of life. These servicemen and women made the ultimate sacrifice, and once a year, we gather together to show our support.

“We came here this morning to remember why we live in the best country in the world,” Memorial Day Parade grand marshal Joe Scarola said. “It is good to remember why we have the good things and freedoms that we enjoy. Those were earned for us by the military and their families who sacrificed for us. It is good that we never forget the boy who went to war was not the same one who came home.”

Every year, on Memorial Day, the Village of Rockville Centre unites as a community to recognize the fallen with a parade in their honor. Participants started to line up as early as 9 a.m. for the parade, which began along N. Village Avenue and continued down Quealy Place next to the St. Agnes Cathedral. The parade then turned onto Maple Avenue and continued toward Veterans Park, in front of the John A. Anderson Recreation Center on N. Oceanside Rd.

Hundreds gathered around the monuments at the park for a ceremony recognizing the local heroes who gave their life to protect this country.

“Memorial Day is one of the most solemn days of remembrance of any of our nation’s holidays,” Rockville Centre Mayor Francis Murray told the crowd of hundreds who gathered at Veterans Park following the parade. “It is the day to honor and reflect upon the selfless dedication of our fallen military heroes. We recall the incredible sacrifices that have been made and we acknowledge a debt that can never be repaid.”

Scarola, the American Legion commander of Nassau County, served for four years as a U.S. Navy officer, from 1965 to 1969. Following the parade, he shared a few stories about some of the veterans he had met over the years, including a couple named Jerry and Phyllis, who he became close friends with through their stories in the service.

He said that Jerry served in the Air Force in Vietnam, but did not fly. He was a ground crewman who repaired and loaded planes.

“Jerry said that he had it easier than I did but he was wrong,” Scarola said. “When he was 55 years old he came down with a rare cancer that no one gets. It was rare except if you had been exposed to the chemical Agent Orange.”

Agent Orange was a chemical sprayed by the military to over the jungle to kill the trees so that the North Vietnamese troops could be seen.

“He died from that and did not receive any medals or ribbons for dying so young. No veteran benefits. No social security. No name on the Vietnam wall,” he said.

Scarola said that Jerry was Phyllis’ second husband. Her first husband also served in the Army. When he left for Vietnam, he was a kind and gentle person, but when he returned, because of the horrors he experienced during his service, he returned home a different person. He had a difficult time holding down a job, drank too much and died before the age of 30 from an overdose.

“These memories make me think of the familiy of our military,” he said. “When a member comes home wounded physically or mentally, the family suffers. When a member is killed the family suffers. There is that empty chair at the table at Thanksgiving. There is an empty chair at Christmas. There is an empty chair at Easter and Passover.”

Frank Colón, commander of American Legion Post 303 in Rockville Centre closed the ceremony by sharing a few words about honoring local heroes, like Ronald Winchester, who died in 2004 after an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle, killing three other Marines and Winchester, while serving his second tour of duty in Iraq.

“Let us take time to remember and honor the men and women who have given their lives for our great country,” Colón said. “Let us reflect on their courage and sacrifice and dedication to a cause greater than themselves … so that the legacy of our fallen heroes lives on for generations and generations to come.” 

As a special tribute to local veterans, active-duty military, reserves, and members of the National Guard in the community, the Village of Rockville Centre also displayed military tribute banners to honor and recognize those who served. These banners will continue to fly high above Maple Avenue through Veterans Day in November.