By Gail Smith
You couldn’t ask for a more perfect day for Voice of a Vet’s Tribute Flag Program and Cemetery Walk on May 9. At 10 am, 25 Patriot Guard motorcycles streamed into Hoosick Falls Community Alliance Church parking lot escorting the tribute flag Liberty. When the program began, there were about 140 people gathered to hear about her journey.
The power went out just before the program was to begin, so candles were lit and the program went on by candle light.
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Voice of a Vet Program Director Tom McMartin began by telling of the devastating loss that the towns of Hoosick Falls and Troy experienced in the Battle of Somme in Cambria, France as men from Rensselaer County 105th contingent defended the Hindenburg Line.
If one walks through St. Mary’s or Maple Grove Cemeteries, one might notice the number of individuals whose death occurred within a few days of each other in September 1918.
Tom also spoke of the critical role women played in the war as would have been told in a video that featured Eleanor Stempek (which couldn’t be played because of the power outage). He also shared the contents of a letter received by Jack Carelli’s family that described the Battle of Saipan, which turned out to be the largest Japanese suicide attack of World War II.
Reports By Liberty Escorts
In lieu of the video depicting clips from the Civil War ceremonies, Bill Schaaf, Patriot Guard Riders NYS Ride Captain, Section 5, told how deeply moving the escorting of Liberty was to all of the Civil War sites where Town of Hoosick men’s bodies lay at rest. “This was the most profound and emotional experience ever,” said Schaaf. That is not to minimize any of the other PGR missions, but I think the sheer breadth of this mission warranted the statement – multitudes of Patriot Guard Riders over 4 months, 3,650 miles, through 11 states, with 12 relays, to perform 22 tributes…for local hometown heroes
As if this remarkably dedicated organization hasn’t already done enough, the PGR have also offered to help us complete the Flag Tribute Program by escorting Liberty to a few other out of town cemeteries where our men are yet to be honored.
Hawaii Report And Families Honored
Voice of a Vet and HFCS volunteer Joyce Brewer introduced Hoosick Falls Central School student representatives Jake Restino, Dawson Bevis and Science Teacher Deb Mabey. Each shared what it meant to be involved in the tribute in Hawaii where Liberty flew over the Punch Bowl in honor of 10 local men who were lost in the Pacific Theater, seven of whom are buried stateside.
During that ceremony, 3 smaller American flags also flew – one each for Walter Sluzas, whose body lay at rest in Hawaii, and for Stanley Urbon and Harold Wilson, who are both listed as Missing in Action. These flags, folded military style, were presented to the servicemen’s families by Restino, Bevis and Mabey during Saturday’s program.
Dawson told me how meaningful it was for him to personally present Stanley Urbon’s family with his flag. He had read Urbon’s biography during the ceremony in Hawaii and coincidentally had been given his flag to present to the family last Saturday. He said representing Hoosick Falls in Hawaii to honor local men who have fallen was one of the best feelings he’s ever had, something he’ll never forget.
Dan Casale, Senator Kathy Marchione’s Director of Constituent and Veterans Services for Rensselaer, Washington and Saratoga Counties, was on hand to present the families of these men with the New York State Senate Liberty Medal, the highest NYS military honor given. This, by the way, was not divulged to the families beforehand, so things got a bit emotional.
Robert and Harold Wilson received the Liberty Medal for their uncle Harold Wilson, as did Stanley and Suzanne Urbon for his uncle Stanley Urbon.
Walter Sluzas’s daughter, Jean Wierzbicki, great-niece Anna and great-nephews Jake and Drew Restino, received the Liberty Medal in their loved one’s honor for gallantry in service on Saipan. Mrs. Wierzbicki, whose last memory of her father was as a 6 year-old, described the ceremony as “heart wrenching, overwhelming and beautiful.”
“Every time I think of it…” her voice quaked; “It was the most wonderful experience,”
Gerald H. Bentley Recognized As Missing in Action
As we were perusing Mary Kipp’s scrapbook of newspaper clippings circa WWII/Korea, it became apparent that another Town of Hoosick serviceman, Ensign Gerald H. Bentley, had also disappeared during the Cold War, but his status as Missing in Action had never been resolved.
After much research by Tom McMartin and Charlie Filkins of the Historical Society, Voice of a Vet deemed it fitting to recognize on May 9 Ensign Bentley as Missing in Action, at least from a local perspective. Bentley’s name is now embroidered on our POW/MIA Flag next to Harold Wilson and Stanley Urbon’s. It was raised, then lowered by PGR and flew at Maple Grove that day.
Bentley’s brother Elwin (Bud), a faithful Coffee and Camaraderie attendee, along with his children Jeffrey and Karen (Rager) and their spouses were recognized and honored that day. They had the opportunity to then place a flag on Gerald’s gravestone during the Cemetery Walk.
Bud, who has been fascinated with the flag program since its inception, found the personal experience overwhelming and very impressive.
This portion of the program concluded with Rensselaer County Legislator Stanley Brownell presenting proclamations recognizing the services of Sluzas, Wilson, Urbon and Bentley.
Flags Placed On Servicemen’s Graves
After the program in the church, most attendees boarded buses and rode with us to St. Mary’s and Old and New Maple Grove Cemeteries to honor 39 Town of Hoosick men who were buried there who gave their lives for our freedom.
Family members of servicemen were calling right up to the event who wanted to place their loved one’s flag during the Cemetery Walk, which proved to be a very meaningful and emotional gesture.
At each spot where the crowd gathered, the narrator read a short biography on each serviceman, then a Patriot Guard Rider escorted the family member or volunteer to the gravesite where they placed a flag in his honor. It was a fitting tribute.
Before leaving St. Mary’s, a flag retirement ceremony was performed by the PGR. A weathered flag, owned by Suzanne Fitzpatrick, that flew on a base in Afghanistan when her son Brian served there, was removed and presented to her. This flag was replaced with one donated by Susan Wells, “The Star Lady.”
Those who were honored that day were (relatives noted in parenthesis): St. Mary’s Cemetery – Edward Canfield, Frank Cantwell, James E. Cavanaugh, Francis L. Curtis, Walter Gavin, William J. Hayes, Kenneth Hoffman, Edward Kalinowski (Jack Bakaiti, nephews), Edward J. Kearney, Jr. (Joseph Kearney, brother), William Keefe, Louis Killion, James J. McGarvin (Polly Nowik, sister), Edward A. Nowik (Ben Nowik, brother), Frank O’Neil, Bernard Zilinskas.
Old Maple Grove – Charles W. Allen, August J. Blomquist (Maurice Andrew, nephew), Herbert Chapel, Harold Frederickson, Dr. Roy S. Glass, Aner E. Powers, Harley R. Russell, Ralph F. Stewart, Howard F. Wright (Howard Wright, nephew).
New Maple Grove – Raymond L. Armitage, Lester Baldwin, Raymond Bennett, Gerald H. Bentley (Elwin Bentley, brother and family), Robert K. Gardner, Emery O. Gill, James A. Hamilton, Sherman H. Hoffman (Sherman Hoffman, son and family), William R. Kipp (Andy Kipp, nephew), Fredrick L. Masten (Allen Masten, nephew), Harold J. McLucas (Jack McLucas, brother and family), Earl A. Niles, Walter VanDerKar (niece Ann Powers and great-niece Gail Smith), Andrew C. Wolff, James. J. Woodworth (Martha Woodworth Bates and family).
Voice of a Vet would like to thank everyone who played any role at all in our program; but most of all, we want to thank our servicemen for the sacrifices they have made – even unto death, their families, and all who came out to pay tribute.
Remember to save Saturday, August 8, for our Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Celebration at Wood Memorial Park in Hoosick Falls. For information about this or any Voice of a Vet program, check our Voice of a Vet’s Facebook page or contact Gail Smith (686-9888), Tom McMartin (686-5075) or Joyce Brewer (258-5772).
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