Veteran’s Day celebrated in Long Branch

Long Branch began their Veteran’s Day ceremony Thursday morning at Jerry Morgan Park with introductions by Retired Lt. Col. Avery Grant. They then traveled to City Hall to hold their second ceremony, which started with the tolling of the bell.

Jerry Morgan Park is named after Cpl. Jerry Morgan Jr., who lost his life in Vietnam, and in remembrance of seven others from the city who also lost their lives during the conflict. The others, are Pvt. Malcolm J. Grimm, Chief Warrant Officer John H. Grisard, Pvt. First Class Del R. Jacobs, Cpl. Frank Andrisano, Jr., Sgt Jose G. Abara,  Jon A. Baker and Edward J. Bova.

Rev. Carolyn Bennet from Trinity AME Church was introduced by Grant to lead people in opening prayer. After colors were presented by The Long Branch Police Dept, VFW Post 2140 and Long Branch High School Air Force Jr. ROTC members, Diane Johantgen sang the Star Spangled Banner as she does every Veteran’s Day.

“First we celebrated WWI, then WWII and last year we celebrated the Korean War,” Mayor John Pallone said. “This year we are here to highlight the Vietnam War.” Pallone spoke about how the average age of the soldiers heading off to Vietnam was only 22 years old as compared to WWII which was 26. “Many were working class teenagers who enlisted or were drafted right out of high school,” Pallone said. “They were a world away from everything they knew and everything they loved.”

Pallone spoke about the history of Veterans Day. How on  Nov. 11, 1918, an armistice ended the fighting of World War I, and the next year President Woodrow Wilson declared the anniversary would be celebrated as Armistice Day. “But then on June 1, 1954 President Dwight D. Eisenhower changed the name to Veteran’s Day to honor soldiers from all wars.”

Jerry Morgan’s sister Terry gave tribute to her brother and all Veterans who sacrificed their lives, saying her brother was only 21 when he died.

At City Hall Rev. Aaron Gibson led the invocation. David G. Brown called out names of  several organizations to place flowers in front the wall filled with carved names of fallen soldiers. Called on one by one, Catholic War Veterans, Jewish War Vets, VFW Post 2140, VFW Axillary, American Legion, AL Auxiliary, LBPBA #10, LB Superior Officers, LB Fire Dept. FMBA, Long Branch BOE, LB Housing Auth., Elks Lodge 742, and last of all the POWMIA wreath were set in place with a salute.

Introduced by Long Branch Superintendent Francisco Rodriguez, students  read essays written about their thoughts on Veteran’s Day. Allison Plumlee, 5th grade student from Amerigo A. Anastasia School read first, then Jesus Orea, 7th grade, and from the LB School of Social Justice was 11 grader Manuel Monterrosa.

The benediction by Rabbi Cy Seanway noted, “As we prepare to leave this holy spot where we have gathered as a community, we pause in reflection and once more share the burden of a memory of those who have fought, those who have died on foreign shores and those who have come home, some broken,” he said. “Our words of gratitude are limited as those who have not served can rarely understand…”

The ceremony at City Hall and Jerry Morgan Park ended with Avery Grant playing the song “Names on a Wall” which is about fallen soldiers.