WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES JUNE 3, 2021 15
Ridewood, Glendale wreath-laying
ceremonies honor fallen soldiers
BY GABRIELE HOLTERMANN
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
With the traditional Memorial
Day parade canceled for the
second consecutive year
due to COVID-19 restrictions, veterans,
their families, and community members
joined wreath-laying ceremonies
at the Glendale and Ridgewood Veterans
Triangles on Memorial Day.
U.S. Air Force Veteran Bill Cook,
the commander of American Legion-
Glendale Post 104, expressed that it
was slightly disappointing not to
have a parade again this year.
“But at least we’re able to do something,”
Cook said, referring to the
wreath-laying ceremonies. “Safety is
first. That’s what we got to think of.”
Hosted by the Allied Veterans
Memorial Committee of Ridgewood
& Glendale, an alliance of several
veterans organizations, both ceremonies
opened with the Pledge of
Allegiance, followed by the National
Anthem, performed by Shannon
Jones.
Russell Goeller, parade chairman
and committee member, reiterated
that Memorial Day was about honoring
those who made the ultimate sacrifi
ce while serving the United States.
“Remember the men and women
that gave their lives for this country
in some far-off land that no one can
even find on a map. They’re there
so we could be here together today
celebrating, barbecuing, going to all
the sales at the stores,” he said.
Holding up a photograph of Edward
Hoyt, a young WWII Navy
soldier killed in 1942, Councilman
Veteran Bill Cook stands in salute at the Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremony at the Ridgewood Veterans
Triangle. Photos by Gabriele Holtermann
Robert Holden shared that Hoyt’s
death motivated his mom to become
a pen pal writing to soldiers on the
frontline. Her brother, who served in
the Philippines, suggested she write
to Phil Holden, one of his friends.
“Here I am, I’m a product of World
War II, just like my wife is, and so
many generations and so many
families,” Holden said, explaining
that it was Edward Hoyt’s death and
seeing his grief-stricken parents that
compelled his mom to correspond
with soldiers on the battlefront.
The councilman, who has written
several stories about Hoyt, urged
everyone to share their family
members’ stories.
“Every family has a hero. Share
their stories and let their memories
live on,” Holden said.
Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar,
who attended both ceremonies, was
grateful to the heroes who sacrificed
their lives so Americans could live
in freedom and said the qualities she
respects most about a person were
courage and bravery.
“And you have that in abundance,”
Rajkumar, a member of the Committee
on Veterans’ Affairs, told the
crowd. She also announced that she
established a new veterans committee
for the neighborhood and that
her office would host a Veterans
Breakfast in June, calling on all Veterans
posts to nominate one Veteran
honoree.
Congresswoman Grace Meng said
the best way to honor the fallen was
to provide help to veterans who are
still alive and pointed to the bipartisan
effort allocating $10 billion for
veterans issues like mental health
services, combating homelessness,
and supporting veterans who were
exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam
and nuclear radiation during the
clean-up mission of the Enewetak
Atoll, a U.S. nuclear testing site between
1946 and 1958.
“We need to make sure that we have
full transparency of full accounting
and to provide the necessary help
that they the veterans so desperately
need and our country has not
paid in full yet,” Meng declared.
Retired Army Lt. Col. Paul Schottenhamel,
secretary of the Allied
Veterans Committee and 10th District
commander, joined Cook to
present the memorial wreaths at the
Glendale and Ridgewood Veterans
Triangles before both ceremonies
concluded with the playing of Taps
and “God Bless America.”
Michael O’Kane, officer with Chapter
32 Vietnam Veterans of America,
served in Vietnam for two-and-a-half
years. He said he hoped that many
young people would attend the ceremonies
and learn “why we did what
we did.”
“It’s a cliche, but that’s where our
future is,” O’Kane said. “We haven’t
forgotten. We live it every day.
Somebody asked me last week, ‘Did
you ever go back to Vietnam?’ I said,
‘every night!'”
Rudy Markard, a Vietnam vet, poses in front of his 1950s Korean War
Army Jeep at the wreath-laying ceremony in Glendale.
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