Benjamin John Kaufman and Art Gartenlaub
Maplewood Township remembered locals who have served in the nation’s military at the town’s 11th Annual Veteran’s Day remembrance ceremony in Town Hall earlier today.
More than 40 veterans and family members of veterans rose from the seats of the main meeting room to recall their service or the service of loved ones. One veteran wished to remember his late wife who served as a nurse in World War II. Others spoke of service in Vietnam and Korea. Still others served in peace time — in the signal corps in Germany, in the U.S. Navy during the Cuban missile crisis, in the National Guard Reserve. Art Gartenlaub, himself a veteran, honored the service of his twin sons, one of whom served in Iraq and the other in Afghanistan.
The ceremony also included local historian and author Stuart Lutz will spoke about the ongoing influence of the Vietnam War — and also brought along artifacts from the era including a letter of condolence to the parents of a fallen soldier from Senator Robert F. Kennedy and a letter from John Kerry inviting a congressman to attend the rally where he disposed of his Vietnam medals.
Tony Massey, World War II and Korean War veteran, with his wife. Massey will turn 88 next month.
In attendance were former Mayor Fred Profeta, who began the town’s annual Veteran’s Day remembrance event 10 years ago; Mayor Vic DeLuca; Township Administrator Joseph Manning; Town Clerk Liz Fritzen; Committeeman Marlon K. Brownlee, who remembered the service of three family members; Fr. Jim Worth of St. Joseph Church and Willie Gartenlaub, both of whom sang; Fire Chief Michael Dingelstedt; Police Chief Robert Cimino; and the Rev. Dr. Terry L. Richardson of the First Baptist Church of South Orange who gave the invocation and benediction.
DeLuca noted that he had joined the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness along with 22 other mayors in New Jersey and more than 300 mayors nationwide.
DeLuca also thanked the veterans present: “If it wasn’t for you I don’t think we would be the country we are today.”
Click on any photo below for a gallery of images from the day:
