Maplewood held its 23rd Annual Veterans Day Ceremony on November 11, 2026 at 11 a.m. at Maplewood Town Hall.
The event, which has been organized proudly by Township Clerk Liz Fritzen, since its inception, was “really moving and well attended,” noted Fritzen.
Veterans and their family members were provided the opportunity to talk about their service to country. Represented among the living and the dead were veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Mayor De Luca noted that presently there are over two million serving in the armed forces, and that over 40 million have been called to service since the nation’s founding in 1776. The mayor called on the nation to support and care for its veterans.
Maplewood Mayor Victor De Luca Remarks
November 11, 2026
Thank you for joining us today to honor and celebrate the military personnel who served our nation during war and peace. Since America’s independence in 1776, more than 40 million people took the military oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. Presently, over 2 million people serve in the armed forces. We thank all who have served and continue to serve in all branches of our military throughout the world.
The first Armistice Day was 107 years ago, in 1919, to honor the soldiers who served in World War I. It marks November 11th at 11:00am, when the fighting ceased between the Allied Nations and Germany. Across the country, thousands of Americans, just like us here, are pausing at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month to honor our veterans.
Today, we also speak up for our veterans. There are an estimated 33,000 homeless veterans nationwide, including more than 600 veterans in New Jersey. In 2025, about 2.8 million veterans, roughly 1 in 7, had a substance use disorder, with alcohol accounting for the largest share. Our federal government must reorient its priorities to put veterans housing and supportive services near the top.
Today is Veterans Day. We are grateful to the brave men and women who put their lives on the line for us. We thank you for your courage and your commitment.
