WHITE PLAINS REMEMBERS THE FALLEN, GIVES THANKS SO THAT WE MAY LIVE IN SAFETY,NOT FEAR” MAYOR SAYS

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WHITE PLAINS VETERANS LEAD THE MEMORIAL DAY PARADE THIS MORNING.

WHITE PLAINS COMMON COUNCIL AND REPRESNTATIVES, STEPPING SMARTLY  (FROM LEFT) JUSTIN BRASCH, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS JOSEPH RICCA, COUNCILWOMAN NADINE HUNT-ROBINSON, CONGRESSMAN JAMAAL BOWMAN,  COUNCILMAN JOHN MARTIN, COUNTY LEGISLATOR BEN BOYKIN,  COUNCILWOMAN JENNIFER PUJA AND MAYOR THOMAS ROACH

THE PARADE STARED PRECISELY AT 10 A.M.. ONE OF THE LONGER PARADES IN RECENT YEARS.

 

 

MAYOR ROACH PRESENTED  THE DECEASED VETERAN HONOREE AWARD TO THEODORE J LEE, JR., WHOSE DAUGHTER (Center) ACCEPTED THE AWARD FOR HER FATHER. MAYOR ROACH CALLED HIM A PERSON WHO ALWAYS MADE YOU SMILE AND A WONDERFUL CITIZEN OF WHITE PLAINS. HIS DAUGHTER IS THE 4TH GENERATION MEMBER TO RUN THE LEE FUNERAL HOME.

Veteranss  Robert “Bob” Wynn, U.S Marines; Stephen Wallfish, Army, Jewish War Veterans Post #191 , and Dan Griffin, Army, American Legion Post 135 read the names of the 66 White Plains Citizens who have died in United States Wars in service to their country, dating back to the American Revolution.

THE MAYOR HONORED THE GRAND MARSHALL OF THE PARADE, CHARLES MEBANE, SR. OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE. THE MAYOR SAID SAID  MR. MEBANE AID HE WAS A ELEANOR ROOSEVELT AND HARRY TRUMAN SOLDIER, WHO SERVED WITH THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, AND WAS DISCHARGED IN 1951. HE RETURNED TO WHITE PLAINS AND BECAME A BARBER, WHERE MAYOR SAID THAT WHILE MOST BARBERSHOPS TALKED THE SPORTS SCORES MR.  MAGRANE TALKED TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO CAME IN ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF LIFE. TR. MAGRANE (IN NATTY TAN CAP), REMARED ” PEOPLE ASK HOW I’M FEELING, I SAY SOMETIMES I DON’T FEEL GOOD, BUT IT’S BETTER THAN NOT FEELING AT ALL.”

 

In closing remarks, Mayor Tom Roach, said “On this beautiful Memorial Day, we are so grateful to the last measure of devotion these veterans gave to their country.” He said that he is correspondence with a member of the city council in Kyiv, Ukraine. He reflected how when school closes here it is because of weather, but the council member’s city is under seige. The Mayor said we in this country are fortunate to be safe from the forces that would threaten our safety and sense of peace. He said we have the sacrifice of our veterans who have died fighting for freedom to thank for our security today.

After placement of wreaths, Cynthia Kauffman, Daughters of Liberty read Flanders Fields

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
    That mark our place; and in the sky
    The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
    Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
        In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
    The torch; be yours to hold it high.
    If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
        In Flanders fields.

 

A RIFLE SALUTE TO THE DEPARTED VETERANS BY THE FIRING SQUAD AND COLOR GUARD, AMERICAN LEGION POST #135 ECHOED ACROSS THE SILENT CEMETARY GROUNDS.

TAPS WAS PERFORMED BY PETER GASIEWICZ, MARINE INFANTRY VETERAN, BUGLES ACROSS AMERICA

The  White Plains High School Marching Band performed great marches all the way to the Rural Cemetery, entertaing folks lining North Broadway  including a stirring National Anthem, and the Drum Corps kept groups, scout packs, The Rotary and civic groups in step.  

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