by Rachel Hunter
The 2024 Gouverneur Memorial Day Observance, jointly sponsored by the Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338 in Gouverneur and the James Maloy American Legion Post 65, was held on Monday, May 27.
The 2024 Gouverneur Memorial Day Parade lined up at 9 a.m. at Rock Island St., Gouverneur. The parade turned right onto Main Street promptly at 10 a.m., led by Village of Gouverneur Chief of Police Darren Fairbanks in GPD-413. The Gouverneur Police Department also handled traffic control throughout the 2024 Gouverneur Memorial Day Observance.
The Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338 and James Maloy American Legion Post No. 65 Color Guard presented the colors. Other parade participants included the following: Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338 Auxiliary, Gouverneur Elks Lodge No. 2035, local scouts, Gouverneur Fire Department (E-17, Truck 2), Gouverneur Rescue Squad (A-175), Richville Fire Department (E-12, ETA-10), Oxbow Volunteer Fire Co. (Fightin’ 33), Bango Valley Percherons, and the New York State Police.
The 55-member strong Gouverneur Marching Wildcats, under the direction of Jenelle Patchin, thrilled the local crowds with their 2024 show “Born To Be Wild”cats. This was the second parade of their 2024 season. The first parade was at the Theresa Memorial Day Parade. (See related story in this week’s edition). The Gouverneur Marching Wildcats will next perform at the 2024 Gouverneur Chamber of Commerce sponsored Flag Day Parade in Gouverneur on Saturday, June 15. For more info, visit www.gouverneurfair.net.
The local dignitaries marching in the 2024 Gouverneur Memorial Day Parade included the following: St. Lawrence County Legislator District 5 Harry Smithers (R-Gouverneur), Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall, Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr., Village of Gouverneur Trustee Floyd McAdam, and Town of Gouverneur Councilman Curran Wade.
The parade continued down Main Street, and stopped at the Route 11 bridge over the Oswegatchie River for the U.S. Navy Wreath Ceremony to salute the dead, presented by Michael Webster and Michael Knowlton. The parade then made its way to Riverside Cemetery in Gouverneur for the Annual Memorial Day Observance.
The 2024 Gouverneur Memorial Day Observance was conducted by Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338 Commander Roland Roderick, who served as the master of ceremonies. The invocation was given by VFW Auxiliary Chaplain Ruth Mead. VFW Commander Roland Roderick led all in the Pledge of Allegiance, and the Gouverneur Wildcat Marching Band performed the national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The band also performed “You’re A Grand Old Flag.”
Local bagpiper Jeff Forsythe then performed a couple selections, including “Amazing Grace.”
The guest speaker was NYS Assemblyman (AD 117) Ken Blankenbush (R,C-Black River), who served in the U.S. Air Force from 1968 to 1976. “Thank you for the invitation to be here today on the 165th anniversary of Memorial Day,” he said. “Many of us know that Memorial Day started shortly after the Civil War, also known as Decoration Day. It was 1971 when it became Memorial Day and a national holiday. Memorial Day is a bunch of things for different people. I’ve heard over this last weekend: “We get a long weekend.” “We have a lot of cookouts with family and friends.” “This is the unofficial start to summer.” The thing about this is we have got to really remember why Memorial Day was named a national holiday. All of those things that I mentioned are really good, as long as you remember what Memorial Day is really about. Across the country, VFWs and American Legions are getting together today to do ceremonies just like this. As long as we have members of the American Legion and VFW doing things, we won’t let Americans forget the real reason why we are here today honoring those who fought in the American Revolution through today.
“As a Vietnam veteran, I have a couple of things that I thought I would share with you about what I remember on this day – especially on this day. As a 20-year crew chief, I was working in my plane one day, and the flight line truck came up to me and said: “We have a transit aircraft coming in.” They needed help parking the plane, and whatever the crew chief needed, I was supposed to help him. A transit could come in because of maintenance problems, or something like that. So when I parked the plane I walked around to the back of that plane where the flight crew came out and the crew chief came out. I’ll never forget this day, because when the ramp came down, what was in the cargo compartment of that aircraft, that day, was full of body bags. American soldiers that were going to be sent back to the States to their loved ones. As the crew chief came out of the plane, I can remember standing there and I said to him: “Oh my God.” And he goes: “I do this every day.” That is one of the things that had a great impact on me. A number of soldiers that were in that aircraft that day were my age or younger that were being shipped back to their loved ones in the States.
“The second thing I remember is that, years later, when I went to the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. If anybody has ever been there, it’s a wall and at the end of it, there is like a register where you can look up the name of your loved ones or friends. That would tell you where that name was on that wall. The second thing I noticed is that the people that were standing in front of those names having different kinds of emotions that day. The other thing I remember is that the people standing by the names of their loved ones or friends, they were sketching the name on a piece of paper, which you could do. The most important thing that I remember doing was when I was walking down that wall… there are 58,000+ names on that wall… and as I was walking down, I noticed that there was not a single person talking. It was so quiet and reverent. It was amazing to me that all of those people who were there were standing there, honoring those who died in Vietnam. As I reflected afterwards, I said: “You know, the only thing I heard when I was at the Vietnam Wall was the birds. But other than that, you could hear a pin drop. It is something I’ll never forget. I always remember those two incidents today, on Memorial Day… I went to all the memorials, by the way, not just the Vietnam Veterans one. But the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was a special one for me because I served.
“But then I thought about this a few years later, of all the people I served with in Vietnam who came back, and didn’t die on the battlefield, but they died of Agent Orange. We have veterans that I have served with that made it back to the States, but the lingering effects of Agent Orange and of course other battlefield injuries, I have to remember them on Memorial Day too.
“So today is a special day for me, when I remember all of those things. I think that, again, when you look at what’s happening in the United States today, and then you look at the VFWs and American Legions who do these kinds of ceremonies so that we’ll never forget those that have died. June 6 is the 80th anniversary of D-Day. One of the places I wish I could go is Normandy, and see all the crosses that are in the cemetery there with our WWII veterans… I am really happy to be here today. I really try to remember what Memorial Day is all about. All those other things that I mentioned – cookouts, day off on Monday. All of those things are good things. But how in the world did we make it so that we can do that? It was those soldiers on the battlefield that gave their lives... That’s what Memorial Day should be about – to remember all of our troops, all of our soldiers, and hopefully protect our soldiers that are still in the battlefield today. So, once again, I want to thank you for having me here. Let us not forget what Memorial Day is all about. Thank you!”
Thunderous applause sounded in appreciation of Assemblyman Blankenbush’s address.
The presentation of ribbons at the ceremonial wreaths was conducted as follows: WWI (Donald Payne), WWII (Ed Ramos), Korea (Karl Beck), Vietnam (Ronald Hartle), Panama (Michael Knowlton), Desert Storm (Mathew Billings), Bosnia (Todd Murray), Somalia/Haiti (Michael Webster), Afghanistan (Roland Roderick), Iraq (James Brice), POW/MIA (2LT Anthony Donatelli), Women Veterans Memorial (Shelly Ramos), American Legion Post 65 (Commander Jason Carvel), American Legion Ladies Auxiliary (President Daneen Phillips), VFW Post 6338 (Commander Roland Roderick), VFW Auxiliary (President Jeff Platt), Gold Star Mothers/Family (Carla Frank), Daughters & Sons of the American Revolution (Lynda Andrews and Mathew Billings), and Sons of the American Legion (Mark Jenkins). The presenters were escorted by 2LT Anthony Donatelli and Sgt. Scott Tocci.
VFW Commander Roland Roderick then conducted the last roll call, remembering the deceased American Legion and VFW members who passed in the last year. This includes the following: James Newvine, Kenneth Corscadden, Dale McKinney, Mary Brayton, Myrtle Conger, Penny Lawrie, and Kathleen Barkley. The “Salute To The Dead” was conducted by the VFW and American Legion Rifle Squad. Taps was conducted by Paul Buell of Gouverneur. The benediction was conducted by American Legion Auxiliary President Daneen Phillips.
Much appreciation was extended to all who took part and/or contributed any type of service for the annual Memorial Day remembrance. Commander Roderick extended a special word of gratitude to the Village of Gouverneur for their set-up help, the Gouverneur Police Department for the escort of the parade and traffic control, as well as to the members of the color guard and all the participants in the parade and ceremony.
A luncheon, provided by the VFW Post 6338 Auxiliary, was made available to the public at the Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338, 100 W. Main St., Gouverneur, following the ceremony.