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Mostly Cloudy War heroes honored, remembered in Lynbrook
Memorial Day parade held in village
Lynbrook residents came out in droves, holding small American flags and applauding veterans marching by, as the community united on Memorial Day to remember the servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifice fighting for freedom.
Hundreds of community members came out to watch the annual parade, which featured veterans, schools, police and fire departments, civic organizations, sports leagues and other groups.
The parade was followed by a service at the village’s Dough Boy monument where Army 1st Lt. Steven R. Liguori II, this year’s grand marshal, spoke of his recent deployment to Afghanistan.
On Dec. 2, insurgents wearing suicide vests attacked Liguori’s base, at Jalalabad Airfield, part of HQ, 427th Brigade Support Battalion, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and detonated their bombs, but did not kill any Americans in the process. While Liguori was leading his team to stop the intrusion, his left wrist was broken. Liguori, a lifelong resident of Lynbrook, came home on Feb. 1.
In his speech, Liguori said this Memorial Day has new meaning for him since he has witnessed the courage and sacrifice of American servicemen and women up close.
“So often in recent history, we hear the phrase ‘freedom isn’t free,’ and these young Americans who have answered the call know the price of freedom and have paid for it in blood; their own blood,” he said, “and have done so willingly and proudly so that another generation of Americans can enjoy the freedoms that we exercise everyday.”
Mayor Bill Hendrick said residents should never forget the honor and sacrifice of those who lost their lives fighting to protect our freedoms and liberties.
Kevin Canty, commander of the Howard-Lathrop Post 2307 VFW in Lynbrook, told the solemn crowd to keep the fallen soldiers in their thoughts and prayers this Memorial Day, and every day thereafter, so that their heroism is never forgotten.
