By KIMBERLY ACEVEDO
Over 75 residents and veterans came together on Saturday, Dec. 7 to mark the 61st anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor at the Long Beach Veterans Memorial Park. The ceremony, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, was coordinated by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1384, Jewish War Veterans Post 666, American Legion Post 972 and AMVETS South Shore Post 100.
To commemorate the victims, prisoners of war and those missing in action, a wreath was cast into the ocean and the colors were lowered, followed by a rifle solute. A Long Beach High School Band member played the taps, followed by God Bless America, sung by Wayne Kent.
"The sweetness of enduring peace is tainted by personal sacrifice," Senior Commander of the American Legion John R. Radin Sr. said.
Master of Ceremonies was Charles Mundt, and the pledge was recited by Stephen DeMarco. While Kent sung the National Anthem, Radin delivered the invocation. Prayers for Pearl Harbor Day, P.O.W and those M.I.A were given by John Nash. The wreath casting was done by the four veteran commanders David Goodman of the AMVETS, Radin of the American Legion, Jack Silverstein of the J.W.V and William Green of the V.F.W. Goodman delivered the benediction. Guest speakers included Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg (D-Long Beach) and the Superintendent of Recreation Robert Carroll.
Battling the cold, Caitlin Monahan represented her Brownie Girl Scout troop 2126, while her mother, Aileen, and brother, Matthew, looked on. And, while the bitter breeze was hard to ignore, the Monahans came with their "Poppy" John Cumiskey to remember the fallen.
While the assembled remembered the tragic events of Pearl Harbor, they were also reminded of what was fought for.
"Remember, this is not an easy thing to defend freedom," Councilman Scott Nigro said. "It must be fought for, it must be spoken for."
