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Dan Brandi, a Korean War veteran and a retired Rockville Centre police sergeant, was determined to make sure that fellow vet Mortimer Murphy's death did not go unnoticed. By all accounts, Murphy, an 88-year-old Rockville Centre resident who served in the Army during World War II and died earlier this month, had no living relatives. But Brandi wanted to make sure Murphy's life was celebrated just the same.
The Rockville Centre Police Department was notified by neighbors when they hadn't seen Murphy, who was always out and about, for several days. After police found his body at his home, they began a process that was something like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle, because they, along with Murphy's neighbors, soon realized that there was no family to contact regarding funeral arrangements.
By coincidence, Brandi, who is president of the veterans' organization the Chosin Few, stopped by the police station to say hello to former colleagues shortly after the call came in about Murphy. Knowing that Brandi was active in veterans' affairs, police officer Steve Christianson was just about to call him when he walked through the door. Both men said that Murphy's death was "unique," because he had no surviving family members.
"He was 88 years old and he had no one," said Brandi, who lives in Oceanside. "I had a day and a half to get everything together." Springing into action, Brandi contacted every local veterans organization he could think of, including the Korean War Veterans, Vietnam Veterans of America, the Reserve Officers Association and the World War II Submarine Veterans Association, whose commander is his good friend Joe Librizzi. Brandi also called Tom Glynn, owner of Thomas A. Glynn and Son Funeral Home, because Brandi said Glynn has always gone out of his way to help veterans.
After teaming up with Glynn, Brandi and other members of the Chosin Few, a group of survivors of the battle of the Chosin Reservoir in November and December of 1950, quickly arranged ceremonies to honor Murphy. Said Brandi, who served for 27 months in Korea, "I would do this automatically for a veteran, because we're all brothers in arms." He said it was sad that there wasn't a single family member to even receive a Mass card.
Brandi eulogized Murphy at a wake held on Feb. 17. In addition to thanking Glynn and the Rockville Centre police, Brandi thanked more than 60 mourners who showed up to pay their respects to a man who all but a few neighbors never even met. "You should all be real proud of yourselves," said Brandi.
From Army discharge papers, Brandi determined that Murphy had been a tech sergeant with the 8th Infantry Division. Enlisting on April 9, 1941, he was discharged in September 1949 after fighting in North Africa, Italy and central Europe. He also took part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, and went up the Rhine River before finally marching into Berlin. Said Brandi, "He was a true soldier and hero who deserves our attention."
One of the few people at the wake who actually knew Murphy was his neighbor John C. Sullivan, who believed that Murphy's family was originally from the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn. Sullivan said that Murphy, who at one time raised pigeons, lived on North Kensington Avenue for 50 years and was known for his habit of getting up at around 4 a.m. every day to go on walks that would take him as far as Oceanside in one direction and Lynbrook in another.
An avid reader, according to Sullivan, Murphy went to every library and read every book. According to his neighbor, he was a liquor store proprietor in the Five Towns before his retirement in 1956, and Sullivan also said that Murphy, who was very handy, kept active by doing all of his own yard work. Worried that he might fall off a ladder, Sullivan helped him out a couple of times, but said that Murphy was very independent and didn't ask for help.
Dressed in full uniform, Lt. Col. Joseph J. Reale, a Floral Park resident and a member of the Reserve Officers Association, spoke after Brandi. A veteran of the Vietnam War, Reale said he had thought about Murphy representing what has come to be known as the Greatest Generation. "The closeness that I feel to this gentleman is hard to express," said Reale. "Coming here is a reflection of the band of brothers we all are no matter which branch of the service [we] served in." Reale reminded those at the wake that veterans of Murphy's generation are quickly disappearing. "I hope that the current generation that are serving their time in hell will be welcomed back with the same zeal as Mr. Murphy," he said.
Prayers were recited before the service concluded with a taped recording of "Taps." A funeral Mass was held at St. Agnes Cathedral, and burial followed at St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale.
Librizzi, a retired teacher and electrician who spends much of his time volunteering at South Nassau Communities Hospital, was happy to be a part of the tribute to Murphy. "Dan [Brandi] always does such great things," said Librizzi. He was thankful that his friend was there to keep people from forgetting, and to remind them that vets go out of their way for other vets.
A pensive Reale agreed. "My uniform is the legacy that Murphy and people like him gave to us," he said. "Without him I wouldn't be able to wear it."
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