By Nicole Falco
Chappy's brother, Harold "Bup" Frederick, had not even waited to graduate from Valley Stream Central High School before enlisting in the Navy in October 1940, just two days shy of his 17th birthday. Stationed aboard the USS Quincey, Harold was among the hundreds killed when that ship and two others were sunk while in action during the battle of Savo Island in the Pacific Ocean on August 9, 1942.
This Memorial Day weekend, "Bup" Frederick, dozens of other Valley Streamers lost while in service during a war, hundreds of thousands nationwide and veterans everywhere will once again be honored with a parade, various memorial services and wreath-laying ceremonies. In the months following the tragedy of Sept. 11 everything seemed to take on new meaning and for many the upcoming Memorial Day ceremonies will also be more meaningful.
"After Sept. 11, it seems like people are more aware of our veterans and what they did. There is more appreciation for our veterans," said George Schuchman, commander of American Legion Post 854. "There will probably be more people at the parade than there usually are."
Chappy is 91-years-old and his brother, Harold, would have been 82-years-old. Instead, Chappy has a Purple Heart awarded to Harold posthumously and a plaque bearing Harold's name and the names of 35 others hangs in the main entrance of Central High School to honor alumni "who made the supreme sacrifice" during WWII. That plaque was dedicated by the Dad's Club of Valley Stream in 1946. A second plaque with the names of 22 alumni killed during the Korean War, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf war was added four years ago thanks to the perseverance of Valley Stream resident Valerie Esposito.
"No one wanted to do it, but it bothered me so much that I put my hat on and said I'll fix it," Esposito said.
She gathered the names to be put on the second plaque and had the original plaque refurbished.
"I would go to bed at night and say to myself I'm not going to give up. I'm just going to do it because someone has to do it," Esposito said.
Chappy, a former chief of the Valley Stream Fire Department, regularly attends the Valley Stream Central High School Alumni Association's Memorial Day Service, which will take place on May 25 at 11 a.m. in front of Central High School.
Chappy is one of the few original Valley Streamers left who will be remembering a relative who gave the supreme sacrifice during one of the wars.
Tears still well up in Ted Libath's eyes as he remembers his best friend, Owen Salvage, a second lieutenant in the Army Air Corp.
Salvage was the only member of the Valley Stream Fire Department who was killed in action serving in WWII. He was 23. A plaque bearing his name hangs in the Rockaway Avenue firehouse.
"Whatever we did, we did together," Libath said.
The two enlisted along with a third friend two days after the bombing at Pearl Harbor.
An article written upon the return of Salvage's body to his family taken from an August 1950 issue of the Mail Leader reads, "Lt. Salvage's plane, on which he was co-pilot on this particular mission, had been involved in a collision with another plane and fell into the sea on or about August 1943, 60 miles from Mandang, New Guinea and about five miles at sea. When found it was observed that Lt. Salvage had been bitten on the calf of the leg by a fish and was in poor condition. He was then taken prisoner by the Japs."
Though Salvage was believed dead, his mom, Evelyn, never gave up hope her son would return home. She died before his body was returned to the family in 1950, Libath said.
Libath and his wife, Agnes, will be marching in Valley Stream's Annual Memorial Day Parade on May 27 like they always do.
Agnes said, "I believe more people will probably turn out [for the parade] and there will be more flags flying. I do [believe]."
There will be numerous Memorial Day Weekend ceremonies throughout the village.
On Saturday, May 25 at 11 a.m. in front of Central High School on Fletcher Avenue, the Valley Stream Central High School Alumni Association will hold its annual wreath-laying ceremony to honor the dozens of alumni who died while in service during our nation's wars.
On Sunday, May 26 at 11:30 a.m. at Brooklyn Avenue School, members of the Andrew Fatscher American Legion Post No. 854 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 1790 will unite for a wreath-laying ceremony.
On Monday, May 27, at 8 a.m., the Valley Stream Fire Department will host a Memorial Day Service at its Rockaway Avenue Fire House. A wreath will be placed at the base of a plaque honoring Owen Salvage, the lone department member killed while in service during WWII.
On Monday, May 27, Valley Stream's annual Memorial Day Parade will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Rockaway Parkway just north of Wheeler Avenue. Refreshments and Memorial Day Services will follow at the American Legion Post No. 854 Hall located at 51 Roosevelt Avenue. In case of rain, there will be a 10 a.m. ceremony at the Post's hall. Ten blasts on the firehorn at 8:45 a.m. would signal the cancellation of the parade, if necessary.
