thedrifter
05-27-06, 07:50 AM
05/26/2006
Remembering their service
By: William Rice
Kenney honors Northeast veterans
In commemoration of Armed Forces Day, State Rep. George Kenney(R-170), held a recognition ceremony at the Woohaven Center, 2900 Southampton Road, for all veterans in his district. Veterans were honored with a personal certificate of appreciation and honorary medallion.
President Harry S. Truman created Armed Forces Day, celebrated on the third Saturday in May, in 1949 in order to commemorate the unification of all the armed forces under one Department of Defense.
"I admire them all," said Kenney, whose father was a PT boater during WWII. "I feel that we can't say thank you enough. They fought the hard work of freedom...[work] that many young people are still doing today."
The ceremony saw a compilation of military men and women-from WWII to the current war in Iraq, from the Marines to the Air Force. Some honorees were even veterans of several wars and/or retirees of multiple military services. One such veteran was Raymond Wozniak, a veteran of the Navy, the Marines and the Air Force who saw two tours of duty during the Vietnam War.
"I thought it was great," said Wozniak, a resident of Northeast Philadelphia, on the ceremony. "Finally somebody's being honored."
The ceremony began with an invocation from Father Thomas J. Dunleavy of St. Anselm Church. The "Table of Honor" also adorned the stage, an icon whose symbolism was explained by a representative from the Boy Scout Troop 367 Eagles Scouts. Finally each veteran, as their name and respective military branch was called out, made their way to the podium to accept their awards from Kenney.
"I was embarrassed really. I'd rather be in the seats than on the stage. But I really appreciate it," added Merlyn Hoppel, a veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam. "It's about time somebody showed some appreciation; there's appreciation out there, don't get me wrong."
Hoppel was first drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943 during WWII. He reenlisted for the Korean War in 1953, and subsequently underwent two tours during the Vietnam War in the late 1960s.
Another WWII veteran who was stationed in the Philippines, Mike Ciquero, spends his time collecting stories from any veterans he comes in contact with, as if his family's stories were not enough-his father was a WWI veteran; his brother Joseph was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge thus receiving a Purple Heart and Bronze Star; and his other brother Albert participated in the Nuremburg Trials.
Ciquero made sure to pass his fliers out to all the veterans before the ceremony began, asking them all to send him their own amazing stories.
"It's the best thing they can do," Ciquero said about the ceremony. "Support the veterans in any way they can."
Ciquero's friend and fellow veteran Romeo Battilana recounted the struggles and sacrifices he and his fellow soldiers underwent during the Battle of the Bulge, the largest land battle the U.S. Army has ever fought.
Battilana, a resident of Burholme, had recently returned from another special commemoration a couple of weeks early where Bulge veterans were honored with a new memorial at Arlington Cemetery and then invited to the Belgian Embassy for a special dinner.
One honoree, Albert Przeworksi, another veteran of the Battle of the Bulge-a conflict wherein Przeworski experienced many hardships including frostbitten feet-spent his 83rd birthday at the ceremony.
"It was such a privilege," said Mary Ann Seabold, Przeworski's daughter. "He's been looking forward to it so much. He's a proud American."
There were also a few representatives for the current Iraq War and War on Terrorism at large at the ceremony-Jeanie Czarnik whose son Joseph is a Staff Sergeant in the Airforce, Dorothy Gusst whose son David is a Specialist in the U.S. Army and Kathyrn Blizzard who has two children in the U.S. Army, Abigail and Neil.
"I feel it's an obligation to our country," Blizzard said of her children's military service. "If we're not willing to protect our freedom who will?"
"It's great that we're honoring all of our military," added Czarnik. "We meet at these events as strangers, but we all go home as friends."
Ellie
Remembering their service
By: William Rice
Kenney honors Northeast veterans
In commemoration of Armed Forces Day, State Rep. George Kenney(R-170), held a recognition ceremony at the Woohaven Center, 2900 Southampton Road, for all veterans in his district. Veterans were honored with a personal certificate of appreciation and honorary medallion.
President Harry S. Truman created Armed Forces Day, celebrated on the third Saturday in May, in 1949 in order to commemorate the unification of all the armed forces under one Department of Defense.
"I admire them all," said Kenney, whose father was a PT boater during WWII. "I feel that we can't say thank you enough. They fought the hard work of freedom...[work] that many young people are still doing today."
The ceremony saw a compilation of military men and women-from WWII to the current war in Iraq, from the Marines to the Air Force. Some honorees were even veterans of several wars and/or retirees of multiple military services. One such veteran was Raymond Wozniak, a veteran of the Navy, the Marines and the Air Force who saw two tours of duty during the Vietnam War.
"I thought it was great," said Wozniak, a resident of Northeast Philadelphia, on the ceremony. "Finally somebody's being honored."
The ceremony began with an invocation from Father Thomas J. Dunleavy of St. Anselm Church. The "Table of Honor" also adorned the stage, an icon whose symbolism was explained by a representative from the Boy Scout Troop 367 Eagles Scouts. Finally each veteran, as their name and respective military branch was called out, made their way to the podium to accept their awards from Kenney.
"I was embarrassed really. I'd rather be in the seats than on the stage. But I really appreciate it," added Merlyn Hoppel, a veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam. "It's about time somebody showed some appreciation; there's appreciation out there, don't get me wrong."
Hoppel was first drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943 during WWII. He reenlisted for the Korean War in 1953, and subsequently underwent two tours during the Vietnam War in the late 1960s.
Another WWII veteran who was stationed in the Philippines, Mike Ciquero, spends his time collecting stories from any veterans he comes in contact with, as if his family's stories were not enough-his father was a WWI veteran; his brother Joseph was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge thus receiving a Purple Heart and Bronze Star; and his other brother Albert participated in the Nuremburg Trials.
Ciquero made sure to pass his fliers out to all the veterans before the ceremony began, asking them all to send him their own amazing stories.
"It's the best thing they can do," Ciquero said about the ceremony. "Support the veterans in any way they can."
Ciquero's friend and fellow veteran Romeo Battilana recounted the struggles and sacrifices he and his fellow soldiers underwent during the Battle of the Bulge, the largest land battle the U.S. Army has ever fought.
Battilana, a resident of Burholme, had recently returned from another special commemoration a couple of weeks early where Bulge veterans were honored with a new memorial at Arlington Cemetery and then invited to the Belgian Embassy for a special dinner.
One honoree, Albert Przeworksi, another veteran of the Battle of the Bulge-a conflict wherein Przeworski experienced many hardships including frostbitten feet-spent his 83rd birthday at the ceremony.
"It was such a privilege," said Mary Ann Seabold, Przeworski's daughter. "He's been looking forward to it so much. He's a proud American."
There were also a few representatives for the current Iraq War and War on Terrorism at large at the ceremony-Jeanie Czarnik whose son Joseph is a Staff Sergeant in the Airforce, Dorothy Gusst whose son David is a Specialist in the U.S. Army and Kathyrn Blizzard who has two children in the U.S. Army, Abigail and Neil.
"I feel it's an obligation to our country," Blizzard said of her children's military service. "If we're not willing to protect our freedom who will?"
"It's great that we're honoring all of our military," added Czarnik. "We meet at these events as strangers, but we all go home as friends."
Ellie