Pearl Harbor Remembrance & Veterans Day Observance Ceremony
In the Freeport Memorial Library on
December 7, 2012 the American Legion hosted a celebration recognizing Past
Commanders of the American Legion and Senior Legion Members who served and
continues to serve the Legion and the Freeport Community.
Ken Belefiore, Library Director was
Master of Ceremonies and informed us that the Freeport Memorial Library was the
first such Library dedicated to Veterans of War in the State of New York. Although Mayor Hardwick could not attend
Trustees Kennedy and Pineyro were in attendance.
The guest speaker, the Honorable Stephen
Drummond, Freeport Village Justice along with the Village Trustees did the presentation
of the Village Citations to the honorees. Carolyn
Harding did soul stirring renditions of the National Anthem, a Patriotic Medley
that included Amazing Grace and God Bless America which those assembled all
joined in.
Unfortunately, Gerard Barbosa, Pearl Harbor
Survivor who served in the U.S. Navy could not attend due to suffering a heart
attack just a few days before the ceremony.
Judge Drummond gave a heart touching reflection of what Pearl Harbor
meant in light of the Hurricane Sandy disaster and what seeing the American
Flag meant to him after the storm.
We again thank Reverend Carlos Vargas of
the Freeport Bible Center for his attendance and Invocation, also Reverend
Phillip Prestamo of the First Baptist Church for giving us the
Benediction. It was a wonderful ceremony
with much applause for the Legionnaires among us who have proved to be not only
the backbone of the Post but backbones of the Freeport Community.
Below is the Program for the Event
For God and Country
David N. Cockerel, 2nd Vice
Commander, Post 342
