Museums offer personal connection to veterans
By BRIAN QUINN
bquinn@batavianews.com
B
ATAVIA — Visiting the Hol-
land Land Office Museum’s
Military Wing means a
chance to see the Purple Hearts
Genesee County veterans earned
and uniforms they wore — or at
least uniforms that are similar,
There is the Purple Heart Ma-
rine Pvt. Gerald Tiede, a Batavia
resident who lost his life March 6,
1945, in Iwo Jima, received.
On display nearby is the Purple
Heart given in honor of Walter
Bond Jr., who was born in Oakfield
in 1917 and graduated from the
University of Rochester. Army Pvt.
1st Class Bond was killed in ac-
tion June 4, 1944, in an invasion of
Rome, Italy.
The Army uniform of 1st Lt.
Donald Judd of Alexander may
be found there. The Purple Heart
recipient, 24, was killed in action in
Vietnam on June 22, 1967, 18 days
after arriving at the war zone.
MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS “It’s just bringing awareness of
A U.S. Army Officer Uniform, circa 1918, is on local people who served,” Museum
display in the Military Wing of the Holland Land Executive Director Ryan Duffy said
Office Museum in Batavia. of the items on display. “The other
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were donated to the museum be-
Purple Hearts and a Silver Star are seen on display at the Holland Land
Office Museum, 131 West Main St., Batavia.
part, and the more important part,
is that it makes a personal connec-
tion. It hits home a little harder.
Being able to have a local perspec-
tive on that makes a big difference
It’s more of a micro view than a
macro.”
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fore Duffy began working there. He
said a Purple Heart was donated
about four years ago and another
one was donated earlier this year.
Seeing these artifacts provides
a more personal experience than
you would get from reading about
a war in a book, he said.
“I would say in general, that’s
the beauty of having these real arti-
facts. It’s an actual piece of history,
so it creates a stronger connection
than just reading about it,” Duffy
said. “Especially when you can
attach a name to it. That makes it
more powerful.
Asked what he would do if
MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS someone came in looking for
something the Military Wing
didn’t have, Duffy said, “I usually
... refer them to the county histo-
“It’s more so just regular visi-
rian’s office. I guess it depends on
tors or they have a connection to
what they’re looking for.”
the individual, but their stuff was
The Museum’s collection also
here,” he said. “We have had fam- includes memorabilia from noted
ily members come in specifically from local historical figures who
to see those items. More often, it’s served Union troops in the Civil
the realization once they get here” War.
that their relative’s items are there.
Most of the items on display See MUSEUMS T5
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T2 Friday, November 11, 2022
Career ends with a
feeling of freedom,
and accomplishment
By SCOTT DESMIT
sdesmit@batavianews.com
BARRE – Stephen Coville
has worked for 30 years at the
U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs in Batavia as a federal
police officer, currently serv-
ing as captain.
He and his wife Trisha have
raised three children and now
have three grandchildren.
A busy job and a busy family
life.
Yet, somehow, Coville in
that time has been to the
country of Georgia, Bosnia,
Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait and
Africa, often for months at a
time.
Funny thing is, Coville,
who enlisted in the Army two
months after graduating from
Albion High School, left active
duty in 1990.
Ahh. The life of an Army Re-
servist.
For Coville, that life took
him to far away places, where
he met people living lives
quite different than what we
are accustomed to.
Coville grew up in the vil-
lage of Albion. He signed with
the Army his junior year in
high school, giving him an
extra year of pay and credit
towards his rank. He planned
on staying in the Army for two
years.
He began his military career
as an infantryman and was de-
ployed to Panama.
“I called my mom and said
‘Where’s Panama?’ She got out
a map.”
He served two years in Pan-
ama, also traveling to Hondu-
ras and Bolivia during the drug
wars.
He re-enlisted and signed
on for supply duty, staying in
Panama another year before
returning to America for sup-
ply school.
“I re-enlisted for three years
and went to Fort Hood and
realized, one, the job wasn’t
as good as I thought and two,
the camaraderie, the brother-
hood, wasn’t there like it was
in the infantry. The infantry,
you never had to worry about
anything. Your back was cov-
ered. So I decided to get out.”
Coville thought he would
take a job at the prison in Al-
bion. He went to college and
before he could get a job, the
state put a freeze on hiring.
“I went to school and stayed
in the guard and did the guard
for three months and I was
bored to death,” he said.
The commander told him
he could tell he was bored and
asked him if he wanted to be
a drill sergeant. He worked in
the Reserve unit in Batavia for
eight years.
Coville’s career took anoth-
er path. One of his sergeants,
now in Civil Affairs in Tonawa-
nda,
“He asked if I wanted to
change jobs. He said ‘civil af-
fairs.’ I’m like, what the heck
is civil affairs? He said ‘We’re
kind of like the middle man
between the civilians and the
military.
Coville enjoyed Civil Affairs
so much he stayed on until he
retired in 2021.
His first assignment was
Bosnia in 1999.
“We went in to help start to
rebuild after the war,” he said.
“It was still a hot zone. We go
in and do city assessments, to
see how water is, infrastruc-
ture. Our job is to win the
hearts and minds.
“I remember this old guy
sitting on a stoop in front of
his house and I would see him
every day we went in. One day,
I grabbed a box of donuts from
the chow hall and I took the
interpreter and said ‘Let’s go
talk to that guy.’ He said ‘Why?
He’s an old guy. He reminds
me of my grandfather.’ He
was cordial and made coffee
and there’s one thing I’ll never
forget. He said ‘You know,
you guys are here. Your coun-
try is 200 years old. You’re a
baby. We’ve been taken over,
fought back, taken over and
fought back more times than I
can count. And you’re in here
Capt. Stephen Coville
‘ I actually like talking
to people because I
learned how to learn
new things from
them.
’
STEPHEN COVILLE
Reflecting on more than
30 years of service
trying to teach us and tell us
what we need to do?’
“Holy cow. That was an ed-
ucation right there.”
For the most part, Coville
said, his units were treated
well by civilians, though it was
sometimes clear the U.S. mili-
tary was often not welcome.
He was in Bosnia for a year.
Coville was later asked to
become a team leader, which
he accepted and went to Af-
ghanistan in 2002, another hot
spot.
“Over there it was a little
thicker,” he said. “They didn’t
know us. My team, we were
there for a long time.”
A time that included con-
stant attacks and constantly
being on edge.
“We worked with the district
chief, which is like the mayor,
trying to show them that we
are there to help. We’re look-
ing at rebuilding schools, put-
ting wells in for kids, getting
school supplies, everything
we can to win the hearts and
minds and everyone knows
that if I want to win heart and
mind, I’m going for the kids.
So that you and your friends
like the Americans and liked
us and help us.”
Did he feel liked?
“Half the time,” he said.
In 2003 Coville went to help
the country of Georgia recover
from earthquakes. He worked
with FEMA teaching classes
and educating politicians in
emergency response.
His travels also took him to
Africa, Kuwait and Iraq, at the
height of tensions with the
U.S.
Coville eventually was pro-
moted to commander ser-
geant major, leading the 353rd
Civil Affairs Command, where
he retired.
His retirement from the
military left him with many
feelings, including freedom
from the military, which was a
shock to his system.
“I found out that freedom,
when you are out of the re-
serves, it’s really freedom,”
he said. “I didn’t know what
it was like to have a weekend
free. I didn’t know what it was
like to have time.”
He slowly started finding his
niche, fishing more, spending
time with his grandchildren
and planning activities with-
out the fear of sudden deploy-
ment.
“It was kind of nice after 37
years to realize that this was
what freedom fell like.”
He also took away lessons
about the world that will stay
with him forever.
“I’ve gotten use, I actually
like talking to people because
I learned how to learn new
things from them,” he said.
“Talk to them and actually
get them to talk, to talk about
themselves, tell them where
they come from and when you
learn where they come from
and how they grew up, you
realize that the world is a dif-
ferent place.”
SALUTE TO VETERANS 2022
New York National Guard soldiers get a history lesson following a deployment ceremony at the National Warplane Museum in
Geneseo. The soldiers learn about the role of the DUKW amphibious vehicle, colloquially known as a “duck.”
Blood and iron, soldiers and family
SHARED BONDS: Deployment ceremony prepares families for long months apart
By BEN BEAGLE
ben@livingstonnews.com
GENESEO – Laughter car-
ried across the grounds of the
National Warplane Museum as
soldiers tossed a football and
younger siblings ran patterns
against soldiers who stood
twice as tall.
The smell of sizzling, sea-
soned steaks and smoke from
the round, bulbous grills wafted
through the parking lot in the
front of the hangar. Inside a few
soldiers sat quietly with family
members, while in a shady spot
next the hangar dozens more
checked cell phones or stepped
away to make a call.
The Sept. 10 deployment cer-
emony had just ended for mem-
bers of Alpha Company of the
2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry of
the New York National Guard
and the 107th Military Police
Company from New York City.
While the soldiers were the fo-
cus of the ceremony, the hours
following the ceremony would
be some of the most significant
for families who will not see the
soldiers for 10 months.
“Today is about the soldiers,
about their loved ones and fam-
ily saying goodbye,”said Capt.
Cameron Manley, the com-
pany’s commander. “The main
reason soldiers have success
overseas in a deployment is the
support back home. This the
first day of that.”
Manley said no individual or
soldier gets through a deploy-
ment on their own. The soldiers
will be able to lean on “battle
buddies” and other unit lead-
ers, but they also need the sup-
port from home.”
And the family at home
needs the support of their sol-
dier and other family members,
Manley said.
Soldiers and families were
encouraged by leadership to
take advantage of modern
communications to keep in
contact with family, while also
acknowledging that the time
difference – Djibouti is 8 hours
ahead – and periods where
soldiers are on missions and
unable to communicate with
home can be difficult.
“This ceremony really helps
myself and my family have that
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BEN BEAGLE/LIVINGSTON COUNTY NEWS
Specialist Cory Ouimet, center, greets family members
following a Sept. 10 deployment ceremony at the National
Warplane Museum in Geneseo.
BEN BEAGLE/THE LCN
Sgt. Olivia Mannetti salutes
during a Sept. 10 deployment
ceremony for Alpha Company,
2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry
of the New York National
Guard.
one final moment and hearing
leadership from throughout
the state talk in front of us helps
that moment come together.
They are able to hear what is ex-
pected of us, what the mission is
a little bit and then say our final
good byes,” said Second Lt. Kyle
Watson, who was leaving on his
first deployment.
Watson, a mechanical en-
gineer in civilian life for a com-
pany that works in the space
and defense industry, said he
was excited “to finally make it
to this day” after a summer of
high-tempo training and time
away from family.
“I’ve just been ready for
this to be my full-time job and
my full-time commitment, so
I’m excited to get to this day,”
said Watson, who has been in
the National Guard for a year.
“It’s also bittersweet and sad
BEN BEAGLE/LIVINGSTON COUNTY NEWS
because I’m not going to see my
family for at least 10 months,
until next summer, really.”
For Specialist First Class
Mario Pontarelli the National
Guard is his career. He was leav-
ing on his second deployment
with Alpha Company. His first
came 14 years ago, to Kuwait.
“It’s nice to get the family to-
gether and send the soldiers off
in a good way,” Pontarelli said.
“This is a way for us to send the
family off as well. We’ll spend
a few hours together, and it
builds a bridge between the
work and family.”
From Geneseo, the soldiers
were headed to Fort Bliss,
Texas, for an additional month
of training, including mission-
specific training, and then to
the Horn of Africa as part of the
largest mobilization of New
York National Guard forces in
more than a decade.
“This is the reason why we
train year after year,” said Man-
ley, the company commander.
“To be ready for this call.”
In Africa, the soldiers will
join more than 1,000 other New
York Army National Guard sol-
diers assigned to Task Force
Wolf Hound, which mobilized
in June.
The Geneseo unit’s primary
mission is security, though they
may be called on for other mis-
sions.
The soldiers will be based at
Camp Lemmonnier, a former
French Foreign Legion post
that is now a U.S. base home to
the Combined Joint Task Force
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Camp Lemmonnier plays a
key role in supporting counter-
terrorism efforts in neighboring
Somalia.
Task Force Wolf Hound is
built around the 1st Battalion,
69th Infantry, and takes its
name from the Irish dog that is
the official mascot of the unit.
The task force also includes sol-
diers from the 2nd Squadron,
101st Cavalry, which is head-
quartered in Niagara Falls, and
Charlie Company, 2nd Battal-
ion, 108th Infantry from Utica.
Alpha Company, which
trains at the Geneseo Armory,
and 107 Military Police Com-
pany Soldiers were notified for
deployment later when addi-
tional requirements for forces
were identified and did in four
months what some units have
had a year to prepare, said Man-
ley.
“I’m very proud of the sol-
diers,” said Manley, who is on
his first deployment.
The unit trained for eight
or nine days at a time before
getting a few days off. It was
a schedule they kept for four
months.
To keep the soldiers on task,
Manley said he had them focus
on “25-meter targets.” A se-
ries of goals achieved in small
increments. Once a goal was
reached, they turned their at-
tention to the next 25-meter
target.
The unit’s motto is “Blood
and iron,” a phrase frequently
repeated by speakers during
the deployment ceremony. The
motto represents the sacrifice
– the blood and sweat – of the
soldiers as they prepared for
their mission, and demands
that they be as strong as iron
and resilient for the upcoming
challenge.
“Family is the backbone of
our careers,” Pontarelli said.
“When we leave, the kids will
still need to eat. There are still
kids that need to get changed,
bills to pay, so they’re still taking
care of the home front. I tell my
wife all the time, ‘You are sacri-
ficing more than me.’ When I go
there I’m doing my job and time
flies by. But, she’s back here and
dealing with it all.”
N.Y.S. REG # 7068617
 SALUTE TO VETERANS 2022 Friday, November 11, 2022 T3

Geneseo VFW and American Legion

posts plan ceremony on Nov. 11
GENESEO – Veterans
Day will be commemo-
rated in Geneseo at 11
a.m. on Nov. 11 with a
ceremony at the Veterans
Monument in the Village
Park at Main and Park
streets in the village.
Members of Geneseo
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Post 5005 and American
Legion Post 271 will hon-
or veterans at the Veter-
ans Monument.
The ceremony will in-
clude brief remarks by
the veterans’ posts com-
manders or a designated
speaker, a prayer, gun sa-
lute and taps.

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MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS FILE PHOTOGRAPH

People gather on Veterans Day 2021 at the grave marker for World War I veteran Earl Price during a flag pole dedication at the Myrtle
Street Cemetery in Le Roy. Price was a member of the famed 369th New York Infantry known as the “Harlem Hellfighters.”

Le Roy ceremonies include flagpole dedication

By BRIAN QUINN
bquinn@batavianews.com
LE ROY — Botts-Fiorito
American Legion Post 576 will
observe the annual Veterans
Day program as per custom at
11 a.m. Nov. 11 at Trigon Me-
morial Park, then continue a
tradition it began last year by
dedicating a flagpole at a local
cemetery.
Post 576 personnel will as-
semble at 10:45 a.m. at the Park
Monument, with the program
beginning exactly 15 minutes
later, said Post Adjutant Gerald
Diskin.
Highlights of the program
will include readings by Post
Commander David Rumsey
and Auxiliary President Tia
Petrie-Caccamise that will
commemorate the significance
of the day.
“Both of them give presenta-
tions. They’re relatively short,
but they’re meaningful. It’s
usually enough to round out
the ceremony. I wouldn’t say
there’s hundreds (of attend-
ees), but there’s a fair amount
of dedicated followers,” Diskin
said. “They would be surprised
if we didn’t do it.”
Chaplain Gary Bassett will
then offer a remembrance
prayer.
The ceremony will conclude
with a placement of the wreath
on the Memorial, a volley by the
Post Firing Squad and playing
of taps.
After leaving Trigon Park, the
among Le Roy Historical Soci-
ety Director Lynne Belluscio,
the Historical Society and the
American Legion.
“We’ve reached out to all the
abandoned cemeteries in the
town and we’re placing new
flagpoles,” Diskin said. “It’s a
new flagpole and we’ll be dedi-
cating it to the veterans that are
buried at the cemetery ... just so
it’s acknowledged by the com-
munity and the post.”
“It’s just one more tribute to
the cemeteries and the veterans
there,” he said.
St. Mark’s Church is at
Church Street and Route 5, with
the cemetery about a quarter of
a mile down Church Street.
Immediately following
the formal ceremony, all are
invited to the Post Home for
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refreshments. Diskin said the Center
Legion Auxiliary will serve a n 10:15 a.m. New York State
meal, open to the public, for a Veterans Home
small cost per person. n 11 a.m. Upton Monument
The lunch is something the n 11:30 a.m. United Memo-
Auxiliary wanted to offer, Dis- rial Medical Center Monument
kin said. at Jerome Center
“We have a very active and Genesee Community Col-
supportive Auxiliary,” he said. lege will have a service from
Several commemorations 1-2 p.m. that day in the GCC
are planned in Genesee County. Forum.
Organizations such as the
Vietnam Veterans of America
Chapter 193, Veterans of For-
eign Wars of Genesee County
and Genesee County American
Legion posts. are organizing
the gatherings. The schedule
includes:
n 9 a.m., Vietnam Veterans
of America at Genesee County
Park
n 10 a.m. Batavia VA Medical
Phone: 585.786.5880
Fax: 585.786.8269
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T4 Friday, November 11, 2022 SALUTE TO VETERANS 2022

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN RYAN

The Wyoming County JVC Honor Guard is called upon to provide honors to honorably discharged veterans throughout Wyoming County and neighboring counties.

Dedicating their time and service

Wyoming County JVC Honor Guard stands tall to remember the fallen
By KORI SCIANDRA
ksciandra@batavianews.com
The Wyoming County Joint Vet-
erans Council Honor Guard is com-
prised of members from area Ameri-
can Legions, Sons of the American
Legion and VFW Posts. The honor
guard performs military honors,
including rifle volley and taps at
services for honorably discharged
veterans.
The honor guard performs these
services within Wyoming County
and surrounding counties whenever
it’s called upon.
The Wyoming County Honor
Guard additionally shares responsi-
bilities with honor guards from Gen-
esee, Orleans and Erie Counties as
each honor guard performs military
honors for services at the Western
New York National Cemetery in
Corfu, which is a service that began
in 2020. As of October, Wyoming
County has performed military
honors for 162 veterans since Dec.
18, 2020.
There are 32 members of the
honor guard on the National Cem-
etery roster, of which 20 are active
members. The four different honor
guards are each responsible for
providing services one day per week
at the National Cemetery and they
rotate coverage of Fridays. All honor
guard members are volunteers.
“This translates into thousands
of miles driven and hours donated
by a great group of people who feel
it’s their honor to do so,” said John
Ryan of the JVC of Wyoming County
Honor Guard.
Ryan is a United States Army vet-
eran who served from 1982 to 1985.
He’s been involved in the honor
guard since 2015.
Ryan is a trustee of the Western
New York National Cemetery
Honor Guard representing Wyoming
County.
“Others in the group have been
doing it for many more years,” said
Ryan.
The JVC of Wyoming County Hon-
or Guard was scheduled to perform
a veteran service (rifles and taps) at
five local senior citizen and nursing
homes in Warsaw on Nov. 10. Loca-
tions include:
n 9 a.m. Cloisters Assisted Living,
171 North Maple St., Warsaw .
n 9:30 a.m. Crestview Terrace
Independent Living, 32 Salina St.,
Warsaw .
n 10:45 a.m. Eastside Living and
Rehab Center, 62 Prospect St., War-
saw.
n 10:45 a.m. Wyoming County
Community Hospital Skilled Nursing
Home, 400 North Main St., Warsaw.
n 11:45 a.m. Connect 55 Active
Senior Living Community, 5378 Con-
able Way , Warsaw.
On Veteran’s Day at 11 a.m. the
honor guard will have a service at the
monument followed by a service at
the Wyoming County Veterans Club,
245 West Buffalo St., Warsaw.
At 2 p.m. Saturday, there will be a
flag changing ceremony at Liberty
Way Park in Warsaw, Route 20A.
Additional Veteran Day events
NOV. 10
n 8:30 a.m. Attica Elementary
School program
n 8:30 a.m. Warsaw Elementary
School program in gym
n Letchworth School ceremony in
auditorium
n Beer Justice Brewing Co., in
Arcade, is inviting all “Jar Heads” -
Marines – to enjoy half -off pints on
Nov. 10.
NOV. 11
n 9 a.m. Genesee County Park at
the Vietnam Memorial
n 10 a.m. Perry Hope Cemetery
and other cemeteries to follow
n Noon to 5 p.m. Perry Veterans
Club will be serving free pork dinner
for veterans (non-veterans donation
entry)
n 11 a.m. Arcade Legion/VFW Post
Ceremony followed by luncheon
n 11 a.m. Attica Post ceremony fol-
lowed by luncheon
n 11 a.m. Strykersville Post cer-
emony followed by luncheon
n 11 a.m. Warsaw monument
n Noon Wyoming County Veter-
ans Club followed by luncheon
n 6 p.m. Bliss Post ceremony fol-
lowed by free dinner for veterans
only
Additionally, several Legion Posts
will be hosting dinners for members
only. Contact your nearest Legion for
more details.
For more information about the
Wyoming County Joint Veterans
Council Honor Guard , contact John
Ryan at (585)322-0007.

Livingston County waives Civil Service fees for veterans

From Staff Reports
GENESEO – The Livingston
County Board of Supervisors
said it is demonstrating its
commitment to supporting
veterans by helping to reduce
barriers to employment af-
ter approving a resolution to
waive any fees associated with
Civil Service examinations
within the county.
The initiative, put forth by
the Livingston County Human
Resources Department and
supported by the Livingston
County Office of Veteran Ser-
vices, is intended to encourage
those who served in the United
States armed forces to consid-
er civil service positions and to
apply knowing that they have
no fees for an exam, the county
said in a news release.
“This is just another way to
thank our veterans and further
demonstrate that Livingston
County is veteran friendly,”
said David L. Terry, who is the
director of the county’s Office
of Veteran Services. “Our vet-
eran population is an asset to
our community. Our former
service members have unique
qualities such as various skill
sets, training and experience
they bring to the work envi-
ronment from their military
service that are different from
all others. Veterans are im-
portant to the work place and
we want them to know how
important they are to Livings-
ton County.”
Livingston County joins
Genesee County among the
four GLOW region counties in
waiving Civil Service exam fees
for veterans.
Genesee County Manager
Matt Landers said Genesee
County does not charge any-
one a fee to take the Civil Ser-
vice exam. The fee was waived
years ago for anyone, regard-
less of whether they’re a vet-
eran.
In Wyoming County, Civil
Service fees are not waived,
but an honorably discharged
veteran receives five points for
a test and 10 points if they have
a disability rating of at least 10
percent, according to Wyo-
ming County Veteran Services.
Upon registering for the ex-
am, the veteran should let the
registrar know about their vet-
eran status and at some point,
before the test provide proof of
service and/or disability.
Orleans County does not
waive Civil Service fees for vet-
erans.
Celebrating veterans
Livingston County has a
long history of supporting its
veteran population through
innovative programming and
support services, officials said.
Through its Office of
Veteran Services, Livingston
County is continually advo-
cating for veteran benefits
while promoting the many ac-
complishments of those who
served.
The county recently formed
a partnership with Veterans
One-Stop of Western New
York to provide programming
and gatherings designed spe-
cifically for veterans.
Livingston County was
also designated as a Purple
Heart County and founded
Operation Green Light, which
recently became a national
program designed to spread
awareness and gratitude for
veterans by lighting up build-
ings and homes with green
light.
In 2019, Livingston County
also dedicated a newly-con-
structed monument to veter-
ans featuring a field of metal
poppies created by veterans
“God Bless the men and women that preserve our freedom.”
Vern C. Falcone
Director/Owner
8700 Lake Rd.
LeRoy, NY 14482
and their families.
“We are proud of our vet-
erans and want them to know
how valuable they are to Liv-
ingston County,” said David
LeFeber, chairman of the
Livingston County Board of
Supervisors and the Town of
Avon supervisor. “Their con-
tributions to our nation are
countless and we take great
pride in being able to support
them through initiatives like
this and others.”
To learn more about the Of-
fice of Veteran Services, along
with the different programs it
supports, visit the Livingston
County website at https://
www.livingstoncounty.
us/275/Veterans-Services or
call (585) 243-7960.
For a full listing of civil ser-
vice exams, visit the Livingston
County Human Resources
website at https://tinyurl.
com/2mjeeun5.
Jenna M. Falcone Brooks
Funeral Director
(585) 768-2400
www.falconefuneralhome.com
Serving those who served
How to contact veterans
services agencies in the four-
county GLOW region:
n Genesee County: Genesee
County Building No. 2, 3837
West Main Street Rd., Batavia.
Phone: (585) 815-7905. Fax:
(585) 345-3085. Website:
https://www.co.genesee.
ny.us/departments/veterans/
index.php. Email: veterans@
co.genesee.ny.us
n Livingston County: 7
Murray Hill, Mount Morris.
Phone: (585) 243-7960 or
(585) 335-1749. Fax: (585)
243-7961. Website: https://
www.livingstoncounty.us/275/
Veterans-Services. Email:
Dterry@co.livingston.ny.us.
n Orleans County: 13996
Route 31 West, Albion. Phone:
(585) 589-3219. Fax: (585)
589-2833. Website: https://
orleanscountyny.com/depart-
ments/veterans.php. Email:
nancy.traxler@orleanscountyny.
gov.
n Wyoming County: 36 Cen-
ter St. Suite B, Warsaw. Phone:
(585) 786-8860. Fax: 585-786-
6060. Website: https://www.
wyomingco.net/224/Veterans-
Services. Email: Asolina@
wyomingco.net.
 SALUTE TO VETERANS 2022 Friday, November 11, 2022 T5

The man behind the name of the Cannon Covered Bridge

By KORI SCIANDRA
ksciandra@batavianews.com
COWLESVILLE – A new
bridge constructed in 2021
and dedicated earlier this year
is named for a former resident
who fought and died in World
War II.
The all-wood constructed
Cannon Covered Bridge, 624
Schoellkopf Rd., is built in the
same style as other bridges in
Cowlesville in the 1800s.
The bridge is dedicated
in memory of U.S. Army Sgt.
Charles R. Cannon, killed in
1945 during World War II.
Cannon grew up on the
banks of Cayuga Creek and
went on to serve in the 35th
Engineering Battalion, Co. C,
and later constructed roads
and bridges in the Pacific
Northwest and in Europe.
Who was Charles R. Can-
non?
In 1937, Cannon graduated
from Attica High School where
he was bussed to for four years
from his home in Cowlesville.
As a top swimmer in the
area Cannon was known to
enjoy swimming and fish-
ing in Cayuga Creek near
Schoellkopf Road where
bridge was built.
Cannon was active in track
during high school and was
expected by peers to become a
“track star.”
Then, World War II inter-
vened.
Cannon was drafted into
the United States Army on
June 4, 1941, and became part
of the 35th Engineer Combat
Battalion, Company C. At that
time, according to Cannon’s
cousin, Malcolm Willard,
when the unit was formed it
was a structured regiment
with three companies – A, B
and C. Tall men formed Com-
pany A, medium-sized men
formed Company B, and the
shorter men formed Company
C.
Cannon went on to become
a combat engineer serving in
Europe during World War II.
After the bombing of Pearl
Harbor in Hawaii, Cannon’s
regiment was ordered to load
up its gear including bulldoz-
ers, road graders and other
heavy equipment onto rail-
road flatcars and head to Fort
Ord, Calif.
This was in 1941.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE
JAVA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Charles R.
Cannon.
The regiment worked to re-
pairs bridges and roads across
Northern California that were
washed away from significant
rainfall until spring 1942.
The 35th Engineers went
on to complete the task of
“pushing through” the Alcan
Highway in Dawson Creek,
British Columbia, Cannon’s
Company arrived to assist
March 16, 1942.
The Alcan Highway, also
known as The Alaska High-
way, connects the contiguous
United States to Alaska across
Canada. It begins at the junc-
tion with several Canadian
highways in Dawson Creek,
British Columbia, and runs
to Delta Junction, Alaska, via
Whitehorse, Yukon
The highway was built be-
cause the prevailing thought
was that impoverished, unde-
veloped Alaska was an ideal
landing spot for the Japanese
to invade. The highway was
built to have the ability to
funnel men and arms to fight
off a possible Japanese attack;
this highway was the most ex-
pensive project during the war
and remains vital to that state.
By May 1942, the Regiment
had completed 20 miles of
road with another 15 miles
underway. By the summer of
1942 to 1943 the Regiment be-
gan driving trucks in addition
to completing roadwork.
After a brief tour home,
Cannon went oversees in 1944
and saw action in France,
Belgium and Germany. This
included the Invasion of Brest.
According to information
provided by Wyoming County
Veteran Services, six days
The United States Army Draft Card issued to Staff Sgt. Charles R. Cannon during World War II is seen on a computer screen.
prior to his death – March
25, 1945 – Staff Sgt. Cannon
and his men survived the
infamous Ludendorff Bridge
collapse, earning a Silver Star
for his actions that day.
The following was printing
in the Batavia Daily News Oct.
23, 1945:
“Accompanying the Silver
Star, which was awarded for
gallantry during the ‘Battle of
the Bulge,’ was the following
citation: While setting up road
blocks and digging in his posi-
tion, Sergeant Cannon heard
approaching enemy tanks.
Upon arriving at a point where
he could see the advancing
armor, his first bazooka team
fired a shot which stopped the
leading tank. The two tanks
following immediately took
up a position and fired, scor-
ing a direct hit on the second
tank and rendering it useless
throughout the remainder of
the engagement.
The tenacity of purpose,
courage and zealous attention
to duty demonstrated by Ser-
geant Cannon symbolize the
highest traditions of the Armed
Forces and reflect great credit
upon himself.”
According to information
found in the book, “WWII
Gold Star Veterans of Wyo-
ming County, New York,” by
James Gillen and information
provided by Bennington His-
torian Ellen Grant, Cannon’s
actions that day “saved the
whole battalion.”
A notice of acknowledg-
ment was given to Edith and
Ellen Grant of the Bennington
Historical Society for informa-
tion provided for “WWII Gold
Star Veterans of Wyoming
County, New York.”
While crossing the Rhine
River, European Theater,
Germany, March 25, 1945,
on a small boat, Cannon
and his men were spotted by
Germans. Ten of the 11 men
on board were killed, includ-
ing Cannon. He was listed
as missing in action until his
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE JAVA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
status was later changed to
killed in action decades later
in the early 1990s. His remains
still have not been located.
Cannon was with two sol-
diers for most of his four years
of service – Sgt. Claude Bliele
of Gasport and Sgt. Willard
Hyde of Moira.
According to Bliele and
Hyde, there were three engi-
neers and nine infantry men
in the boat that Cannon per-
ished aboard.
The following is an excerpt
from the diary of Ed Bonde
found in a biography written
by Cannon’s cousin Willard
decades ago. It was published
in the Historical Wyoming
magazine in 1995:
March 25, 1945 – “From the
sound of firing at 12:15 felt the
boys were really in trouble.
Awful heavy burp gun fire, ev-
erything else for half an hour.
Few minutes later heavy fire
again. Lots of 20mm fire all
night, also mortars. Germans
were sitting there waiting till
boats got 30 yards off their
shore before opening up. How
any got across is a miracle.
Charlie, Choppo, Kilgore and
Delgado missing. Pretty sure
Choppo dead. River was 900 to
1000 yds wide. Boys aren’t back
this eve yet. Had awful time all
day. Lucky so few killed...”
Cannon is memorialized
at Luxembourg American
Cemetery and Memorial in
Hamm, Luxembourg City,
Luxembourg.
Cannon is remembered
with a headstone in Cowles-
ville Cemetery.
Ellen Grant is credited with
the idea of dedicating and
naming the Cannon Covered
Bridge in Cowlesville after
Charles Cannon.
–––
Historical information about
Cannon’s life was provided by the
Bennington Historical Society, the
Java Historical Society, and Wyo-
ming County Veteran Affairs.

Museums
From T1

They include:
n Emory Upton, the famed
military strategist, who is
perhaps the most well-known
military figures from Batavia.
Upton was well known for
writing books on military tac-
tics that remained in use until
after World War I. Upton was
a graduate from West Point,
and discharged the first piece
of artillery at Bull Run, Va. At
age of 24 he was promoted to
Brigadier General and later
became Major General. He
also wrote the book “Tactics
of the U.S. Army.” He is buried
in a military cemetery in Au-
burn,.
The monument at the bend
of Main and Ellicott streets is
known as the Upton Monu-
ment (though formally it is the
Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monu-
ment). Upton fought in such
major Civil War battles as the
First Bull Run, Cold Harbor
and Antietam.
The museum has many key
artifacts from Upton’s life,
including his West Point uni-
form and his saddle.
n A marker for Capt.
Charles F. Rand is on the
grounds west of the Holland
Land Office Museum. Inside,
his Congressional Medal of
Honor is on display. Rand,
was a 22-year-old from
Batavia and along with a small
group of other men gathered
at the Eagle Hotel in Batavia
on April 15, 1861. Word had
just reached Batavia of the
bombardment of Fort Sumter.
Major Henry Glowacki met
the group and asked a simple
question: Who would be the
first to volunteer for the Union
Army?
The Silver Star awarded to Walter Eugene Bond Jr. is seen on display at the Holland Land Office
Museum in Batavia along with a biographical sketch of Walter and his service.
“I stepped forward and said
I would be the first and my
name was placed at the head
of the list,” Rand said, accord-
ing to county History Depart-
ment documents.
Rand became the first to
volunteer in all of New York
state and his first action came
on July 18, 1861.
n Ely Samuel Parker, a Sen-
eca, was born in Pembroke
near Indian Falls. He tried
to enlist in the war but was
rejected because he was not
considered a citizen. He was
well educated and became
friends with Ulysses S. Grant
when they worked together on
a government project. Parker
was finally commissioned as
a captain and served with the
Seventh Division XVII Corps.
He was Grant’s military sec-
retary and was present at the
surrender at Appomattox. The
documents from Appomat-
tox were in his handwriting.
Parker is buried in Forest
Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo.
The Holland Land Office
Museum, 131 West Main St.,
Batavia, is open 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. Tuesdays through Satur-
days. For information, go to
www.hollandlandoffice.com
or call (585) 343-4727.
Warplane Museum also
shares story of homefront
In Livingston County, the
National Warplane Museum,
3489, Big Tree Lane, Geneseo,
houses vintage aircraft, armor
and other pieces from around
the world. The historical
aviation museum also moved
a C-130 that saw service in
Vietnam from the Smithson-
ian Institution to the museum
where it is being developed
into an exhibition.
But the museum is more
than just a place to showcase
warbirds. The museum also
has exhibitions that highlight
the Tuskegee Airman and
MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS
look at World War II from the
homefront perspective. Many
uniforms are also on display.
The museum is on its win-
ter schedule, and is open 10 MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS
a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays Donald Judd dress blue uniform as a West Point Cadet is among
and Saturdays through April the collection of military uniforms on display in the Military Wing
30. The last guided tours begin of the Holland Land Office Museum in Batavia.
at 2 p.m. The museum will
be open for special hours on
Veterans Day when it hosts
an open house in honor of all
military veterans.
From May 1 through Sep-
Bogan & Tuttle
Funeral Home
tember, the museum is open
daily.
For more information, go
to nationalwarplanemuseum. On this Veterans Day, let us remember the
org or call (585) 243-2100.
service of our veterans, and let us renew our
Those interested in more
local history stories related to national promise to fulfill our sacred obligations
military service and encour- to our veterans and their families who have
age to contact their county, sacrificed so much so that we can live free.
town or village historians. – Dan Lipinski
Libraries with local history
collections may also have ad- Medina Lyndonville
ditional resources of interest 226 Pearl St. 112 N Main St.
to those researching local Tel: (585) 798-0896 Tel: (585) 765-2230
military service or history.
T6 Friday, November 11, 2022 SALUTE TO VETERANS 2022

Elwyn M. Barrett Kenneth E. Stroh Art Scheuneman Brendan R. McNall David Privatera Garrett Totten
Sergeant T-5 E-4 Tech Sergeant 2nd Lieutenant Lance Corporal
Army Army Navy Air Force Marines Marines
1935-1937 • 1944-1946 1945-1946 1969 - 1975 2011 - Present 2021 - Present 2021 - Present
Hometown - Attica, NY Hometown - Alexander, NY Hometown - Arcade, NY Hometown - Varysburg, NY Hometown - LeRoy, NY Hometown - Corfu, NY

James A. McNall, Jr. James McNall John Bonarigo Joseph Palumbo Kenneth Walker Sean M. McNall
Tech Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant Senior Master Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant
Air Force Air Force Army Air Force Army Marines
2009 - 2022 1967 - 1974 1942 - 1946 2002 - Present 1940 - 1945 2008 - 2017
Hometown - Varysburg, NY Hometown - Varysburg, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Darien Center, NY Hometown - Perry, NY Hometown - Varysburg, NY

Steven Swain Edward Longhany Joseph Vanelli Joseph Vanelli

SPC E4
Charles Longhany MM3 PFC L/C Corporal Leonard Vanelli
Navy Army
Army Navy Army Marines
1944 - 1946 WWII
1990 - 1992 1944 - 1946 WWII Desert Storm 1990
Hometown - LeRoy, NY Hometown - LeRoy, NY
Hometown - Canaseraga, NY Hometown - LeRoy, NY Hometown - LeRoy, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY

Murl Mancuso Richard Smith Walter D. Buck Angelo A. Fasano

st Walter M. Buck Andrew Hastee
Seaman 1 Class PFC COC. - 1 Inf. WWI Radioman Corporal
Navy Petty Officer
Navy 196 Lt Int BD Navy Marines
1970-1974 Navy
1944 - 1946 Vietnam 1966 1946-1949 1944 - 1946
Hometown - Batavia, NY 1962 - 1968
Hometown - LeRoy, NY Hometown - Spencerport, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY

Genaro A. Fasano James G. Fasano Patrick A. Fasano Mason Meyers

PFC SPC/4 Staff Sergeant Eugene Richley Private First Class Ronald Richley
Army Army Army Navy Army National Guard Navy
WWI 1956 - 1958 1978 - 1998 2022 - Present 1981 - 2001
1943 - 1946
Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Springville, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY
Hometown - Batavia, NY
 SALUTE TO VETERANS 2022 Friday, November 11, 2022 T7

Angelo A. DiLaura Joe DiLaura Jr. Richard Farnsworth Joe DiLaura Sr. Fred V. Pulvino E. Phillip Zerillo
Private First Class Petty Officer 3rd Class Sergeant Petty Officer 1st Class Seaman 2 1st Sgt. - NY National Guard
Army Navy Navy Navy 1994 - 2015
Air Force Sergeant - Marines
1950 - 1952 1965 - 1969 1967 - 1971 1940 - 1959 1945 - 1946 1984 - 1991
Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - LeRoy, NY

Robert D. Cesarano Cody Cesarano Gerald “Bud” Hoffmeister David J. Cutitta Richard T. Minuto Joe Ficarella
Corporal Private 1st Class Sergeant 2nd Class Petty Officer Seaman 1st Class/Staff Sgt. Lance Corp
Marines Army Army Navy Navy/Army National Guard Marine Corps
1983 - 1987 2018 - Present 1966 - 1968 1960 - 1964 1962 - 1966 / 1981-1988 1965 - 1968
Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Mumford, NY Hometown - Warsaw, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY

Gordon C. Betties Ronald P. Konieczny Jim Calkins Michael Minuto Donald F. Klein James DiLaura
A-1C Spec 4 Medic Sergeant Petty Officer 2nd Class Quartermaster 3rd Class Hosp. Apprenice 1st Class
Air Force Army Army “Big Red One” Navy Navy Navy
WWII & Korea 1969-1971 1965 - 1970 1962 - 1966 1945-1946 1943 - 1946
Hometown - Wales, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Wyoming, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY

Ashley Worden David Minuto Josephine Pulvino Ferge Rory E. Benkleman Donald Schultz Michael Cesarano
Staff Sergeant (Retired) Petty Officer 3rd Class PFC Nurse (E4) Sergeant - Air Force FN Specialist E-4
Army Navy Army NY Air National Guard Navy Army
2009-2022 1957 - 1961 WW II 1975 - 1981 1948-1954 1986 - 1989
Hometown - Piffard, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - North Java, NY Hometown - Buffalo/Darien, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY

Gordon R. Amidon Patsy Cesarano Jack M. Hayden Leanne Chen-Rawji Frank Minuto Lanny Minuto
PFC Corporal SP-4 Captain Private 1st Class Airman E-4
Marine Corps Army Army Airforce Army Air Force
1944 - 1946 1953 - 1955 1974 - 1978 2015 - Present WWII 1967 - 1971
Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - North Java, NY Hometown - Leicester, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY
T8 Friday, November 11, 2022 SALUTE TO VETERANS 2022

Bud Long was an inspiration to many

By BEN BEAGLE
ben@livingstonnews.com
Harold B. “Bud” Long would in the
final years of his life share stories of
his experiences in World War II that
could be humorous or harrowing.
There was a wry twinkle in his eye
and he talked about humourous esca-
pades in a capture German truck. But
he would turn serious as he recalled
liberating a concentration camp near
Herford in which he watched medics
spoon-feed survivors. And his eyes
turned glassy as he recalled making it
to Austria toward the end of the war
and only 30 of his unit’s complement
of 300 men had made it through the
war.
Long, who was part of the D-Day
Invasion and fought across Europe
during the Battle of the Bulge, died
Oct. 7. He was 101 years old.
“When you spoke to Bud you
always left the conversation with
a sense of pride,” said Livingston
County Veterans Services Director
David Terry. “He was proud of his life,
his military service, and above all his
family. He had an amazing network
around him.”
In 2019, Long was presented with
the Legion of Honor, grade of Cheva-
lier or knight, by the French govern-
ment. France has been bestowing the
Legion of Honor on World War II vet-
erans to express the country’s grati-
tude toward those who risked their
lives defending liberty.
During the July 2019 presentation,
Pascal Soares with the French Con-
sulate in Buffalo presented the Legion
of Honor to Long during a ceremony
at the Nunda Historical Society.
“Today, you are our hero,” Soares
said. “You are our liberateur.”
Terry remembered Long as “an ex-
traordinary man of the greatest gen-
eration.”
Former Veterans Service Direc-
tor Jason Skinner said “Bud was an
inspiration to many people, not just
veterans.”
Skinner noted Long’s love of golf,
which kept him in great physical
shape – and inspired Skinner to seek
more recreational opportunities for
veterans, which led to the develop of
the Outdoor RX program for veterans
in Livingston County.
“His spirits were always high and
it was because he walked the golf
course as much as he could,” Skinner
said. “I wanted to get other veterans
to develop healthy options for out-
door activities.”
A shared interest in golf – Long
played regularly in a league until
about two years ago – also brought
Long a deep friendship with Terry.
“One of my greatest memories
with Bud was having the honor to sit
in with him when he was interviewed
to have his military experiences re-
corded for the Library of Congress so
that his legacy will live on for genera-
tions to come. It meant so much that
he wanted me there,” Terry said.
Long stormed the beaches of
Normandy on his birthday.
“Ever since we first met several
years back, I have called Bud every
D-Day just to wish him a happy birth-
day and we talked about our families
and just to catch up with each other,”
Terry said. “Bud gave D-Day a special
meaning to myself.”
Terry and Long would play golf to-
gether, and created poppies for the
Livingston County Veterans Monu-
ment. Long was the oldest veteran to
do so, and Terry’s daughters were the
youngest.
“He enjoyed that connection,” said
Terry.
“I can always reflect on how great BEN BEAGLE/LCN FILE PHOTOGRAPH
of a man he was when I observe his Harold “Bud” Long, shown wearing
poppy on our county’s monument,” the French Legion of Honor medal,
Long said. “I am grateful for his dedi- laughs as he recalls a story about his
cation to our country to the veterans experiences serving in Europe during
of our community.” World War II following the July 31,
––– 2019, presentation. Long inspired all
A celebration of Bud’s life is scheduled he met, said Jason Skinner, Livingston
from 2 to 4 p.m. Nov. 26 at the Nunda Fire County’s former Veterans Services
Department, State Street, Nunda. director.

‘Today, you are our hero’

Veteran who liberated France receives country’s highest honor
BY BEN BEAGLE
ben@livingstonnews.com
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an edited
version of a story originally published
in the Aug. 8, 2019, edition of The
Livingston County News.
Staff Sgt. Harold Brunswick
“Bud” Long boarded a landing
craft on the evening of June 5,
1944, with about 200 young sol-
diers. They carried their back-
packs, gas masks, Thompson
sub-machine guns and K ra-
tions.
They would spend the night
on the craft in England, and the
next morning be among the
thousands of
men storm-
ing the Nor-
mandy coast
in France as
part of World
War II’s D-
Day invasion.
Long’s craft
was part of the
third or fourth Long
wave of the invasion, reaching
the beach late in the morning of
June 6, 1944.
The ensuing battle would be
a turning point, and the begin-
ning of the Allies’ march across
Europe that would eventually
bring an end to World War II.
The young soldiers did not
think they were about to do any-
thing historic, Long said.
“No, not at that time. They
told us guys going in would be
a piece of cake, no trouble at
all. But it was tough,” Long said
following a July 31 ceremony in
Nunda in which he was honored
with the presentation of France’s
highest recognition, the Order of
the Legion d’honneur, or Legion
of Honor.
“Eisenhower said some
would lose their lives. That’s for
sure. But he also said there’d be
some lucky ones that make it,”
Long said. “I was one of the lucky
ones.”
Long was recognized for his
role in liberating France with
the presentation of the French
Legion of Honor medal at the
grade of Chevalier, or knight.
‘WE FRENCH NEVER FORGET …’
More than 100 people at-
tended the ceremony, which
included family and community
members, state and local offi-
cials, 20 members of the Patriot
Guard Riders, a representative
of the French government and a
local congressman.
Long, 98, individually
thanked each member of the Pa-
triot Guard, with many return-
ing the thanks – “If not for you,”
said one, “we wouldn’t be here.”
Long cracked jokes – “I didn’t
think anyone would come,” he
said – and shared stories of his
wartime experiences – from hu-
morous escapades in a captured
German truck to the horrors he
witnessed when liberating a
concentration camp near war’s
end.
Pascal Soares, French Hon-
orary Consul with the French
Consulate in Buffalo, presented
the Legion of Honor during a
ceremony at the Nunda Histori-
cal Society, Nunda.
“We French never forget what
those men did, what you did, to
restore our freedom,” he said.
“I would also like to remember
the sacrifice of so many of your
Bud Long salutes during a July 31, 2019, ceremony in which he was presented the French Legion of Honor for his service in World War II.
comrades who rest on French
soil and remain forever in our
hearts.”
During his speech, Soares al-
so shared a personal story of his
own parents who were 10 and 12
years old when Nazis occupied
their town.
“For them, sir, I’d like to thank
you,” Soares said. “Today, you
are our hero. You are our libéra-
teur.”
Long is the first veteran in
Livingston County to receive the
Legion of Honor and the first in
the 27th Congressional District.
The Legion of Honor dates
back to the age of Napolean
Bonaparte, who established the
award in 1802. The medal has
been retained by all subsequent
French governments and is con-
sidered the equivalent of Ameri-
ca’s Medal of Honor.
RECALLING THE PAST
Long has only begun to share
his World War II experiences af-
ter being part of an oral history
project.
Livingston County Veterans
Services Director Jason Skin-
ner said it is not uncommon for
World War II veterans to have
waited so long to share their sto-
ries. He said many, upon return-
ing from the war, wanted to pick
up their lives and continue with
jobs, families and careers.
Long, who was born in
Tonawanda, graduated high
school and went to work build-
ing P-40 airplanes at Curtiss Inc.
in Buffalo. He married in June
1942, and was drafted three
months later.
Long entered the Army Air
Forces on Oct. 14, 1942, where
he spent several weeks training
to become a B-26 specialist and
became a member of the 83rd
Airfield Damage Repair Mainte-
nance Squadron out of Hunter
Field in Savannah, Ga.
On D-Day, Long and his col-
leagues were tasked with creat-
ing and maintaining an emer-
gency airstrip.
“It never mattered, we never
got off the beach until the end of
the day,” he said.
Long’s landing craft dropped
its ramp farther from shore than
expected and it came crashing
down on a sand bar. The force
sent a number of soldiers over
the side of the craft, Long re-
called.
He and a buddy thought they
were okay in the back of the
craft, but as they began to walk
to the front, a 20-foot wave came
crashing overhead – the force of
which “peeled everything off,”
Long said.
When the men finally reached
the beach – with the help of a
rope thrown by Navy Seabees
– they grabbed guns and am-
munition that had been scat-
tered around the beach, some
of it from soldiers who had been
killed coming ashore.
The American soldiers were
supposed to capture a wall
guarded by German forces. Long
said “it looked like a 500-foot
wall, though it was probably
only 100 feet.”
As American Rangers at-
tempted to scale the wall, Long
and others provided covering
fire to try to keep the Germans
from firing down on the Ameri-
cans. Long recalled seeing shells
from off-shore battleships hit-
ting the wall and “only chips fly-
ing off.”
“That day was brutal,” he said.
The men spent their first
night in France hunkered down
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near a farmer’s field. They were
told not to make any noise for
fear of drawing German fire.
Long said when the sun rose the
next morning, all of the farmer’s
cows lay dead in the field.
A LONG WAR
After D-Day, Long was de-
ployed throughout Europe and
participated in several cam-
paigns, including the Battle of
the Bulge, in central Europe,
northern France and Rhineland,
Germany. The campaigns took
him to Belgium, Netherlands
and Luxembourg.
“We got to see all over Europe.
Luxembourg was beautiful,” he
said, a wry twinkle in his eye as
he recalled less ominous experi-
ences.
He shared one story of cap-
turing a German truck. It had, he
said, posi-traction, a V-8 engine
and was air cooled. “It was way
better than any of ours,” he said.
Fearful of using the German
truck around Allied troops, Long
and a colleague painted the
truck olive drab, put fake num-
bers on it and “drove it all over
Europe.”
But harrowing stories were
never far behind. Toward the
end of the war, he recalled liber-
ating a concentration camp near
Herford.
“You could smell it from four,
five miles away,” he said.
The Germans left three days
before the Americans arrived,
but left people behind with no
food.
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Batavia, NY 14020
Phone: (585) 219-4214
Fax: (585) 219-4877
“They were still alive, but
starving,” Long said. “We want-
ed to feed them, but the medics
said we couldn’t because their
stomachs would explode.”
Long recalled watching med-
ics spoon-feed the survivors and
giving them a tiny cup of water
every hour. And when local offi-
cials were taken to see the camp
by American soldiers they “were
shocked, but they couldn’t do
anything,” Long said.
“They said if we did (speak
up), we’d be shot. They were re-
ally shook up by what they saw,”
he said.
Long’s eyes turned glassy as
he recalled making it to Austria
at the end of the war and among
his unit’s complement of some
300 men, only 20 had made it
through the war.
“It was tough because we
went through the states togeth-
er, went through Europe and the
war with the guys,” he said. “Us
guys, for a long time, didn’t care
what your rank or name was be-
cause you might not be with us
tomorrow.”
RETURNING HOME
Long was honorably dis-
charged in September 1945. He
returned to the states to work on
C-47 cargo planes, for Westing-
house, part-time at his family’s
appliance store and was super-
intendent of the Grand Island
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343-6158
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water plant.
He and his wife eventually
settled in Nunda, where Long
had come to ski and snowmo-
bile and where he is a member of
the Woodlawn Golf Club – and
still plays regularly.
Long served two terms as
mayor of Mount Morris, and
also served a number of years on
the town board and the board of
education for the Mount Morris
Central School District.
For his military service, Long
received the European African
Middle Eastern Service Medal,
with four stars denoting the
number of campaigns he served
during, and the Good Conduct
Medal – both of which he wore
during the recent ceremony. He
also received a letter of apprecia-
tion from Gen. George S. Patton
and would later be the recipient
of the New York State Medal of
Merit and the New York State
Conspicuous Service Star.
Long was also honored at
last month’s ceremony by
Congressman Chris Collins,
R-Clarence, as the 27th Con-
gressional District’s Veteran of
the Month for July. Long was
presented with an American flag
that was flown over the Capitol
Building in Washington, D.C., a
Congressional Commendation
Certificate and a challenge coin.
He was also presented with an
additional Congressional Com-
mendation recognizing his Le-
gion of Honor award.
Proclamations were present-
ed from the state Senate by An-
nie Chwiecko, community rep-
resentative for state Sen. Patrick
Gallivan, R-Elma, and Assem-
blywoman Marjorie Byrnes, pre-
sented by her community repre-
sentative, Stephanie Schroeder.
Nunda Supervisor Merilee
Walker presented Long with a
proclamation on behalf of the
Livingston County Board of Su-
pervisors. Walker recalled when
Long led the Board of Supervi-
sors in the Pledge of Allegiance
before a meeting: “His enthusi-
asm touched all our hearts.”
Steve Kovacik of the Pa-
triot Guard riders presented
Long with a special plaque and
thanks.
Benjamin Pomerance of
the New York State Division of
Veterans Services said one of
the best parts of his job is “the
change to meet heroes each
and every day.” He said many of
those heroes are “hiding in plain
sight” as they quietly live life in
small towns “because they don’t
think of themselves as heroes.”
“Mr. Long told me he was one
of many heroes. This is true,”
he said. “There were, in fact,
many.”
 SALUTE TO VETERANS 2022 Friday, November 11, 2022 T9

MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS

Veterans Gary Hammond of Batavia and Bill Herington of East Pembroke set up a mannequin in the front window of 85 Main St. in Batavia on Nov. 4. The display is up through Sunday.

Veterans window display wraps Sunday

BATAVIA: Group hopes uniform exhibit spurs interest in military museum
By BRIAN QUINN
bquinn@batavianews.com
BATAVIA — If things work
out, the Genesee County
veterans who put together the
window display at 85 Main
St. would like to establish the
museum/society in Genesee
County, particularly in Bata-
via.
“It’s a great place between
two metropolitan areas. We
have an awful lot of people that
are pro-veterans in this county
— not only that, all of Western
New York,” said veteran Al
Kurek of Pembroke, who was
involved in creating the win-
dow display. “I think it would
be a plus for the county, a plus
for the veterans. It would be a
place for them to come, visit
and reminisce.
The museum could be a
place for their children to learn
about the history of the mili- MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS
tary, he said. Display coordinator and Marines Corps veteran Al Kurek sets up a mannequin dressed in a navy
Kurek also said military uniform in the front window of 85 Main St. in Batavia on Nov. 4.
donations may be dropped off
at the Veterans Service Agency
in County Building No. 2 or
by calling (585) 418-4144 for
pickup.
Since last Saturday, people MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS
have been able to walk by and A mannequin dressed in a military uniform on display in the front
see the display, which fea- window of 85 Main St. in Batavia.
tures mannequins dressed in
military uniforms. Veterans set
the display up a week ago. In
general, there are 12 full man-
nequins in the display, plus six
half-mannequins on tables,
plus miscellaneous memora-
bilia that people can see from
Main Street.
“It’s on the southwest cor- MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS
MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS SUPERNUMERARY TEETH
ner of Jackson and Main. It’s A mannequin looks out at
Alan Kurek and his father Al Kurek, the display coordinator and a Children have 20 primary teeth that are later replaced by 32 adult
going to be all branches of the Batavia’s Main Street from teeth. Supernumerary teeth are extra teeth that grow in a person’s
Marines Corps veteran, set up a military items on a table near the
service ...” Kurek said. “It is in- the front window of 85 Main mouth because of a condition called hyperdontia. These teeth can
mannequins in the front window of 85 Main St. in Batavia.
tended to honor the sacrifices St. The mannequin is part of a grow anywhere in the dental arches (the curved areas inside the
made by our local veterans, liv- of the (Old) County Court- he said. “We’re going to try to display military uniforms. mouth where the teeth attach to the jaw). Supernumerary teeth are
ing and dead, and garner local house with the green lights get a five-year temporary soci- not painful, but they can put painful pressure on the jaw and gums and
donated from people up north
interest in the establishment of for Veterans Day, starting on ety charter. We should get the may cause overcrowding or crooked teeth. The causes of hyperdontia
who spend their winters in
a permanent military society Saturday (Nov. 5), we decided applications in, hopefully, by are unknown, but the condition often occurs in combination with
to ask Ken and he agreed to the end of November. It’ll take Florida — even the volunteers.
(museum) based In Batavia.” several genetic conditions. It’s not always necessary to remove
let us set up, so we would be a couple of months before the Half the things you’re going to supernumerary teeth, but if they are causing pain or affecting other
Kurek said he was in touch
coordinated with them (the process is concluded and we’ll see in here today are donated, teeth or oral hygiene, the dentist may recommend extraction.
with building owner Ken
county).” give it a try.” other things are on loan.” At BATAVIA FAMILY DENTAL, improving the look, health, and
Mistler, who was kind enough
to offer the space, with all the Raising awareness of the Mistler said Kurek did all the The oldest display is the uni- function of your smile is our primary focus. Too many teeth? Too few?
windows facing Main Street, sacrifices made by county vet- work to set up the display and form of a Marine who served in From general family dentistry to cosmetic dentistry and preventive
for the display. erans is the long-term hope, that Kurek called him. Nicaragua in 1926. He served care, we are dedicated to working with our patients toward the goal
“We thought, with this be- Kurek said. Kurek recalled going to a until 1933,” Kurek said. The of achieving the healthiest, most attractive smiles possible. Are you
“I have met with the three military museum in Punta uniform is on loan from the curious how today’s dental procedures can virtually change your life?
ing Veterans Day, the 11th of
family. We’d be glad to tell you about the many ways we can help make your
November, that we would like (American) Legions in the Gorda, Fla.
“I just thought, if they’re go- smile a dazzling one. Just call us at 585.343.4246, 6 Batavia City
to do a display honoring our county and the VFW, talking “They have a beautiful
Centre. We’ll give you a reason to smile!
Genesee County veterans,” about possibly establishing a museum there. I talked with ing to give them to the people
P.S. Supernumerary teeth usually grow in adults rather than in
Kurek said. “We were going to museum or a society. I have all the director, Gary Butler. It down south, give them to us children and are twice as common in men as they are in women.
start on the 7th, but when the kinds of support and we’re in turns out, everything there up north before you take them
county authorized the lighting the process of doing that now,” is donated,” he said. “It’s all down there,” he said.
T10 Friday, November 11, 2022 SALUTE TO VETERANS 2022

Operation Green Light achieves national reach

BEGAN IN LIVINGSTON COUNTY: Initiative shows support for veterans transitioning from active duty
By Ben Beagle
ben@batavianews.com
Operation Green Light,
an initiative that began in
Livingston County to support
veterans returning to civilian
life, has spread nationwide.
More than 90 counties and
municipalities in 29 states
have joined the campaign.
Former Livingston County
Veterans Service Officer Jason
Skinner spearheaded Opera-
tion Green Light as an effort
to raise awareness of veterans
issues and show veterans that
they were valued members of
the community. The initiative
debuted in 2021.
“What he wanted to do is
to take one simple action of
changing one light green to
shine on the conversation of
veterans,” said David Terry,
who took over for Skinner as
Livingston County’s Veterans
Service Officer. “When we did
this we knew this could grow
but what I did not know was
their sacrifices, and that it is
now our turn to make sure
they are served by their county
government and our com-
munity,” the county said in a
news release.
In Orleans County, the
dome of the Orleans County
Courthouse was illuminated
green beginning Nov. 1 and
through Nov. 12. By illuminat-
ing the dome green for those
days in November, legislators
said they want to show sup-
port for military personnel
making the transition from
active service.
In resolution, both the
Genesee and Orleans counties
legislatures noted that “Stud-
ies indicate that 44% to 72% of
service members experience
high levels of stress during
transition from military to
civilian life. Active military
service members transition-
ing from military service are at
a high risk for suicide during
their first year after military
available to veterans through
their local Veteran Service
Office. County Veterans’
Service Officers are located in
every county of the state and
provide personalized service
to veterans and their depen-
dents, free of charge. Veteran
Service Officers assist veterans
and their families with ac-
cessing federal benefits such
as healthcare, housing, and
employment services, and
also help connect veterans to
counseling services like the
Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support
program.
The campaign originated
in Livingston County and
was then picked up by the
New York State Association of
Counties in collaboration with
the New York State County Ex-
ecutives’ Association and New
York State Veterans Service
Officers’ Association.
Skinner continues to be
an advocate for veterans,
serving as president of the
state Veteran Services Officer
Association and vice chair of
the National Association for
Counties Committee for Vet-
erans and Military Families.
“It’s tremendously gratify-
ing to see this initiative, which
we care so deeply about here about the incredible work
in our state, spread across the
country to raise awareness See GREEN T12
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how much this was going to
grow in one year.”
The collaborative effort
encourages counties, mu-
nicipalities, businesses, and
individuals to illuminate
their buildings, homes and
businesses with green lights
as a visible sign of support for
veterans.
As Veterans Day ap-
proached, each of the GLOW
county governments are
supporting Operation Green
Light.
The Livingston County
Board of Supervisors declared
Livingston County a “Green
Light for Military Service
County” from Oct. 12 through
Nov. 13, 2022, and have been
illuminating the county
courthouse in green while
encouraging county residents
to show their support for ser-
vice members by displaying a
green light bulb in their home
or place of business through
Nov. 13.
“Green is the color of hope,
renewal and well-being,”
said Terry. “Displaying a
green light can bring about
meaningful conversations
regarding the immeasurable
sacrifices of our veterans and
how we, as a county, can assist
in making their move to civil-
ian life an easy one.”
Genesee County planned
to illuminate the Old Court-
house green from Nov. 6 to 12
as part of the effort.
“We want to make sure our
veterans and their families
know that their service mat-
tered, that we are grateful for
Genuine
service.”
The Wyoming County Hours: Tuesday-Friday 9-5,
Board of Supervisors was Saturday 9-4, PARTS & ACCESSORIES
expected to adopt a resolution Closed Sunday & Monday Full Service Department
at its Nov. 8 meeting in sup- 4425 W. Saile Dr., Batavia, NY (585) 343-9598
port of Operation Green Light
and also encourage residents
to put out a green light to let
returning service members
know they are always wel-
comed in Wyoming County.
Terry said veterans were
happy to see the show of sup-
port offered by Operation
Green Light.
“This allows veterans to see
that someone took an action
on their behalf,” Terry said.
“If they see a green light on a
porch, at a business, a county
building then they know that
someone did something on
their behalf rather that just
saying thank you for your ser-
vice, so that is a touch on the
veterans stand point.”
In addition to showing sup-
port for veterans, Operation
Green Light also raises aware-
ness about local services
Honoring฀All฀Veterans,฀We฀are฀Forever฀Grateful.

To our men and women in uniform,

Anthony J. Oppel Sr.
PFC First Class
Army
1951 - 1955
Hometown - Corfu, NY
both past and present, thank you for
your service to this country.
We salute your patriotism, courage,
hard work, loyalty and dedication,
and we appreciate all of the sacrifices
you have made to protect the
Autumn Finch Eugene Moscicki Joel Fuller freedoms we cherish.
Second Lt. PFC Lance Corporal
Army Marine Corps Marines On behalf of our team and our fellow
2021-Present 1948 - 1950 2004 - 2008 Americans, we wish each of you a happy,
Hometown - Warsaw, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY Hometown - Batavia, NY
healthy and safe Veterans Day.
 SALUTE TO VETERANS 2022 Friday, November 11, 2022 T11

COMMENTARY

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PHOTOGRAPH

Soldiers of the 369th Regiment, 93rd Infantry Division – known as the “Harlem Hellfighter” – are shown during World War I serving in trenches near Maffrecourt in the Argonne Region, France, May 4, 1918.

Remember America’s World War I veterans

By Joel Freedman of 16,000 German prisoners and large our artillery sent back two for every men who had not bathed for a month
Special to The LCN supplies of new weapons. Nine Ameri- one that came over. German prisoners crowded together, decaying food, open

W
hen World War I broke out
in Europe in 1914, President
Woodrow Wilson pledged
to maintain American neutrality. In
the 1916 presidential election, Wilson
campaigned with the slogan “He kept
us out of war” – while, at the same time,
America’s sympathies were with the
Allies.
The sinking of American ships by
German submarines, and the disclo-
sure of Germany’s efforts to persuade
Mexico to side with Germany in
the event America entered the war,
prompted Wilson’s decision to ask
Congress on April 2, 1917 to declare
war on Germany. Congress obliged
four days later. Wilson selected Gen-
eral John J. Pershing to command
the American Expeditionary Force
(A.E.F.). While the A.E.F. had some
combat experiences in October 1917
in the Western Front, it wasn’t until the
spring of 1918 that American troops
were in combat on a large scale.
The A.E.F. aided the British and
French to slow the German advances
and then, at the second battle of the
Marne, 85,000 American soldiers
played a major role in completely halt-
ing the German advances, followed by
a successful counteroffensive. In Sep-
tember 1918, the A.E.F. participated in
an offensive that included the capture
can divisions attacked Germany’s
army along a long front between the
Marne River and the Argonne Forest.
All of these events persuaded Germany
to ask the Allies for an armistice. When
the Allies also agreed to it on November
11, 1918, the fighting was officially
over.
November 11 became a federal holi-
day to commemorate Armistice Day.
November 11 later became Veterans
Day in honor of all America’s military
veterans. The outcome of World War I
was largely determined by the bravery
of the A.E.F., as evidenced by a letter
American Ambulance Corps Driver
George Ruckle wrote to his parents and
brothers who resided in Dumont, N.J.
Here are some excerpts:
n “I’ll never forget some of the sights
I saw and how bravely our men and
the French bore their wounds. Men
with arms and legs torn off would never
utter a groan during the whole trip to
the hospital. At one place some new
batteries came up and their horses
were picketed in a clump of trees. I saw
a shell land in the middle of them and
the next minute there was a pile of 50
or 60 dead horses. The roads too were
littered with dead horses and mules
and overturned kitchens and supply
wagons. But as heavy as the German
barrage was our boys held firm and
said our artillery did horrible execution
among their line troops and we know
they were piled high in ‘no man’s’
land.’”
n “The French say they never saw
such wonderful work as done by our
boys and the whole division got a cita-
tion from the French general in com-
mand of this section.”
n “The Germans call us barbarians;
they don’t like the way we fight. When
the boys go over the top or make raids
they generally throw away their rifles
and go to it with trench knives, sawed
off shot guns, bare fists and hand gre-
nades, and the Bosch doesn’t like that
kind of fighting.”
(The above referenced letter is one
of tens of thousands of war letters col-
lected and preserved by the Legacy
Project to honor Americans for their
military service. For further informa-
tion about the Legacy Project, visit
www.warletters.com)
World War I witnessed the intro-
duction of the airplane as a military
weapon. Initially used by England,
France and Germany to observe en-
emy activities, the airplane was soon
used in combat when pilots from op-
posing sides fired upon one another
with rifles, pistols, and eventually, ma-
chine guns. The U.S. Air Service was
commanded by General Billy Mitchell.
U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO
Capt. E.V. “Eddie” Rickenbacker
wearing the Congressional Medal
of Honor. Rickenbacker downed 22
German planes, making him probably
the best-known World War I American
fighter pilot.
Eddie Rickenbacker, who downed 22
German planes, is probably the best-
known World War I American fighter
pilot.
World War I included the horrors of
trench warfare and life in the trenches
where, according to historian Joseph
R. Conlin, “The first thing that struck
a newcomer to the trenches was the
powerful stench. The body odor of
cesspools, and, worst of all, the sickly-
sweet smell of decaying dead horses
and dead soldiers who, as long as a
position was under fire, were merely
covered over with a foot or so of loose
soil.”
The American unit that spent the
most time in the trenches was the Afri-
can American 369th Infantry.
Of the two million American soldiers
sent to Europe in 1917 and 1918, about
114,000 died from combat injuries
or diseases. Two hundred American
soldiers drowned when their ships
were attacked by German submarines.
Hundreds of thousands of American
soldiers returned home with severe
combat-related medical or psychiatric
conditions.
During my earlier years as a Canan-
daigua VA Medical Center social work-
er, I had the honor of working with
many World War I veterans and their
families, and the opportunity to learn
more about the military experiences of
these veterans.
Although our World War I veterans
are no longer with us, their heroism
and sacrifices should always be re-
membered.
Joel Freedman is a Canandaigua resident.
Now retired, Freedman taught U.S. history at
Finger Lakes Community College for many
years.

Gunther, Havlat, Knauss, and the last full measure

By Joseph Reagan running and firing. One machine In every war, there is always so dear have been defended by of our veterans. When the Armi- frenzied outbursts of emotion,
Special to The Daily News gun blast later, he was dead. His one that must fill the dignified generations of Americans whom stice was signed in 1918, when but the tranquil and steady dedi-

T
he 11th hour has be-
come synonymous with
Veterans Day, originally
called Armistice day, in recog-
nition of the document signed
at the 11th hour, or the 11th
day, of the 11th month. In re-
ality, the Armistice ending the
war to end all wars was signed
around 5 a.m. on Nov. 11. Over
the course of the next 6 hours,
nearly 3,000 men would lose
their lives in the final hours of
a war that had already claimed
the lives of 20 million military
personnel. The final death of
World War I came at 10:59 a.m.
– one minute before the guns of
war would fall silent.
Private Henry Gunther was
a German-American drafted
in the fall of 1917; most ac-
counts state that his final ac-
tions were motivated by Gun-
ther’s need to demonstrate
that he was “courageous and
all-American.” A chaplain from
Gunther’s unit recounted, “As
11 a.m. approached, Gunther
suddenly rose with his rifle and
ran through thick fog. His men
shouted for him to stop. So did
the Germans. But Gunther kept
death was recorded at 10:59 a.m.
In every conflict, inevitably
a final service member pays the
ultimate sacrifice. In World War
II, Private Charlie Havlat, the son
of Czech immigrants, in the clos-
ing days of the war, found him-
self liberating his parents’ former
homeland – word of the cease-
fire reached his position minutes
after he was killed. Officially, the
U.S. has never declared a final
casualty in the Korean War; since
the armistice was signed, nearly
100 U.S. soldiers have been killed
in combat on the Korean penin-
sula. On April 29, 1975, Charles
McMahon and Darwin Judge
were two of a small number of
Marines tasked with safeguard-
ing the U.S. Embassy in Saigon.
They had been deployed for only
11 days when they were killed by
a rocket attack. The U.S. would
complete the process of with-
drawing from Saigon the fol-
lowing day. Staff Sergeant Ryan
Knauss was the last of the 2,461
service members who died in Af-
ghanistan; he along with 12 of his
comrades was killed in a suicide
attack during the withdrawal
from Kabul.
but dubious role in history as be-
ing the last to give the full mea-
sure of devotion. Each year on
the 11th day of the 11th month
as a nation we pause, not only
to honor those that have given
their lives but for all those who
believed so deeply in Ameri-
can exceptionalism that they
were willing to give their lives to
defend it. For most Americans
talking about war is conceptual,
something learned through his-
tory books, news reports, and
movies – those that have served
do not have that luxury. Not only
should we remember that the
democratic principles we hold
Honoring all Veterans for their service and sacrifice
we honor on Veterans Day, but the Japanese surrendered, and cation of a lifetime.”
more importantly we should when the last flights departed Let this Veterans Day be a new
take inspiration from that sacri- Kabul and Saigon – these were beginning. Go forth and find
fice. Our country, despite all our not simply endings – they were a way to serve, our nation, our
self-imposed differences, needs new beginnings. We honor those communities, and each other –
to look to our veterans and see who serve by recommitting our- we owe it to our veterans.
that there are no divisions in a selves to making the sacrifices
foxhole – there are only those Joseph Reagan is director of military
necessary to preserve our way of and veterans outreach for Wreaths
who stand in defense of democ-
life. Across America and an Afghanistan
racy and those who stand against As Adlai Stevenson once veteran with the 10th Mountain Divi-
it.
stated, “Patriotism is not short, sion.
While we may only celebrate
Veterans Day with a few mo-
ments of silence each year, we
have an opportunity to use those
moments to find our own way
to serve as part of our commit-
ment to living up to the legacy
T12 Friday, November 11, 2022
The Livingston County Courthouse, 2 Court St., Geneseo, is lit green as part of the county’s support of
Operation Green Light, an initiative to show support for veterans transitioning from active duty.
Green
From T10
that local governments do to
support the veterans in their
community and ensure they
have access to the resources
and benefits they’ve earned,”
Michael F. Zurlo, NYSAC
president and administrator
for Clinton County, said in a
news release.
The National Association of
Counties adopted the Opera-
tion Green Light campaign
this year and promoted it
to other states and counties
across the nation.
“Operation Green Light is
a simple way to express our
collective appreciation for
the public service of our vet-
erans,” said Denise Winfrey,
president of the National
Association of Counties. “We
encourage everyone to join
us in displaying a green light
for our veterans and to also
reflect on how we, as a nation
and at the county level, assist
our military service personal
back into civilian life upon
completion of their service to
our country.”
Residents and businesses
are encouraged to join Opera-
tion Green Light by changing
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SALUTE TO VETERANS 2022
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Genesee County’s Old Courthouse at Main and Ellicott street was to be illuminated green from Nov.
6 to 12 as a show of support for veterans.
one light bulb in the entryway
of their house or business
to a green bulb. Residents
can share their participation
on social media using the
‘
Displaying a green light can bring about
meaningful conversations regarding the
immeasurable sacriices of our veterans and
hashtag #OperationGreen-
Light.
how we, as a county, can assist in making their
Nationally, county gov-
ernments are working with
community partners to light
up landmarks and busi-
move to civilian life an easy one.
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Spheres in King County,
Wash.; Amazons HQ2 in Day (Nov. 6-12), participants
Arlington County, Va.; the are encouraged to continue
Cleveland Terminal Tower in shining the light year-round.
Lake County, Ohio; the Mary- –––
land Governor’s Mansion; the For more information and links
North Carolina Department to resources available to veterans,
of Veterans Affairs; the Grand visit nysac.org/operationgreenlight.
Park Fountain in Los Angeles
County, Calif.; and New York Includes reporting by Livingston
City Hall. County News staff writer Brendan
While this event is focused McDonough and Daily News staff
around the week of Veterans writer Brian Quinn.
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