Veterans Day parades, ceremonies honor those who have served

Smithtown convened high schoolers, veterans and politicians. Freeport feted two military veterans from World War II. And in Ronkonkoma, a cedar tree that had been the local memorial to that war but died this year was taken down  — to be replaced in the future with a bronze memorial. 

Veterans Day parades, salutes and ceremonies across Long Island and the nation honored those who served in the nation's armed forces.

Statewide, 17 landmarks were illuminated to herald the holiday, and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced veteran-related laws, her office said in a news release.

"From waiving fees for veterans' organizations to providing no interest loans, we are working hard to remove any obstacles in the way of our veterans' success here in New York," she said in a news release. 

At Smithtown Veterans Plaza on Main Street, local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops mustered, hosted by Smithtown American Legion Post 833 and Smithtown Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10870.

That ceremony included a rifle salute, remarks by local officials, patriotic songs performed by high school students and honors to the veterans in attendance, including 95-year-old James Gouras, who served in the Army in World War II.

“It’s exciting for him, and he’s very proud of his service and of his flag,” said his daughter, Tina Babigian. “This means an awful lot to him.”

Veterans such as Gouras are the reason these ceremonies should continue to be held, said Tom Mooney, current service officer and past commander of VFW 10870 and American Legion 833. He hosted Friday’s event.

“We should have these ceremonies so that we never forget what our veterans have done for us over the years. And we’re losing them every day, as you can imagine,” said Mooney, 75, a Vietnam veteran.

In 2010, there were 1,872,263 veterans of World War II still living — including 23,642 on Long Island, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. By 2020, those numbers had gone down to 457,674 nationwide and 5,668 on the Island.

About 125,000 current Long Islanders are veterans, according to Ralph Esposito, director of Nassau County’s Veterans Service Agency.

The ceremony included an essay read by Olivia Wolber, 16, a junior at Smithtown High School West, who won a local contest for her words on why veterans should be honored.

“They are why we get to be here,” she said.

Mooney addressed the crowd: “The veterans and service members we honor today come from all walks of life, but they all share several fundamental qualities. They possess courage, pride, determination, selflessness, dedication to duty and integrity.” 

The event closed with patriotic songs sung by local Girl Scouts. Earlier, the wind ensemble from Smithtown West played songs for the event.

Student musician Matthew Lasher, 16, said he considered it an honor. “I really think that veterans should be honored in this way, and I’m really happy to help,” he said.

Meanwhile, farther west, the Village of Freeport and William Clinton Story Post No. 342 honored two veterans Friday during a small ceremony at the village recreation center.

The honorees were Henry Endres and William Degroat; Degroat was not present at the ceremony.

Endres, 97, of Freeport, served in the Navy for three years during the early 1940s where he was stationed on a destroyer. There, he was a young torpedoman third class on the USS Jouett and was the ship's designated 20 mm gunner. Jouett's crew manned offensive anti-submarine patrols between Brazil and Africa.

After the war, Endres joined the Freeport Fire Department and he has been a member for over 70 years. He is an honorary department chief.

When presenting Endres with his honors, Jay Rosenbaum, rabbi emeritus of Temple Israel in Lawrence and a Freeport Police Department chaplain, called Endres "truly representative of the greatest generation."

Speaking to Newsday after the event, Endres said he was thrilled to be recognized.

"It is unbelievable," he said. "It was great."

In Lake Ronkonkoma, a ceremony honored 64 World War II veterans from the hamlet, all but two are dead, all shown in blown-up photographs placed on stands, said organizer Ellyn Okvist. She said she and her neighbors plan to have the top 8 feet of the tree that was cut down Friday bronzed, to be part of a permanent memorial for which funds are now being raised. 

Back in 1945, when the tree became the hamlet's World War II memorial, there wasn't a lot of money for more.

"Funds were low at the at the time and the tree was what the town had to offer and it grew so big and so healthy and so beautiful," she said. "It stood tall." 

With Matthew Chayes