Special ways to honor our fallen heroes

On Memorial Day, Monday, May 31, there are special ways for the patriotic citizens of Owego / Tioga County to remember her Fallen Heroes and Veterans.

Most important is a personal visit to a cemetery. At the grave of a Fallen Hero or Veteran, read aloud the inscription on the headstone and veteran’s marker. Render a salute. Out loud say the honored name. Thank the veteran for his sacrifice and service. It’s okay to say out loud a story about the life of the veteran.

Equally important is to pay a visit to the Tioga County Veterans Memorial in the Courthouse Square in Owego. Point to the honored name of a Fallen Hero. Thank the Fallen Hero for his supreme sacrifice and service. Say kind words, even if you do not know the veteran. Their life ended before age 25. End your remembrance visit with a hand salute. 

Sit on the park bench. Let your eyes rove the grey memorials for World War One and Two, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq, and the black memorial for Tioga County personnel who served. Remember them in your own way.

Look at the plaque honoring Tioga County’s Medal of Honor Recipients from the Civil War.

Look up. Blowing in the gentle wind the American Flags, (one was folded in a triangle at a military funeral and given in gratitude for service and sacrifice to a family member), the POW/MIA flag (flying for four Tioga County soldiers still in Korea or North Korea), and the military service flags representing all branches of the service.

You can’t miss the tall historic Tioga County Civil War Union Memorial, which for over a century welcomes drivers crossing the Court Street Bridge to historic Owego. It’s an Owego landmark dedicated 130 years ago on July 4, 1891.

While at the memorial, close your eyes and think of the more than 20 Tioga County servicemen who are buried in overseas cemeteries since the end of World War Two. They were killed in combat on nearby battlefields and never came back home. Residents of those European nations have adopted their graves in gratitude for their country’s freedom. Adoption also means visits, flowers, and flags.

Because Memorial Day is traditionally a day of mourning, flags remain at half-staff from sunrise until noon (to honor our fallen), and full-staff the remainder of the day (to honor living veterans). 

“Flags In” details of Boy, Cub and Girl Scouts, veterans and citizens placed small American flags on the headstones of veterans in 70 cemeteries in Tioga County before Memorial Day. Flags on the Court Street Bridge are a tribute past due to 45 WWII Tioga County Fallen Heroes inadvertently missed on the first WWII Memorial.

Patriotic Vehicle Convoy

Like last year, there will be a special Memorial Day Patriotic Vehicle Convoy – no marching units, but all organizations are encouraged to ride in vehicles (face masks) through downtown, residential streets, and past the veterans memorials.

Convoy Chairman John Loftus says the convoy will kick off at 10 a.m. from 90 Temple St. in front of the Owego Police Station and the First Presbyterian Union Church. An invitation is extended to vehicle drivers to participate and line up on Temple Street. Kevin Rung says a dozen Shangri-La Classic Cruisers will be in the convoy. Keran Messersmith of Newark Valley says she is arranging to see if there could be some military vehicles.

Loftus would like the convoy to be extra special. Those driving cars are urged to invite a veteran to ride along, like a Korean War Veteran on the 70th anniversary to acknowledge his service to the country. Nurses are special, so they too should be in cars.

Convoy Route 

The convoy departs from the police station at 10 a.m. sharp, goest left to North Avenue, left to Main Street, Right on Ross Street, right on Front Street, right on Court Street past the monuments, and then disperses at end of Court Street. Patriotic citizens waving flags may view the convoy from the sidewalk or your lawn. 

Never forgotten is the wreath over the water ceremony. A red, white, and blue wreath will be cast into the Susquehanna River off the Court Street Bridge to memorialize the soldiers and sailors who died at sea. Especially remembered on his 80th anniversary is Owego’s first WWII Casualty, Seaman First Class Delmar Dale Sibley who is still aboard the Battleship USS Arizona since Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. A Navy veteran will say a prayer as the wreath descends to the river and floats downstream. Never has a wreath been recovered. 

The Glenn A. Warner Post 1371 Honor Guard will fire a rifle volley. Bugler Steve Palinosky will sound taps.

Other ways to honor veterans might include buying and wearing a red poppy. The Owego VFW Auxiliary’s Poppy Chair, Dorolyn Perry, says for a donation a poppy can be obtained from Blue Dolphin, Sweeney’s Market, The Parkview, The Community Shop, The Owego Kitchen, Carol’s Coffee and Art Bar, and Valu Home Center.

Again, consider visiting a veterans grave and place flowers or a flag if missing after weekend “Flags In” placements, pause at 3 p.m. for the National Day of Remembrance, and on Sunday night watch the National Memorial Day Concert live from the U.S. Capital, be thankful of fallen soldiers and extend your thoughts and prayers to their families.

The daily increase of COVID-19 confirmed and active cases, and continued social distancing and facemask wearing has precluded the traditional parade and remembrance service at the Tioga County Veterans Memorial. The Tioga County Health Department provided guidance and other consulted officials felt it prudent to not expose veterans and residents to potential exposure.

Instead, and from their North Avenue Studio, WEBO will broadcast Memorial Day live all morning. First, starting at 8:15 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. on WEBO Facebook page, a Roll Call and Memorial Day ceremony of Remembrance and paying honor to deceased Tioga County veterans will be broadcast and read by Mary Beth Jones, editor and publisher of the Tioga County Courier and JoAnn R. Walter, writer for The Owego Pennysaver. Roll Call originated on Memorial Day 1966. It has been broadcast on WEBO for 53 years since 1966.

Then around 10:20 a.m., live on WEBO and a Facebook live stream will include the traditional coverage of the annual Remembrance Service with Jim Raftis.

The service includes an Invocation by Deacon Michael Donovan of St. Patrick’s / Blessed Trinity, the VFW Post 1371 Honor Guard, National Anthem, and later a medley of patriotic songs by the Owego Free Academy Brass Quintet and Snare Drummer.

The poem, “In Flanders Fields” will be read, Tioga County Veterans Service Officer Mike Middaugh will share the names of deceased veterans of Tioga County since Veterans Day, Gold Star Mother Barbra Bilbrey will be visiting from Hinesville, Ga. near Fort Stewart, where her Fallen Hero son trained before deployment to Iraq; Town of Berkshire Supervisor Keith Flesher will update on progress for a Veterans Memorial in Newark Valley, Berkshire, and Richford; a Tribute to Korea War Veterans will be rendered on their 70th Anniversary; Combat Nurses will be honored for their service and sacrifice; and 9/11 victims will be remembered on their 20th Anniversary.

Honor Guard Remembers

Glenn A. Warner Post 1371 Veterans of Foreign Wars Honor Guard is mourning the unexpected death of member George “Skip” Williams of Candor. On Memorial Day morning, in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, the Honor Guard will present a remembrance service for 44-year Navy Command Master Chief and veteran Robert E. Rose. You’ll recall that Rose, in his Navy whites, reverently remembered Navy dead when he cast a wreath into the Susquehanna River from the Court Street Bridge to conclude Memorial Day services. 

It is vitally important to keep the tradition of the Memorial Day convoy procession and remembrance service alive, and keep the meaning of ‘memorial’ in this sacred day. This will be Owego’s 130th Memorial Day and 155th for the nation. 

Special Project

Just above Turner’s Bridge is the sign for the Route 38 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway of Valor. Heavy traffic sees the sign every day. That green marker and Highway Route 38 remembers Fallen Heroes and those who gallantly fought in the Vietnam War. What about a beautiful bed of flowers planted in the rocky terrain? It’s a patriotic job of remembrance for someone to do before Memorial Day. 

With additional recommendations, contact Glenn A. Warner Post 1371 Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Day Chairman Jim Raftis by email to jraftis2@stny.rr.com.