Veterans Day ceremony at VFWs Warner Hall

Veterans Day

In November 1918, in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the month, General Perishing ordered Hartley Edwards to sound Taps. Edwards stood next to a railcar in the Forest of Compiegne and did what he was told. Later, Edwards learned he blew the call that signified the end of the Great War – Armistice Day, a day to celebrate peace, and then 36 years later Veterans Day, when Americans celebrate all of our veterans, living and dead. 

Glenn A. Warner Post 1371 Honor Guard Bugler Steve Palinosky will blow taps at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 11, in Warner Hall to begin Veterans Day 2022 for Owego and Tioga County veterans and the general public. He’ll also sound The National Anthem after the VFW Honor Guard posts The Colors, and Deacon Michael Donovan offers the invocation and later benediction. Outside fire and emergency sirens, chimes and church bells ring 11 times. Flags are full staff.  

The Warner Hall PA is provided by T&K volunteer, Gordon Ichikawa. Live WEBO coverage will be provided by Dave Radigan. Jim Raftis will emcee for the 56th year and remembers the 35th dedication of the Tioga County Veterans Memorial, gifted from Tioga County on Owego’s 200th Anniversary.  

Al and Monica Eaton will discuss their experiences as volunteers on last month’s Twin Tiers Honor Flight Mission 13. Al and Monica have served as Guardians on three Honor Flight Missions – 5, 12 and 13. 

Al is a USMA graduate and Navy veteran who flew anti-warfare submarine missions on the P-3 Orion aircraft. He is the founder and past president of the Southern Tier Veterans Support Group. STVSG is a non-profit that serves veterans living in 14 counties of the Southern Tier of New York and the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania. It has been serving veterans since 2011.

Al and Monica have been married 47 years. They have two sons and two granddaughters. 

Vietnam Bronze Star Recipient Sgt. Danny Baker is one of the organizers of the NYS Route 38 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway of Valor Memorial Ride. In Vietnam with the 101st Airborne, Baker was the first commander of Chapter 377 of the Vietnam Veterans of America. 

The 100-mile ride from Owego to Hannibal honors Vietnam veterans, especially two Medal of Honor Recipients – USMC 2nd Lt. Terrance Graves of Groton and Army SP4 Robert Stryker of Throop. Danny will look back on the 14-year history. 

Danny is a retired Ithaca Police Officer, coached football and baseball, initiated two programs with the Youth Bureau, 8,000 inner city kids to an amusement park for a day and toys to the needy, since the 1970’s. He’s run VA clinics for substance abuse and PTSD. 

A moment of silence will remember The Flats oldest resident, 100-year-old Elaine Warner Kravic. She’s the sister of WWII Fallen Hero Glenn A. Warner for whom the post is named. The OFA graduate was the post’s first Owego soldier killed in Europe. The Mother of Post 1371 Nina Warner and Elaine have visited Glenn’s grave in Margraten, Netherlands, not far from where he was killed. Erwin Flohr of the Netherland will remember Elaine. 

Elaine and John Kravec were married for 39 years. She worked in the Owego Endicott Johnson plant. Elaine was an avid bowler who coached junior bowlers. 

Mike Middaugh will cover the new PACT Act legislation and Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Act of 2022. In addition, the Director of the Tioga County Veterans Service Agency will talk about their new ETS Sponsorship and Dwyer Programs. 

The WWI battlefield was a place where no life could flourish or even survive. After the fighting ceased and the bombing stopped, the ravaged land began to heal as nature took its course. During the healing process, red poppies bloomed and gave new life to the death-tainted landscape of WWI. 

Canadian physician, Lt. Col. John McCrae, wrote a heart-wrenching poem, “In Flanders Fields.” Vietnam Veteran Lew Sauerbrey will read the poem on the 104th anniversary depicting the visage of the war-torn, poppy-filled battlefields.  

Dorolyn Perry will share the VFW Auxiliary’s Buddy Poppy Program, and their support to local veterans. 

Not forgotten on the POW/MIA Table are the prisoners and missing, especially four from Tioga County still in North / South Korea.

Retired USAF Combat Flight Nurse Danielle Ingram will recognize the Commander of the VFW Post 1371 Honor Guard George Carrigan for his service in the military and community with a quilt from the Alley Quilters.

Bring wartime memorabilia. Marie Ward will display a book of WWII Letters Home. Ryan Trenchard’s book of Fallen Heroes buried in Tioga County cemeteries will be on display, and Gary Mattschek will wear a WWI uniform. Wear your service uniform. Proudly display your valor medals.

Northern Tier Veterans from Newark Valley, Richford and Berkshire and their wives, widows and widowers are invited to a free Veterans Day dinner at 4 p.m. on Friday in the Newark Valley Fire Station, sponsored by the Newark Valley Historical Society.    

Your ideas for the program are welcome. Contact Jim Raftis by email to jraftis2@stny.rr.com.

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