Wreaths Across America: Belleville Residents Honor Veterans

BELLEVILLE, NJ — Belleville community members on Saturday — including members of a local girl scout troop and American Legion Post 105 — placed wreaths on the headstones of some 90 veterans interred in St. Peter's Church cemetery.

The first wreath was placed my Belleville mayor Michael Melham after a prayer from Father Ivan Sciberras. Each year, Melham pays respect to Belleville's former Mayor Waters, who served in World War I.

“This annual event reminds us that we always owe these men and women a debt for their service to our country – even in death,” Melham said in a statement. “It was heart-warming to see so many Belleville residents take part in this event and remember those who served our country.”

The cemetery is the final resting place of veterans of the Spanish-American War, the Civil War, World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War, according to Belleville Historical Society president Michael Perrone.

Perrone said wreaths were also laid at the cemeteries of the Dutch Reform Church and Christ Episcopal Church, at the graves of Belleville-born veterans in nearby towns and at the graves of Medal of Honor recipients in surrounding communities.

All told, some 1.7 million headstones were laid nationwide over the weekend.