Huntington Honors 365 World War II Veterans

HUNTINGTON, NY — Two final plaques bearing the names of 365 World War II veterans were added to the Town of Huntington's World War II Memorial in October, according to a news release.

Families of the veterans were joined by local veterans groups, Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci, Town of Huntington officials, and the Huntington Veterans Advisory Board.

Five guests of honor, Huntington World War II veteran honorees, attended the ceremony: Robert Corcoran, Nick Haridopolos, Peter O’Donnell, Seymour Perlmutter, and Jack Stahl.

"We are proud to honor the memory, service and sacrifice of these 365 Huntington World War II veterans and forever memorialize their service to our country," Lupinacci stated. "It is a special honor to be here with the veterans who served and to see them receive this recognition today as we remember all of those who served alongside them."

Veterans Advisory Board Chairman Bill Ober served as master of ceremonies. Lupinacci welcomed dignitaries and town officials delivered remarks. The United States Coast Guard, Eatons Neck Color Guard and Town of Huntington Veterans’ Posts’ Color Guards presented the colors. Louis DiLeo and the Coast Guard Auxiliary Band, based out of Fort Salonga, and pipe major Thomas Falco and the Northport Pipe and Drum Band performed patriotic music for the ceremony.

World War II veteran and member of the Veterans Advisory Board, Mortimer Roberts, delivered the Pledge of Allegiance. Rabbi Yaakov Saacks of The Chai Center in Dix Hills delivered the invocation and Reverend Matthew Means of the Old First Presbyterian Church of Huntington delivered the benediction.

U.S. Army Major General Ret. Anthony Kropp, who led the original excavation for the Town's World War II Memorial with the help of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Reserves, told the crowd about his experience with the project.

Lupinacci, Kropp, and Veterans Advisory Board member Albert “Butch” Jensen, sergeant at arms for the ceremony, carried a wreath from the ceremony area to the World War II Memorial on Veterans Plaza.

The Town of Huntington World War II Memorial on Veterans Plaza honors the memory, service and sacrifice of Huntington’s World War II veterans. Under the guidance of former Veterans Advisory Board Chairman Victor Martinetti, a groundbreaking ceremony was held on May 7, 1995, to create the World War II Memorial.

The Army Corps of Engineers Reserves out of Floyd Bennett, Brooklyn, agreed to do the excavation and prepare the footing for a 40-foot foundation for the memorial. Major General Anthony Kropp, a Huntington resident, and commander of the 416 Engineer Command, helped facilitate the agreement, saving the town nearly $40,000 at the time. The World War II Memorial was dedicated on Nov. 10, 1996. Prior to Sunday’s event, there were 6,000 names on the memorial, added in four phases on 15 plaques. The two final plaques add 365 names, bringing the total to 6,365.

After significant community outreach over the past few years, the two final plaques add 365 names to the memorial, including the name of Joseph B. Bennett, a Tuskegee Airman from Halesite.

The unveiling ceremony for the final plaques was expected to take place in June 2020 but the town was forced to postpone the event due to COVID-19 gathering limitations and concerns. The delay and final proofreading of the plaque allowed for the late Bennett’s name to be added to the list on Feb. 22, 2021, the final name of 365 new names to be added to the memorial on the last two plaques.

In order to be eligible to have their name placed on the memorial, the World War II veteran must have been a resident of the Town of Huntington at any time in their life for a minimum of six months and must have served at any time between Dec. 7, 1941, and Dec. 31, 1946, with proof of service.

Lupinacci, whose maternal grandfather’s name, Joseph J. DiSpirito, appears on the memorial, and Ober were joined by Councilman Eugene Cook; Councilwoman Joan Cergol; Councilman and Deputy Supervisor Ed Smyth, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps; Town Clerk Andrew P. Raia, whose uncle James Norman Hansen, and cousins Carmine “Charles” Maltempo, Frank Meskowski, Joseph Meskowski and Julian Meskowski all appear on the memorial; Receiver of Taxes Jillian Guthman, and Superintendent of Highways Kevin S. Orelli as well as Veterans Advisory Board members: Liaison to the Supervisor Paul Kelly, Treasurer Robert Santo, Sergeant at Arms Albert “Butch” Jensen and members, including World War II veteran Mortimer Roberts, Hon. Jerry Asher, Donna Boyle, Walter Scally, Richard Serynek, and Robert Thomas.

Joining the ceremony from New York state were Sen. Jim Gaughran, whose father Raymond Gaughran appears on the memorial and Assemblyman Keith Brown, whose father, the late New York State Supreme Court Justice Harry Richard Brown, a bronze star recipient and radio operator on a B-17 bomber, and father-in-law, Louis Buffone, both appear on the memorial.

County officials at the ceremony included Legislator Sue Berland, chairperson of the Legislature's Veterans Committee; Legislator Tom Donnelly and Lieutenant Richard Roseo from the Suffolk County Police Department, Second Precinct.