Veterans Day In Port Washington: Parade And Service Planned

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — Thousands of spectators are expected to line the streets of downtown Port Washington Thursday for its annual Veterans Day parade and ceremony.

Hosted by the American Legion Post 509 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1819, the event honors military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

The parade kicks off around 10:30 a.m. and runs from Campus Drive to the John Philip Sousa Memorial Bandshell at Sunset Park. A service is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. at the Bandshell with performances from the Nassau County Firefighters Pipes and Drum Band.

"I know for everyone Thursday is Veterans Day — but to (veterans), every day is Veterans Day," VFW Commander John Baptisto Fiore told Patch.

"We keep the passion alive for those who came before us, for those who are next to us, and for those who are ahead of us," he added. "We took an oath and raised our hands in the same way. Whether we were out in the bushes in Vietnam, or in a warehouse moving materials around, it doesn't matter. We are all veterans."

Fiore, who served in the U.S. Army's 1st Cavalry Division during the Vietnam War, said Port Washington and the surrounding communities are very supportive of veterans — and that they come out in droves every year to cheer them on. In fact, by one Port Washington police officer's estimate, Fiore said there were as many as 11,000 people in attendance one year, pre-pandemic.

"Besides honoring our veterans which is first and foremost in our minds, it's nice to know we are thanked for what we did," Fiore said. "And I take this very seriously."

Patch has reached out to American Legion Post 509 and Port Washington North Mayor Bob Weitzner for comment.

Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was established as a federal holiday in 1938 to honor the end of World War I, which took place on Nov. 11, 1918.

After receiving feedback from veterans groups, Congress in 1954 amended the legislation to strike the word "Armistice" and replace it with "Veterans."

In 1968, legislation was signed that gave federal workers three-day weekends by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. However, many states didn't agree with the decision and instead celebrated the holidays on their original dates. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed on Oct. 25, 1971.

Four years later, President Gerald Ford signed into law legislation that returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of Nov. 11, beginning in 1978.

Below is a schedule of events at Bandshell:

America the Beautiful

Nassau County Firefighters Pipes and Drum Band

11 a.m. — Bell Ringing for the 11th-hour end of WW1

Larry Tuck
Treasurer, American Legion Post 509

Introduction

Fred Falconer
Vice-Commander, American Legion Post 509

Invocation (Uncover/Cover)

Rev. Charles Vogeley
Chaplain, Port Washington Fire Department

Amazing Grace

Nassau County Firefighters Pipes and Drum Band

Pledge of Allegiance

Paul Oleksiw
Adjutant, American Legion Post 509

National Anthem (present arms/order arms)
Robert Breslin, Soloist

Veterans Day Address

John Baptisto Fiore
Chaplain, American Legion 10th District (Nassau, Suffolk, and Queens)

Military Tribute Song

Nassau County Firefighters Pipes and Drum Band

We remember now those who we lost in the past year.

(Sal DeFeo, Ed Sheridan, Art Wade Include Police and Fire Dept. Veterans)

Going Home

Nassau County Firefighters Pipes and Drum Band

In Flanders Fields

John Chalker
Past Commander, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1819

Taps

John Sabatino
Commander, American Legion Post 422

Benediction (Uncover/Cover)

Rev. Charles Vogeley
Chaplain, Port Washington Fire Department

God Bless America

Robert Breslin, Soloist