Hampton Bays School District Honors Local Veteran

Hamton Bays School District recently honored local veteran Walter Niels by flying an American Flag in his honor throughout the month of May.

“The Hampton Bays School district is proud to honor Mr. Niels for his service to the United States during the Korean War,” Superintendent of Schools Lars Clemensen said.

The American flag was raised during a ceremony held at the Hampton Bays Elementary School on May 22.

During the event, students sang and read Niels’ biography.

Niels, who was born in the Bronx in 1933, enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 17.

After completing boot camp at Paris Island and tank warfare training at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, he was deployed to Korea where he was assigned as to a tank battalion.

While in Korea, Niels severely injured his knee while repairing a tank and had to undergo surgery at Yakuska Naval Hospital in Japan.

Due to his injury, he was reassigned as a military police officer at Camp Fisher in Kyota, Japan.

He served in this capacity until 1954 when he was honorably discharged.

After returning to the United States, Niels began working at the New York Telephone Company as a slicer and power technician.

It was during this time that he met his wife, Barbara.

They have one daughter, Amy, who is a teacher at Hampton Bays Elementary School and are also the proud parents of two grandchildren, Elle and Chase.

Since his retirement from the New York Telephone Company in 1989, Niels earned his Masters Degree in Social Work from Stony Brook University and started a second career as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor.

He worked for various drug rehabilitation centers until 2000 when he retired again.

Niels is also the founder of a community soccer program, which the school took over in 1986.

Today, he still lives in Hampton Bays, is a member of the Post 924 American Legion’s executive board and spends as much time with his two grandchildren as he can.

Niels is pictured above with his daughter, Amy, his granddaughters Ellie and Chase and his wife, Barbara.

Photo courtesy of the Hampton Bays School District

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