Hampton Bays Students Honor Local Veteran On Flag Day

HAMPTON BAYS, NY — Hampton Bays school children learned about paying tribute firsthand this week when they celebrated Flag Day on June 14 and honored Army veteran Michael McAndrews.

During the school’s 35th annual Flag Day celebration, second-graders spoke about McAndrews’ life story and sang patriotic songs, read poems and even rapped to honor "Old Glory," the district said.

Some favorites were "Yankee Doodle" and "Fifty Nifty United States." Prior to the event, the students learned about the U.S. flag and its history, district officials added.

Following the ceremony, a flag was raised to honor McAndrews, who is the 77th veteran to be honored by the district.

McAndrews, who was born in the Bronx in October 1943 and graduated from Saint Helena’s High School, was employed at Con Edison as a senior customer service representative when he received his draft notice from the U.S. Army in 1965, the district said. He took a military leave from Con Ed and headed to basic training.

McAndrews was sent south to Fort Gordon, Georgia, where he completed eight weeks of basic training. He recalls the seriousness of his training — in 1965, the Army was sending more and more troops to Vietnam, he said. After completing basic training, he was assigned to advanced training with the military police.

Following training, he was granted a month’s leave, and he took a train from the East Coast to Travis Air Force Base in California for transport to South Korea, the district said.

He was assigned to the 787th MP Company at Camp Casey. Camp Casey was a large U.S. Army base located just 15 miles south of the demilitarized zone, bordering communist North Korea. Part of McAndrews’ responsibility at Camp Casey was base security, criminal investigation and providing personal security for a two-star general operating in the area, the district said.

McAndrews remembered his time as "unique," because he was able to see what life was like outside the U.S. in a completely different culture, the district said. Being a military policeman, he worked with the Korean police on several occasions.

Upon returning to the States, McAndrews completed his military obligation of providing security for a highly classified installation in Maryland. In May 1967, he was honorably discharged from the Army and returned to his job with Con Ed, where he remained for 31 years before retiring in 1998, the district said.

He lives in East Quogue and is an active and well-respected member of both the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts.

"The Hampton Bays Public Schools recognizes Michael McAndrews for his commitment to his country, family and community," the district said.