We need your help for the NY Run For The Fallen

These are the Heroes that we will be honoring next June on our NY Run For The Fallen;

Please contact Honor and Remember -NY Chapter with your  Heroe’s picture & bio for the Mile Markers and website ; nychapter@honorandremember.org 

Date	Name	Rank	Branch
4/13/2003	Acevedo, Joseph	Commander	U.S. Navy
10/26/2005	Acevedoaponte, Ramon A.	Sergeant 1st Class	U.S. Army
10/28/2004	Akintade, Segun Frederick	Specialist	U.S. Army National Guard
8/6/2007	Alcantara, Juan M.	Corporal	U.S. Army
12/5/2010	Aleman, Nicholas J.	Sergeant	U.S. Marine
3/2/2005	Ali, Azhar	Specialist	U.S. Army National Guard
9/12/2009	Allen, Nekl B.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
1/17/2007	Alomar, Joseph D.	Petty Officer 2nd Class	U.S. Navy
2/15/2005	Arciola, Michael A.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
10/9/2006	Arechaga, Julian M.	Sergeant	U.S. Marine
8/6/2009	Argentine, James David	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
8/7/2007	Armand, Reynold	Corporal	U.S. Marine
10/6/2005	Armstead, Moses E.	Sergeant 1st Class	U.S. Army
11/9/2004	Auchman, Steven E.	Master Sergeant	U.S. Air Force
4/6/2005	Ayala, David	Chief Warrant Officer	U.S. Army
11/7/2004	Baker, Brian K.	Specialist	U.S. Army
4/12/2006	Bandhold, Scott M.	Corporal	U.S. Army
11/23/2005	Bass, Aram J.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
5/31/2007	Baylis, Matthew E.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
4/3/2009	Beard, Daniel J.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
12/4/2004	Behnke, Joseph O.	Corporal	U.S. Army National Guard
7/26/2007	Bilbrey Jr., Charles E.	Specialist	U.S. Army
10/26/2009	Bishop, Keith R.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
3/22/2007	Bogrette, Henry W.	Corporal	U.S. Marine
11/10/2010	Bolen, Edward H.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
6/16/2011	Bradley, Mark A.	Sergeant	U.S. Marine
1/24/2009	Brennan, Julian T.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
4/11/2004	Brown, Nathan P.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army National Guard
4/25/2004	Bruckenthal, Nathan B.	Petty Officer 3rd Class	U.S. Coast Guard
3/23/2003	Burkett, Tamario Demetrice	Private 1st Class	U.S. Marine
12/19/2003	Bush Jr., Charles E.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army Reserve
2/1/2006	Bustamante, Marlon A.	Specialist	U.S. Army
5/22/2007	Butcher Jr., Steve	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
11/30/2004	Calderon, Pablo A.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
10/29/2007	Calero, Jeffrey R.	Major	U.S. Army National Guard
4/20/2005	Cannan, Kelly M.	Corporal	U.S. Marine
3/18/2004	Chan, Doron	Specialist	U.S. Army Reserve
12/20/2002	Checo, Steven	Sergeant	U.S. Army
10/3/2011	Chen, Danny	Private	U.S. Army
5/4/2013	Christian, Eric D.	Staff Sergeant	U. S. Marine
4/30/2012	Clark, Bruce K.	Captain	U.S. Army
6/8/2013	Clark, Todd J.	Lieutenant Colonel	U. S. Army
1/29/2004	Clemens, Shawn M.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
4/29/2005	Cooper Jr., Charles S.	Private	U.S. Army
8/19/2011	Cordo, Douglas L.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
11/27/2007	Cortes, Isaac T.	Private	U.S. Army
11/3/2007	Covert Jr., Dwane A.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
9/7/2011	Crawford, James K.	Comandor	U.S. Navy
6/7/2005	Crowe, Terrence K.	Lieutenant Colonel	U.S. Army Reserve
8/21/2004	Cuming, Kevin A.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
8/17/2009	Damas, Leopold Fred	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
10/21/2005	Davey, Seamus M.	Corporal	U.S. Marine Reserve
4/24/2005	Defazio, Robert W.	Specialist	U.S. Army
12/25/2006	Denfrund, Jason C.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
12/2/2012	Denier, Anthony J.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
3/8/2009	Devoe, II, Patrick A.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
3/31/2008	Dhanoolal, Dayne D.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
3/5/2010	Dikcis, Alan N.	Specialist	U.S. Army
4/4/2005	Dill, Christopher W.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army Reserve
11/13/2004	Dima, Catalin D.	Sergeant	U.S. Army Reserve
10/31/2012	Domion, Alex F.	Corporal	U.S. Marine
9/19/2005	Dooley, Mark H.	1st Lieutenant	U.S. Army National Guard
4/22/2004	Dunham, Jason L.	Corporal	U.S. Marine
11/26/2006	Dunn, Jeannette T.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
6/26/2008	Dykeman, Philip J.	Captain	U.S. Marine
11/29/2004	Engeldrum, Christian P.	Sergeant	U.S. Army National Guard
5/14/2006	Engeman, John W.	Chief Warrant Officer 4	U.S. Army
3/17/2004	Esposito, Jr., Michael J.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
6/8/2005	Esposito, Phillip T.	Captain	U.S. Army National Guard
5/25/2003	Evans Jr., David	Private	U.S. Army
1/26/2007	Fairlie, Nathan P.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
1/20/2007	Falter, Shawn Patrick	Private	U.S. Army
7/4/2008	Farkas, Daniel	1st Lieutenant	U.S. Army
8/17/2010	Farley, Derek J.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
4/28/2014	Farrell II, Shawn M.	Sergeant	U. S. Army
12/1/2004	Fisher, David M.	Sergeant	U.S. Army National Guard
11/13/2003	Fletcher, Jacob S.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
12/10/2005	Floyd Jr., Clarence L.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
1/1/2009	Francesconi, Alberto	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
8/11/2011	Frank II, Edward J.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
9/20/2003	Friedrich, David Travis	Sergeant	U.S. Army Reserve
4/6/2007	Fuentes, Daniel A.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
8/31/2003	Fuller, Chad C.	Specialist	U.S. Army
11/16/2007	Ganczewski, Steven C.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
11/14/2006	Garcia, Justin R.	Corporal	U.S. Army
12/4/2004	Gasiewicz, Cari Anne	Sergeant	U.S. Army
11/19/2004	Gavriel, Dimitrios	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
3/20/2009	Geary, Daniel J.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
4/11/2008	German, Merlin	Sergeant	U.S. Marine
1/9/2002	Germosen, Scott N.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Marine
7/27/2012	Glende, Theodore M.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
8/16/2006	Glover, Michael Dennis	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine Reserve
4/28/2006	Gomez, Jose	Sergeant	U.S. Army
3/16/2006	Gonzalez, Carlos M.	Corporal	U.S. Army
10/27/2009	Gonzalez, Luis M.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
4/4/2003	Gooden, Bernard George	Corporal	U.S. Marine
11/3/2012	Gornewicz, Brett E.	Specialist	U.S. Army
8/5/2014	Greene, Harold J.	Major General	U. S. Army
1/6/2008	Gudridge, James D.	Specialist	U.S. Army
4/22/2008	Haerter, Jordan C.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
12/3/2006	Haines, Kenneth W.	Specialist	U.S. Army
5/8/2009	Hartford, Justin P.	Private	U.S. Army
12/28/2005	Hasenauer, Jason D.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
11/15/2006	Haynes, Schuyler B.	Sergeant 1st Class	U.S. Army
7/24/2003	Heighter, Raheen Tyson	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
2/27/2007	Henry Jr, Lorne E.	Corporal	U.S. Army
6/2/2009	Hernandez I, Roberto A.	Specialist	U.S. Army
7/12/2006	Hernandez Jr., Irving	Sergeant	U.S. Army
10/4/2009	Hill, Kevin O.	Specialist	U.S. Army
9/9/2007	Hollinsworth, Courtney	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
6/28/2005	Hornedo, Manny	Sergeant	U.S. Army National Guard
9/26/2005	Howe, Casey E.	Sergeant 1st Class	U.S. Army
5/5/2006	Howick, Christopher T.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
8/1/2006	Hsia, Hai Ming	Specialist	U.S. Army
1/20/2010	Hurt, Gifford E.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
4/6/2003	Huxley Jr., Gregory Paul	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
12/3/2004	Irizarry, Henry E.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army National Guard
12/4/2001	Jakes Jr., Michael J.	Electrician’s Mate Fireman Apprentice	U.S. Navy
10/10/2005	James II, Leon G.	Lieutenant Colonel	U.S. Army
11/3/2012	Jayne, Ryan P.	Specialist	U.S. Army
11/8/2003	Jimenez, Linda C.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
11/18/2001	Johnson, Benjamin	Electronics Technician 3rd Class	U.S. Navy
11/3/2003	Johnson, Rayshawn S.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
9/16/2010	Johnson, Timothy L.	Specialist	U.S. Army
12/26/2009	Johnston, Jason M.	Specialist	U.S. Army
10/24/2010	Jones Jr., David R.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
10/26/2009	Jones, Eric A.	Captain	U.S. Marine
3/17/2007	Kaiser, Anthony A.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
8/8/2005	Kalladeen, Anthony N.	Sergeant	U.S. Army National Guard
8/8/2012	Kennedy, Thomas E.	Major	U.S. Army
9/15/2003	Kimmerly, Kevin C.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
6/8/2010	Klusacek, Erick J.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
3/9/2005	Koch, Matthew A.	Specialist	U.S. Army
4/13/2004	Kolm, Kevin T.	Corporal	U.S. Marine
12/6/2006	Krege, Travis C.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
10/27/2005	Kremm, Jared J.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
3/9/2010	Kropat, Jason M.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
3/17/2004	Lagman, Anthony S.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
11/8/2004	Lam, Jeffrey	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine Reserve
4/4/2011	Lammerts, Michael S.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
7/28/2004	Lane, Shawn A.	Gunnery Sergeant	U.S. Marine
10/1/2006	Lannaman, Denise A.	Sergeant	U.S. Army National Guard
7/23/2009	Lasher, Jeremy Scott	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
1/1/2005	LeBrun, Jeff	Specialist	U.S. Army
6/8/2013	Leonard, Jaimie E.	Major	U. S. Army
2/27/2006	Lewis, Dwayne Peter R.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
5/11/2006	Licalzi, Michael L.	2nd Lieutenant	U.S. Marine
11/5/2007	Linde, John D.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
2/19/2004	Ling, Roger G.	Specialist	U.S. Army
12/14/2012	Lipari, Kevin E.	Sergeant 1st Class	U. S. Army
10/15/2006	Lootens, Jonathan E.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
4/16/2005	Lozada Jr., Angelo L.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
5/30/2007	Lundin, James E.	Specialist	U.S. Army
3/2/2005	Lwin, Wai Pyoe	Specialist	U.S. Army National Guard
10/31/2004	Lynch, Matthew D.	1st Lieutenant	U.S. Marine
10/6/2010	Lynch, Scott A.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
9/27/2006	Lyons, James N.	1st Lieutenant	U.S. Army
9/24/2009	Malone, John J.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
6/21/2008	Mangano, Anthony L.	Specialist	U.S. Army National Guard
9/24/2006	March Jr., Howard S.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
11/29/2001	Maria, Giovanny	Private	U.S. Army
6/20/2007	Martin, Shawn P.	Sergeant	U.S. Marine
12/14/2004	Martinez, Victor A.	Specialist	U.S. Army
7/2/2006	Mason, Collin T.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
9/24/2004	Mateo, Ramon	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
11/12/2004	Matteson, James C. “J.C.”	Sergeant	U.S. Army
9/2/2008	May, Patrick W.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
2/23/2009	Mayne, Michael L.	Corporal	U.S. Army
3/9/2005	Mazur, Alec	Petty Officer 1st Class	U.S. Navy
6/28/2005	McGreevy Jr., Michael M.	Lieutenant	U.S. Navy
6/26/2008	McKay, Joseph A.	Sergeant 1st Class	U.S. Army National Guard
4/5/2004	McKeever, David M.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
8/16/2006	McKenna IV, John James	Captain	U.S. Marine Reserve
7/27/2003	McMillin, Heath A.	Sergeant	U.S. Army National Guard
8/2/2005	McNaughton, James D.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army Reserve
11/14/2003	Medina, Irving	Specialist	U.S. Army
12/21/2004	Melo, Julian S.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
4/27/2006	Mendez, Bobby	1st Sergeant	U.S. Army
2/5/2006	Mercedes Saez, Sergio A.	Specialist	U.S. Army
6/21/2010	Miller, David T.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
7/31/2008	Mitchell, Andre Darnell	Specialist	U.S. Army
9/17/2009	Monroe, Jeremiah J.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
6/21/2007	Montenegro II, Alphonso J.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
10/14/2005	Moreno, Fabricio	Petty Officer 3rd Class	U.S. Navy
1/29/2004	Moreno, Luis A.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
4/1/2006	Moshier, Timothy J.	Captain	U.S. Army
4/26/2012	Mosko, Christopher E.	Lieutenant	U.S. Navy
2/25/2008	Mowl, Kevin S.	Specialist	U.S. Army
6/28/2005	Murphy, Michael P.	Lieutenant	U.S. Navy Reserve
9/17/2008	Naqvi, Mohsin A.	1st Lieutenant	U.S. Army
9/17/2005	Nelom, Regilio E.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
10/1/2006	Nelson, Mario	Sergeant	U.S. Army
8/28/2008	Nieve, Jorge L. Feliz	Specialist	U.S. Army
7/10/2011	Nieves Jr., Rafael A.	Specialist	U.S. Army
4/8/2004	Nieves, Isaac Michael	Specialist	U.S. Army
1/17/2005	Obaji, Francis C.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army National Guard
4/8/2009	Oleski, Blaise A.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
8/28/2013	Ollis, Michael H.	Staff Sergeant	U. S. Army
10/2/2006	Oremus, Michael K.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
3/22/2003	Orlowski, Eric James	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
11/16/2010	Ortiz Rivera, Javier O.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Marine
6/15/2010	Osborn, Benjamin D.	Specialist	U.S. Army
8/13/2007	Pacificador, Paulomarko U.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
6/26/2008	Palmateer, Mark C.	Specialist	U.S. Army National Guard
5/4/2006	Parker, Elisha R.	Sergeant	U.S. Marine
8/27/2004	Perez, Luis A.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army Reserve
4/24/2004	Pernaselli, Michael J.	Petty Officer 1st Class	U.S. Navy
4/19/2005	Pfister, Jacob M.	Corporal	U.S. Army
5/4/2013	Phillips IV, Francis Gene	Staff Sergeant	U. S. Army
6/9/2010	Plank, Michael G.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
11/7/2005	Pope II, Robert C.	Corporal	U.S. Army
5/7/2005	Postal, Michael V.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
10/10/2004	Prevete, James E.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
2/16/2005	Pusateri, Christopher M.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
2/21/2007	Ramirez, Angel R.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
7/20/2006	Ramon, Julian A.	Corporal	U.S. Marine
2/9/2007	Regan, James J.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
12/13/2012	Reid, Nicholas J.	Staff Sergeant	U. S. Army
11/24/2005	Reynolds, Steven C.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
8/8/2005	Rios, Hernando	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army National Guard
4/2/2007	Ritzberg, Brian E.	Specialist	U.S. Army
9/14/2007	Rivadeneira, Jonathan	Specialist	U.S. Army
10/18/2009	Rivera, Daniel J.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
3/7/2007	Rivera, Michael D.	Specialist	U.S. Army
2/9/2004	Robbins, Thomas D.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
9/10/2003	Robsky Jr., Joseph E.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
3/27/2003	Rodriguez, Robert Marcus	Corporal	U.S. Marine
6/28/2013	Rogers, Justin R.	Sergent	U.S. Army
9/2/2012	Rookey, Kyle R.	Specialist	U.S. Army
11/20/2004	Roustum, David L.	Sergeant	U.S. Army National Guard
8/15/2005	Ruiz, Jose L.	Specialist	U.S. Army
12/6/2006	Ryndych, Yevgeniy	Sergeant	U.S. Army
11/20/2005	Sacco, Dominic J.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
12/27/2005	Sage, Lance S.	Specialist	U.S. Army
5/18/2003	Sahib, Rasheed	Specialist	U.S. Army
7/17/2005	Sanchez Jr., Efrain	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
6/16/2006	Sanchez, Ian T.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
4/23/2010	Santora, Jason A.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
7/21/2007	Scherer, Christopher G.	Corporal	U.S. Marine
6/30/2011	Schneider, Kyle R.	Corporal	U.S. Marine
10/15/2004	Schramm, Brian K.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
2/25/2006	Schuster, Benjamin C.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army National Guard
9/3/2011	Scott, Christopher J.	Specialist	U.S. Army
6/21/2008	Seabrooks, Andrew	Sergeant	U.S. Army National Guard
6/21/2010	Serwinowski, Timothy G.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
11/5/2007	Shaw, Daniel J.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
1/16/2008	Sigsbee, John P.	Specialist	U.S. Army
4/2/2003	Smith, Eric Allen	Chief Warrant Officer (CW3)	U.S. Army
1/24/2010	Smith, Zachary D.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
6/4/2011	Snyder, Devin A.	Specialist	U.S. Army
2/17/2006	Sovie, Nicholas J.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
4/6/2005	Struble, Sascha	Specialist	U.S. Army
2/8/2008	Sweet, Jack T.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
1/15/2005	Swindell, Nathaniel T.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
10/22/2008	Taylor, Deon L.	Specialist	U.S. Army National Guard
4/11/2003	Tejeda, Riayan Augusto	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Marine
6/4/2010	Theinert, Joseph J.	1st Lieutenant	U.S. Army
6/25/2010	Thompson, Blair D.	Specialist	U.S. Army
7/17/2011	Thompson, Jabari N.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
11/4/2009	Tirador, Amy C.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
3/27/2004	Toney, Timothy	Master Sergeant	U.S. Marine
4/27/2005	Tremblay, Joseph S.	Corporal	U.S. Marine Reserve
9/26/2005	Tuliau, Tulsa T.	Master Sergeant	U.S. Army
6/12/2002	Tycz II, Peter P.	Sergeant 1st Class	U.S. Army
8/9/2008	Ulloa, Jose E.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
11/29/2004	Urbina, Wilfredo F.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army National Guard
10/1/2004	Uvanni, Michael A.	Sergeant	U.S. Army National Guard
5/11/2006	Vahaviolos, Steve	Corporal	U.S. Marine
6/23/2005	Valdez, Ramona M.	Corporal	U.S. Marine
6/9/2006	Velez, Jose M.	Sergeant	U.S. Army Reserve
11/3/2012	Venne, Dain T.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
9/29/2007	Vidhyarkorn, Chirasak	Specialist	U.S. Army
6/22/2012	Voelke, Paul C.	Major	U.S. Marine
1/6/2005	Vonronn, Kenneth G.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army National Guard
6/3/2007	Watt, Kimel L.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
7/11/2004	West, James G.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
11/5/2010	Whipple, Blake D.	Specialist	U.S. Army
5/2/2011	White, Kevin W.	Corporal	U.S. Army
3/29/2003	White, William Wayne	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
1/19/2008	Whiting, Justin R.	Staff Sergeant	U.S. Army
6/21/2006	Whyte, Nicholas J.	Lance Corporal	U.S. Marine
3/29/2003	Williams, Eugene	Sergeant	U.S. Army
10/17/2003	Williams, Michael L.	Specialist	U.S. Army National Guard
3/26/2012	Wilson III, William R.	Sergeant	U.S. Army
7/6/2007	Wilson, Le Ron A.	Private 1st Class	U.S. Army
2/12/2006	Wilson, Nicholas	Petty Officer 3rd Class	U.S. Navy
2/22/2006	Wilwerth, Thomas J.	Specialist	U.S. Army
9/3/2004	Winchester, Ronald	1st Lieutenant	U.S. Marine
5/1/2004	Witkowski, Phillip L.	Specialist	U.S. Army
11/20/2003	Wood, George A.	Captain	U.S. Army
4/1/2010	World, Frank J.A.	Sergeant	U.S. Marine
10/27/2008	Yurista, Trevor J.	1st Lieutenant	U.S. Marine

Personalized flag presented to family of Sgt. Frank J. World

 

West Seneca’s Walkway of Freedom was filled with men and women in military attire on Tuesday for the town’s 42nd annual Veterans Day ceremony.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gina Marie Pizziconi-Cupples served as the guest speaker for the event, which was held at the Walkway of Freedom near the town library.

“West Seneca should be a model for all communities in how they celebrate this day,” she said. “There is absolutely no doubt that it is due to the enthusiasm, the grit, the endurance of the town leadership and the active members of this American Legion post,” she said, referring to Post 735.

Pizziconi-Cupples said she remembers the faces of those she met in West Seneca two years ago and the warm feeling she found in the town’s welcome.

Karen Wright, director of the New York Chapter of Honor and Remember, reads a presentation on Tuesday to the family of Marine Sgt. Frank World, who died on the battlefield in Afghanistan in 2010. The family was presented with the Honor and Remember flag in a special ceremony that recognized the sergeant’s sacrifice. “That’s one of the greatest things about being in the military. It’s the stories of the people that you’ve met, the places that you’ve been, the food you’ve had, or maybe wish you had,” she laughed. “It’s those stories that as younger generations hear them may actually inspire them to also serve in the military.”

Pizziconi-Cupples said her father’s stories from his time serving in Vietnam was what inspired her to join the service and enlist just days after Sept. 11.

Town Supervisor Sheila Meegan raises hands with James Manley, chairman of the West Seneca Veterans Committee, thanking him for his work in honoring local veterans during the annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Tuesday. She said Veterans Day offers a great opportunity to reflect and reminisce about those who are still here and those who have been lost.

Tuesday’s event honored those who have served in the armed forces but also remembered the fallen, including Marine Sgt. Frank World.

 In a special ceremony, Beth World, the sergeant’s widow, was presented an Honor and Remember flag, the national symbol of public remembrance, by Karen Wright, director of the New York State chapter of Honor and Remember.

“The flag pays tribute to all service members who have lost their life as a result of serving, and the families they left behind,” Wright said.

She explained the symbolism found in the flag — the red field symbolizing the sacrifice of bloodshed and the white field below, the purity of that sacrifice.

The blue star in the center dates back to World War I when military families hung a solid blue star, representing a loved one on active duty. The gold star overlaying the blue signified that the loved one had been killed.

The folded flag beneath the star represents the flag that is handed to each family at the memorial service of a loved one. The flames above are an eternal reminder that the country will never forget.

“Marine Sgt. Frank J. World, of Tonawanda, New York, was killed on April 1, 2010,” Wright said. “He tragically lost his life while serving overseas in Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom. Sgt. World was killed in the Province of Helmand when his light-armor vehicle was hit with an improvised explosive device during a combat mission.

“Frank J. World represents all of the fallen soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice — defending our freedom,” she said.

Wright explained that the Honor and Remember flag is presented to families as the U.S. flag is presented, in a tri-fold, meant to be displayed in a shadow box as a symbol of the ultimate sacrifice for one’s country.

“The Honor and Remember flag, however, was created to respectfully say thank you and is meant to mirror the folded U.S. flag, be unfolded and proudly flown or displayed,” Wright said.

Also during the Veterans Day event, Town Supervisor Sheila Meegan pointed out the significance of the Walkway of Freedom to the community of veterans in the town.

“The town has taken great pride in this Walkway of Freedom,” she said.

Meegan said when American Legion Post 735 and the town looked at renaming Centennial Park, as the space was previously known, to Veterans Memorial Park, it was important to acknowledge the hard work of all veterans who have served and continue to serve.

The supervisor said one resident in particular understands the importance of honoring veterans.

“This is a certificate of merit to a man who I’m sure everyone here knows, and if you don’t, do yourself a favor and get to know him. His name is James Manley,” Meegan said. “I’d like to thank you for your continued service and dedication to the West Seneca Veterans Committee.”

In addition to chairing the Veterans Committee, Manley is responsible for overseeing the Walkway of Freedom and was the creative force behind the new learning stations that illustrate nine major wars and conflicts in which the U.S. has been involved. He also created a database of World War II soldiers who at some point were residents of West Seneca.

Lining the walkway are engraved bricks listing veterans who have served the United States, an homage to the country’s freedom.

“As the mother of a veteran and the daughter of a veteran, I again say thank you and God bless America,” Meegan said.

by Jennifer Waters – editor of  West Seneca Bee