A day to remember
Dunkirk honors past, present military members
Memorial Day is not a day off of work or school.
It is not a day to day drink and have a BBQ.
It is, primarily, a day to remember and honor fallen soldiers who have fought for the freedoms of past, present and future Americans — a point that was driven home by City of Dunkirk Mayor Willie Rosas during Monday’s Memorial Day services in Memorial Park.
“Memorial Day is not just another day that you have off of work. It’s not another day that you get out of school. It’s a day that we honor those who have come before us and given the ultimate sacrifice, so that we can enjoy the freedoms that we enjoy today,” Rosas said.
Many families have strong ties to those who have served in the military, as well as the city of Dunkirk itself. According to Master of Ceremonies John D’Agostino, Dunkirk’s Joseph J. Vacanti was the first person drafted in Chautauqua County in 1940.
Pvt. Vacanti served in the New York National Guard, and was stationed in Hawaii in 1942 after the attack on Pearl Harbor, where his division stayed until 1944, when it moved to Guadalcanal and landed in New Britain. His division sailed for Luzon in December of ’44 but unfortunately, Technical Sgt. Vacanti did not make the trip. He was injured while serving in New Britain, and honorably discharged in 1945.
D’Agostino then mentioned the men and women seated adjacent to him — members of the Dunkirk Joint Veterans Council, which is a group of 11 area legions, Veterans of Foreign Wars and other military-related organizations. The members fought in World War II, and today continue to battle against terrorism.
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“This is one dedicated group. They honor our deceased veterans at funerals. They assist disabled veterans. Most importantly, all have fought for our freedom,” D’Agostino said.
The Rev. Daniel P. Walsh from Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church gave the invocation.
“Lord, it is good for us to be here. We remember those who have died for our country. They tried to bring your peace and justice into the world. They gave us hope. They are with us now in our hearts, in our memory and in heaven. We remember David Baldwin, Joseph Gato and Steve Mastrelli and all who served you, Lord, and our country. Bless them, and reward them for their sacrifices. They made the nation and this world a better place. May this occasion, this Memorial Day, remind us to sacrifice for God, for our country and for the common good,” Walsh prayed.
Principal Guest Speaker was Lt. Col. Russell Clark, who served with the US Military since 1982. He was present at Ground Zero after the September 11 terrorist attacks, had deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and is the Senior Army Instructor for Dunkirk High JROTC.
Clark spoke about the importance of respect for our fallen heroes, the ultimate sacrifice less than 1 percent of our nation’s population makes and an American’s duty to honor those who have sacrificed their lives.
“As we honor those who have served and have been lost, we are reminded of their great patriotism. ‘Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends — John 15:13,'” Clark quoted. “This great town of Dunkirk and the turnout today shows that we care not only for ourselves, but for those great warriors we remember today.
“Each year, I challenge you to make it your solemn duty to honor and pray for the sacred list of brave Americans from this town who sacrificed their lives for a cause greater than themselves,” Clark said.
He stated that on Wednesday evening, a group took part in “Cemetery Flag Detail,” which is the placement of American flags on the graves of deceased veterans — not just those who lost their lives in combat, but all veterans who, at some point or another, left their lives on Earth.
Clark then revealed a very emotional detail — that his father, who carried on the Cemetery Flag Detail for years, passed away on May 16, and that he will be carrying on this tradition not only in memory of fallen soldiers, but for his father. The loss of his dad put perspective on the losses he experienced during his deployment, and reflected on how those losses differed from the loss of a family member.
“This is a labor of love my father took on for the past few years with his legion post. I lost my father to cancer Tuesday, and it struck me in a way that I didn’t expect,” Clark admitted. “Now, in Iraq, some deployed service members, my friends, I didn’t come home with. In Afghanistan, a few times, I had to medevac soldiers under my command out of country, clinging to life. My comrade, who I mentored for a little under a year, took his last breaths in my arms as as he succumbed to a bullet wound to the head from a sniper shot. But yet this bothered me more than ever.
“Honor, integrity, loyalty, respect — us veterans know what those are. We live by them. Our sons, our daughters, our family members, brothers and sisters, they look up to us, because when you enter the service, you change, and you become something greater than yourself. So today, I pledge to continue to lay those flags at the gravesides for my father. We must never forget our veterans,” Clark stated.
Lt. Chris Wilson, who serves with the USCG Sea Partners Campaign, also gave a brief statement.
“This special day, Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, a day of remembrance, was designated to honor those service men and women who so bravely gave the supreme sacrifice for our country,” Wilson explained. “There are many activities at cemeteries, at parks, at town halls. There are parades and cookouts. There’s families that celebrate Memorial Day together. A day to fly your flag honorably and proudly, just like Betsy Ross had intended when she stitched the first flag. Her inspiration and the people’s perseverance continues to endure, and our country prospers by remembering and honoring these service men and women whose unselfish acts allow us to endure. We show our gratitude as a nation with honor, ensuring our freedoms and our way of life.”
The 2017 Grand Marshall Certificates were presented to Steve Mastrelli of Dunkirk, a member of the US Army in the South Pacific and radio operator from 1944-1946, who received the victory in Europe, victory in Japan and National Defense medals; David Baldwin of Fredonia, who served with the US Army Infantry, served under Gen. George S. Patton and fought in the Battle of the Bulge; and Joseph S. Gato of Brocton, who served in the US Navy as a Seaman, Second Class Gunner’s Mate aboard the USS Missouri during the Pacific Theatre, aided in capture of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and was present aboard the USS Missouri on Sept. 2 1945 in Tokyo Bay, when Japan surrendered to the Allied Forces.
After the placing of the wreaths, the placing of the wreath on water, the firing squad, the Echo Taps and the raising of the flag, Rev. Walsh gave the benediction.
“They say there’s no atheists in foxholes, and I hope that there are no atheists anywhere; that God will bless our Armed Forces; the men and women as they struggle to bring the world to a better place. They struggle to bring peace and justice into the world. And Lord, bless us, as we, too, struggle to make this world better as we fight against evil and try to bring peace and love to our families, and to our community. Amen,” he said.
There was also a group of Steve Mastrelli’s family members, who gathered from far and wide to honor him after he was chosen to be a 2017 Grand Marshal. Family members wore t-shirts that said “Papa’s Platoon — proud of a WWII Veteran” in his honor. A combination of some of his eight children and 38 grandchildren were in attendance.
After the services were complete, attendees lined Lake Shore Drive West and Central Avenue to enjoy the Memorial Day parade, to watch servicemen and women, followed by local sports teams, bands, and more, march through the city of Dunkirk in memoriam and thanks for those who sacrifice their lives for America.
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