About 40 people — including local veterans, members of the Star of the Sea Cadets, and community residents — gathered at Van Nest Memorial Plaza at 12:15 p.m. on Memorial Day to reflect on the meaning of the holiday and pay tribute to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the nation.
Richard Vitacco, president of the East Bronx History Forum, led the ceremony and was joined by leadership from American Legion Posts 19, 253, and 1065, who delivered remarks and paid their respects.
Earl Menard, a Vietnam veteran and commander of Post 19, reflected on how to honor those who served. “Vietnam vets never got welcomed home, so I always prefer welcome home,” he said. “Many soldiers never got the chance to come home at all.”
Ricardo Garcia, vice commander of Post 1065, noted the staggering toll of U.S. military conflicts — 1.19 million American lives lost from the Revolutionary War to the present. “We don’t talk about all the families left behind and their loved ones,” he said.
Post 253 Commander Anthony Ferrara emphasized that Memorial Day is not a celebration, but a solemn occasion. “It’s about honoring deceased veterans and a moment to grieve,” he said, before calling for a moment of silence.
District 13 City Council Member Kristy Marmorato expressed gratitude to the local veterans and organizers. “I have to tell you, you and your team do such an amazing job memorializing the residents of Van Nest who have served in war. Just to keep their memory alive makes it surreal,” she said.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson arrived near the end of the event to show her support. “We will always make sure that we carry on the legacies of their loved ones,” she said.
The ceremony concluded with a reading of the names of the fallen and a symbolic flower laying. Vitacco shared that he has been combing through New York Times archives for names of local veterans who died in service to the nation. One of those honored this year was Arthur M. Moriondo, a Navy veteran killed in action in 1943 who is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Bernadette Ferrara, president of the Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance, read the names of the fallen, organized by the war in which they served. As each name was read, veterans placed flowers at the base of the memorial, which bears panels honoring each conflict from World War II to Vietnam. White carnations symbolized youth, and red carnations represented the blood shed in service to the country.
