Marine Park residents and local leaders gathered Sunday morning to pay tribute to the men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
The annual Veterans Day ceremony took place behind the Carmine Carro Community Center, where neighbors gathered to honor those who have defended the nation’s freedoms.
Assembly Member Jaime Williams, State Sen. Roxanne Persaud, Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Marty Maher and Community Board 18 District Manager Sue Ann Partnow each took the podium to speak about the courage, selflessness and enduring spirit of America’s veterans.
This year’s honorees included Maher, Rudolph A Bryant, Anthony Caputo, Rudolph D. Late and Bernard Santangelo — each recognized for their service and continued dedication to the community.
Addressing the crowd, Williams stressed that veterans’ service often goes above and beyond the call of duty.
“Thank you for coming out today as we celebrate our veterans. It’s really, really important — they have served our country, they’ve served our community — some of whom still continue to serve, whether they went to FDNY, NYPD, they’re still serving our communities,” she said. “They’re your loved ones who fought for this country.”
“We have to face the fact that every single day, our veterans — whether they’re still serving or not — if they’re wearing that uniform, that says so much,” Williams went on. “And we also see that carried on by others in uniform who continue to serve.”
Maher — a 27-year veteran of the Coast Guard who served in the Persian Gulf War — asked audience members who’ve served to “stand and wave.”
“Nobody hates war more than the veterans. Across all the services — whether they served abroad or not — the sacrifice they make is just amazing,” he said. “Being away from your family, being away from home and friends, being away from that free life that we so often take for granted.”
The Parks Chief of Staff, a former boatswain’s mate in the Guard, has been involved with the Boy Scouts of America for more than 45 years — an organization he said on Sunday shares many of the same values as veterans.
“The Boy Scouts — their basic principles are duty to country, duty to others, and duty to self — and our veterans truly embody that,” he said, calling out honoree Caputo — a United States Air Force veteran who, at a young age, restored local POW/MIA flags around the borough as part of his work as an Eagle Scout. “He went on to continue that spirit of service, and for that, we are so proud.”
With reporting by Meaghan McGoldrick O’Neil
