Bethpage-Tribune_2000-05-26

              YOUR OFFICIAL HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER
VOL 34 NO. 21 MAY26-June 1,2000 40 CENTS
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Memorial Day - May 29
(Originally Known as Decoration Day)
They SERVED and FOUGHT and DIED
so that we might be SAFE and FREE,
Grant them, O LORD, ETERNAL PEACE
and give them "THE VICTORY"!
And in these days of unrest,
filled with grave uncertainty,
Let's not forget THE PRICE THEY PAID
to keep OUR COUNTRY FREE . . .
And so, on this MEMORIAL DAY,
we offer up a prayer—
May the people of ALL NATIONS
be UNITED in THY CARE,
And grant us understanding
and teach us how to live
So we may lose our selfish pride
and learn to love and give,
And keep us eyer mindful
of the fighting men who sleep
In Arlington and foreign lands
so we may ever keep
The "light of freedom" burning
in their honor through the years
And hear their cry for PEACE ON EARTH
resounding in our ears—
Forgive us our transgressions
and "Oh, God, be with us yet'
Lest in our pride and arrogance
we heedlessly FORGET.
History of Memorial Day
The Origins of Memorial Day, or "Decoration Day" as it was first named, are remote and mixed. In the mid 1860's, it appeared that the concept of
"Decoration Day" was-an idea whose time had come. The Civil War had left the nation divided and families fractured. One inspiration for this holiday came
when Civil War veterans saw a woman and her two children placing flowers on a soldier's grave: The veterans were so moved that they decided to do the
same at other military graves. In other instances, women in the North and South, in a gesture of impartial generosity, decorated the graves of both
Confederate and Union soldiers. Soon in cities, villages and hamlets across the country, people gathered for prayer to honor the war dead and to lay flowers
upon their graves. In 1868, General John A. Logan, commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, ordered that the 30th day of May be designated
for this purpose. At least 25 groups and towns claimed to have originated the idea of decorating the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers. General James
Garfield spoke at the first national observance of Memorial Day on May 30, 1868, in Arlington National Cemetery.
While this day was initially dedicated to remember those killed in the Civil War, with the passage of time Memorial Day has become an occasion to honor
all those who died in service to the nation, from the Revolutionary War to the present, it was also seen as a time to rededicate ourselves to the ideals for
which they gave thier lives and to teach the children the importance of remembrance., In 1968, the Observance of Memorial Day was moved to the last
Monday in May.
Just as Decoration Day was an idea whose time had come during the aftermath of the Civil War, the time has now come to put Memorial back into
Memorial Day. America is Proud to Remember.
In memory of those men of Bethpage who gave their lives for their Country so we may live,
"Lest We Forget" WM
WORLD WAR II
Raymond Carriere Joseph Butehorn
Raymond Caffrey Charles Butehorn
Robert Damm Clarence Skellington
KOREAN WAR
Richard Moesch
A SPECIAL REMEMBRANCE H
For The
POW's and MIA's
Whose Final Resting Place
"Is known Only To God"
WORLD WAR, I
Archie McCord George Benkert Jr.
VIETNAM WAR
1
1st Lt. - Stephen E. Karopsczyc
LCpl - Otto Farinaro
PFC - Otto Graybow
L Cpl - Michael R. Morgan
PFC - Peter R. McCarthy
PFC - James M. Hasenflug
SP 4 - William H. Henaghan
SP 4 - Leonard F. Jantzen
Gerald W. McCaffrey
Frank Gagliado
Memorial Day
Service & Parade
Information
Memorial Day Services May 29,
2000 8 a.m. Service at the United
Methodist Church of Bethpage, 192
Broadway, Bethpage by Reverend
Judith Mills. Everyone welcomed.
9:30 am. Assembly time for all
divisions. All organizations other
than the Veterans groups and the
Fire Department will assemble in
parking fields 5 and 6 south of the
Railroad.
10 a.m. Parade time.
11 a.m. Memorial Service at the
Bethpage Community Park. The
principal guest speaker will be Major
Paul Greatsinger USMC.
In case of rain, one blast of the
fire horn at 9:30 a.m. will cancel the
parade but the Memorial Service will
take place at 11 a.m. in the rink area
of the park.
The Parade route will be North
on Broadway from Central Avenue
with the High School Band,
dignitaries, veterans groups followed
by the Fire Department, Auxiliary
and Fire equipment. All other
organizations will enter the line of
march from the parking fields south
of the RR. The parade will continue
to Benkert Street turn left and march
to Stewart Ave. turning right on
Stewart and continue north to the
Community Park.
For those who will drive to the
park, we ask that all cars be parked
at the far end of the field near the
play area. Your cooperation in doing
this will make it easier for parking the
fire equipment.
Sec. Kay Mazzie
A Time To Remember
"MEMORIAL DAY"
Vito DeFanis, Chairman of the
Memorial Day Committee, held
the last meeting on May 26, final­izing
the preparations for the pa­rade
on Monday, May 29.
The parade is ready to go. Re­member
your bicycle! Young & old
decorate your bikes and join the
parade? Meet at the south side
parking of the R.R. Station no later
than 9:30 Monday morning.
In remembrance of all our
Country's fallen Heros
The Memorial Day Committee
is asking everyone in Town to
FLY THE AMERICAN FLAG
in memory of this day.