Sunrise, Sunset Ceremonies Mark CG 228th Year, Honor Vets

NORTH WILDWOOD – As the sun rose Aug. 5, Coast Guard personnel raised their base flag at Lou Booth Amphitheater in honor of veterans from all branches of the military.
The flag flew over Hereford Inlet until 7 p.m., when it was lowered and folded by Petty Officer James Allen and Seaman Chris Williams. Seamen Kurt Jones and Steven Magni performed “Taps” on bugles.
With the folded flag, Allen and Williams proceeded to the seawall, followed by Tom Palmer of Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 83 performing the Coast Guard theme song “Semper Paratus” on bagpipes.
The ceremony was one of a series held on Sundays at the amphitheater throughout the summer, each week featuring the raising of a flag from a different veteran’s casket.
“(‘Sunrise on Sunday’) is bringing honor and healing for our veterans and their families so beautifully, it is humbling,” said veterans advocate Rev. Deb Moore, who started the ceremony this May.
Moore invited the Coast Guard that weekend because the previous day was Coast Guard Day, the 228th anniversary of the sea service. The members were from Coast Guard Training Center Cape May.
“Since their beginnings, the Coast Guard stepped up to protect and work arm-in-arm with every branch of the military,” Moore said.
When the Coast Guard was invited to raise a flag, they chose the flag that flies over their Cape May base, she said.
“We gave (the Coast Guard) the honor to honor a veteran of their choice as we do every week, but we know that that veteran represents all who have served and continue to serve,” Moore said. “They said, ‘We want this flag from our base to represent every part and workforce of the military and every veteran that has served.’”
About 40 witnessed the lowering of the flag. Many were local, but some were from out of town.
Bill Decollibus of Marlton awoke at 3:30 a.m. to drive to North Wildwood after his friend, Al Ihne, of North Wildwood, told him about Sunrise on Sunday.
Decollibus’ son Nicolas is a firefighter in the Air Force, and his father was a tank sergeant in World War II.
Members of the audience were invited to the podium to say the name of a veteran important to them.
“I was sitting in the front row, and my knees were shaking, because I’m a little shy,” Decollibus said. “All I had to do was say my son’s name, and I was crying. Then I said my father’s name.”
Decollibus didn’t join the military, but said he attends veterans’ ceremonies when possible to honor his father and son.
“I feel like I belong here,” he said. “I didn’t have the courage back then to sign my name…I guess that might be a regret that I have.
“Maybe this is something that will kind of make me whole again,” he continued.
On July 29, the previous week, Francisco Nieves Marrero, one of the first Puerto Rican soldiers in World War II who later enlisted with the Merchant Marines in the Korean War, was honored.
His descendants traveled from Texas for the ceremony.
“I didn’t get my dad’s flag, so they actually gave to me a flag,” said his daughter Lou Ann Baerga, who does public relations for the ceremony. “I’m really passionate about this because I don’t think we do enough or give enough.”
Moore said attendees have also traveled from Florida and New York.
“There’s no distance that can separate someone that wants to honor a hero,” she said.
Sunrise on Sunday ceremonies continue until Sept. 2 and culminate in a 7 p.m. flag-lowering every Sunday. Wawa provides free coffee and doughnuts for flag raisings. For information, visit sunriseonsunday.com
To contact Taylor Henry, email thenry@cmcherald.com.