WWII Vet Celebrates 90th Birthday; Seven Mile Island Salutes Veterans

SEVEN MILE ISLAND — U.S. Army veteran Frank D’Elia turned 90-years-old this Veterans Day. He celebrated by attending veterans ceremonies here.
D’Elia was born Nov. 11, 1919, on the day Armistice Day was declared by President Woodrow Wilson to honor the soldiers who fought in World War I.
Armistice Day was then changed to Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all who served.
D’Elia fought at the invasion of Normandy, France on D-Day in 1944.
He was a tank commander and served the military for four years.
D’Elia is a member of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 44 in Del Haven.
He has lived in Stone Harbor for 35 years after working in construction in Secane, Pa. and visited the borough since he was a young child. D’Elia joined the U.S. Army at 19-years-old, as he said most men his age had done during that time.
D’Elia now spends his days painting sketches in his garage studio and working at St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church in Stone Harbor.
He jokingly attributed his longevity to having “connections upstairs.”
Events originally planned for Veterans Plaza in Avalon were relocated indoors to Avalon Elementary School due to tropical storm Ida.
Flags of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard were raised and brought to Veterans Plaza, where they will remain.
A Coast Guard flyover accompanied the ceremony at 11:30 a.m.
Stone Harbor Mayor Suzanne Walters, Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi and several council notables from each town attended.
Pagliughi delivered a Veterans Day message and provided a brief history on each branch of the armed forces.
Walters drew winning raffle tickets at the American Legion Post 331 open house.
Legion Cmdr. Al Carusi announced that John O’Dea of Stone Harbor won the first place prize of $5,000.
Attendees warmed up from the stormy outdoors with hot dogs and chili at the legion post.
Frank Brad provided patriotic music.