Veterans Gather at County Veterans Cemetery for Solemn Ceremony

CREST HAVEN — Veterans Day 2010 was completely different than in 2009. This year, blue sky, sunshine and wind prevailed to unfurl the American and all other flags used during the day’s ceremonies.
The County of Cape May held its observance at the Veterans Cemetery on Crest Haven Road at 2 p.m., attended by one of the largest crowds in recent memory. Mention was made by several speakers how much better the weather was this year. Last year, rain and wind pelted participants and shortened speeches.
Master of ceremonies was Charles Adelizzi, of the county Veterans’ Bureau.
Mark Huff sang the national anthem.
Rev. Ronald A. “Smokey” Smith, pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Ocean View gave the invocation and Benediction.
Wreathes were presented by numerous county veterans’ organizations and their auxiliary units.
U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-2nd) was keynote speaker, told veterans that he was originally scheduled to be on an overseas junket, but that it was canceled, and he was honored it was, since he was among a group of the nation’s heroes.
Others who addressed the crowd were Freeholder Gerald Thornton, U.S. Coast Guard Capt. William Kelly, commanding officer of Training Center Cape May, and Vietnam veteran Bart Russell, of Ocean City.
Russell, a Marine, remembered how, on entering boot camp, their drill instructor told them, among other things, they lacked what it would take to be Marines. The voice and words stuck with him, he said.
And after being wounded in Vietnam, for which he received a Purple Heart, as well as a Bronze Star, he encountered that drill instructor gazed on him, and voiced his pride in what Russell had become, a real Marine.
Following speeches, the flag in the center of the cemetery circle was “half-staffed” by Stan Crowley, Force Master Chief, U.S. Navy retired, Marie Kayati, chief petty officer, U.S. Coast Guard, retired, and Kevin Barstow, major, squadron commander, Cape May County Composite of Civil Air Patrol.
The Ceremonial Detail rendered a rifle volley from Coast Guard Training Center, Cape May. A Coast Guard musician played “Taps”.