Wildwood Honors Vietnam War Dead

WILDWOOD – A procession of veteran organizations, police cruisers, fire trucks, and motorcycles made their way through the holiday traffic of Wildwood headed for the Wildwoods Vietnam Memorial Wall May 26.
The parade of Memorial Day Weekend ended with a candlelight vigil to remember the 23 Cape May County veterans who died in the Vietnam War.
It was the third annual ceremony honoring local fallen veterans organized by American Legion Post 184 and Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Chapter 955, both of Wildwood.
“I just came up with the idea,” said Post 184 Commander Harry “Shakey” Weimar, who started the parade his first year as commander three years ago. “They never had (a Memorial Day parade) in Wildwood.”
Wildwood EMT and police, Wildwood Crest Fire Department, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Cape Classic Motorcycles and Legion Riders followed Weimar’s Legion truck through town.
Joselyn Gonzalez, 7, of Rio Grande waved to passersby from a golf cart at the front of the parade. Last September, Gonzalez worked with Wildwood’s Legion post to collect items for Hurricane Harvey victims.
Weimar said the Legion invited veterans groups and fire companies in towns including Lower and Middle townships, but those organizations did not participate.
“We’re not getting a lot of support,” Weimar said. “I mean, Wildwood gives us anything we want, but Cape May County just isn’t giving us the support.
“We need to get it bigger,” he said of the parade. “It’s for the veterans; it’s for the guys that died.”
The parade ended at the memorial wall, where veterans, families of veterans, and other citizens gathered for the vigil. Legion and VVA members handed out glow sticks in place of candles.
Joseph Orlando, commander of  Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5941 in North Wildwood, led a prayer; then Rick Nelson of VFW Post 386 in Cape May recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
Attendees held up glow sticks as outgoing commander of the county Legion, Sherry Lee Govoni, and incoming commander, Norman Marlin, read the names of county veterans who died in Vietnam. Those named were as follows:
Francis John Alberts of Villas, Army sergeant
Gary Allan Boche of Villas, Army specialist
George William Coleman of Wildwood Crest, Army second lieutenant
Bruce Huppert Heil of Wildwood, Army sergeant
Charles William Lamon Jr. of North Cape May, Marine Corps corporal
Bernard J. Moran Jr. of North Wildwood, Marine Corps master sergeant
John David Smith of Green Creek, Marine Corps sergeant
Charles W. Sterling of Mayville, Army staff sergeant
Marvin George Tozour of Mayville, Army corporal
Robert A. Woodrow of Ocean City, Army specialist
James Beschen of Wildwood, Marine Corps corporal
Michael Patrick Callahan of Wildwood Crest, Army specialist
L. D. Ellis of Mayville, Army staff sergeant
William Rolland Godfrey of Tuckahoe, Army sergeant
Stanley Stephen Klecz of Wildwood Crest, Marine Corps private
George Francis Long of Tuckahoe, Army private
Bruce Michael Miley of Ocean City, Army specialist
Jon Richard Morvay of Ocean City, Navy third class
Dyke Augustus Spilman of Wildwood, Air Force major
Rodney Lee Ransom of Wildwood, Marine Corps private
William J. Wickward of North Wildwood, Army sergeant
Michael I. Crescenz of Philadelphia and Sea Isle City
Richard Corcoran of North Wildwood
The vigil concluded with Orlando performing “Taps.”
“This is a weekend that we do not call ‘Happy Memorial Day,’” said Vincent DePrinzio, president of VVA Chapter 955. “This is a weekend we pause to remember those who give their lives for us to be here, but also more importantly their families.”
“Harry [Weimar] starts planning this [ceremony] tomorrow for next year,” DePrinzio said.
On the morning of Memorial Day May 28, the Legion held another annual ceremony featuring an honor guard at Post 184 on Atlantic Avenue, volleys of fire at Memory Lane and the memorial wall, and the tossing of a wreath into the ocean.
To contact Taylor Henry, email thenry@cmcherald.com.