People living in Hicksville are very proud of their churches, schools, library, Fire Department, the Hicksville Gregory Museum, their achievements at peacetime, their heroes in wartime, their Memorial Day Parade, and some other valuable ideals. The Parade is an expression of gratitude and a way to honor heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country’s freedom and democratic ideals, which help us all to live a better life today.
This year the gathering of the parade began at approximately 8 a.m. and the marching started from the Hicksville Fire Department at 9 a.m. The parade went through Broadway, Old Country Road, and Jerusalem Avenue, ending at the Middle School Veterans’ Memorial Park.
The marching groups represented numerous Hicksville community organizations including veterans, churches, schools, the Hicksville Fire Department, the Hicksville Historical Society, the Hicksville Gardens Civic Association, the Northwest Civic Association of Hicksville, the Hicksville Soccer Club, the Knights of Columbus, and other organizations.
This year, because the weather was cloudy, the ceremony was performed in the auditorium of the Middle School. Greetings for the event were offered by several honored guests. The Nassau County Legislator Rose Marie Walker was the principal speaker of the day.
The national anthem “God Bless America” was performed by the Hicksville Public Schools Band and everyone was proud of the students and their teachers.
The Librarian of the Hicksville Public Library, James Janis, who also is an Honorary Trustee of the Hicksville Historical Society, provided photocopies of materials for this article, pertaining to the soldiers from our community. The source of these photocopied materials is the Historical Collection of Richard Evers. Richard Evers is remembered with the title “Hicksville Historian” and served many years as President of the Hicksville Historical Society and Director of the Hicksville Gregory Museum. According to these materials from the Historical Collection of Richard Evers, the names of Hicksville Heroes, who have given their lives while defending our freedoms, are listed below.
From World War I — Joseph Barry, Charles A. Wagner, Walter Wheeler.
From World War II — Fred Anderson, Henry A. Gebhart, John Halubowicz, John Haughey, James Madden, Andrew Manelski, Robert Matschat, Arthur F. Noeth, William J. Pakaluk, John Looney, Anthony Petrone, William Remy, Melvin Rohrbach, Wallace Schaefer, Ellsworth Steinert, Gregory Stock, Robert Ulmer, John Zeiler, Raymond Zeltman.
From the Korean War — Albert J. Cullen, John Jay Entsrasser, Richard Gogan, Frank Hanson.
From the Vietnam War — William A. Aldag, William Chomyk, Edward P. Jackson, Carl N. Kozma, Joseph M. Massone, Paul C. Sawtelle, Ralph Shiavonne, James E. Stolz, Stanley R. Tomasovic, Paul Walkowski, Joseph Waters, David Stanley Wilenski, James O’Neill
From the Iraq War — Kevin T. Kolm
Altogether from World War I, World War II, the Korean War,the Vietnam War, and the Iraq War, 40 Hicksville Heroes to be remembered for sacrificing their lives for our Nation. Many thanks should be credited to the Organizing Committee of the Hicksville Memorial Day Parade 2024.
–Submitted by Hicksville Historical Society’s Recording Secretary, Michael Christodoulou
