LONG EDDY, NY — On December 17, the hallowed mission to honor the legions of fallen United States military personnel spanned the country, from Arlington National Cemetery outside the nation’s capital to thousands of veterans’ final resting places and other locations in all 50 states and beyond, by laying wreaths at their gravesites.

For the first time, the small riverside hamlet of Long Eddy joined in Wreaths Across America Day, a nationwide effort sponsored by Wreaths Across America (WAA). The WAA, a national nonprofit organization, was started by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The stated mission was to pay tribute to our deceased veterans, to “Remember, Honor, Teach.”

The event was presented under the auspices of the Allan Milk Memorial VFW Post 7276, the Legacy of Honor, and the Long Eddy Hose Company. Another wreath-laying was held in Roscoe.

The local post is named in honor of Allan Arlyn Milk, a native of Fremont. He served as a specialist in the U.S. Army, assigned to Company B, 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division.

He was killed in action in Bihn Dihn province, South Vietnam, on November 1, 1966, a mere six months before his 21st birthday.

According to a press release issued by the WAA, the program “started as a simple gesture of thanks that has grown into a national movement of dedicated volunteers and communities coming together to not only remember the nation’s fallen and honor their service, but to teach the next generation about the sacrifices made for us to live freely.”

In 2022, there were reportedly more than 3,100 participating locations, with more than two million volunteers joining together to make the work a reality.

The tiny Long Eddy firehouse was standing-room only, as the ceremony commenced with the assemblage reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem.

The heartfelt event was organized by Amber Mason Sullivan, president of the Long Eddy Auxiliary, with the assistance of Lauren Roman, a veteran advocate of the Sullivan County Vet 2 Vet program. It included members of the local fire department and numerous members of the tight-knit community—which, like countless other rural parts of the country, has sent thousands of its residents across the globe in defense of freedom.

“We are all proud to be Americans that live in a free society made up of many people, from many walks of life,” said Sullivan. “Lying here and in cemeteries across this nation are men and women who served our nation so that we can live fearlessly in freedom. We are free to worship as we see fit, raise our children as we see fit, and live our lives in the way we desire. We all have the opportunity to pursue success and happiness. These freedoms did not come without cost.”

Roman, an Iraq War veteran who served with the 229th Field Artillery  Unit attached to the First Armored Division, said, ”Many of you amongst us are veterans who took an oath to fight and protect the innocent and oppressed. You stood up with your nation for the sake of freedom, you answered the call, and served your country well. Today, we show a united front of gratitude and respect across the United States of America. As President Ronald Reagan said, ‘Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction’.”

With that said and done, eight members, both current and retired, of various branches of the United States Armed Forces, laid wreaths on metal stands set up inside the firehouse. Then members of the group adjourned to the nearby St Patrick’s/Halsey Cemetery, the final resting place for Long Eddy’s heroes.

Laying the memorial wreaths were, according to a contributed list, U.S. Army Reserve Sergeant Marco Torres, U.S. Marine Corps member Tom Stauch, U.S. Navy Petty Officer Doris Sharp, U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Tim Mullally,  U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant Doc Bolduc (Ret.), Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office Lt. and U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer (Ret.) Paul Slavik, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer E4 Frankie Shaver and U.S. Army Sergeant John F. Mootz, a Vietnam War veteran.

Mootz laid a wreath “in honor of the 81,600 United States servicemembers from all branches of the service, whose last known status was either Prisoner of War (POW) or Missing in Action (MIA). These individuals have never returned to their families and homes,” he said. “We shall not forget you.”

Jack Mootz, now a rather grizzled 74-year-old from Callicoon Center, NY, served two combat tours in Vietnam (1968-69) as a U.S. Army Ranger assigned to a storied Long-Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP). He can trace his predecessors from Maj. Robert Rogers “Rogers’ Rangers” in the French and Indian War of 1754-1763, to the Alamo Scouts of WWII.

“It’s a good thing, but it’s too late,” he said of the ceremony, perhaps echoing the thoughts of many vets about those whose fate is still unknown.

Moments before the memorial drew to a close, members of the military community walked up to the podium to solemnly read the names of the veterans who are buried in local graveyards.

Reading the roll call were Chrissy Mootz, Candice Milk, Doris Sharp, Lauren Roman and Christine Ringgenberg.

In addition to the 105 wreaths placed at St. Patrick’s/Halsey, others were lovingly left at several other final places of heavenly rest. The cemeteries were Rock Valley, Partridge Island, French Woods, St. Francis de Sales, Basket, Goulds, Pea Brook, Marysville and Rickard. Wreaths were also placed at three private cemeteries.

Erika Gill-Mason, now of Binghamton, was on hand to place a wreath at the gravestones of her uncle, Allan Milk, and her grandfather, Donald Milk, a veteran of the European campaign in Germany during WWII.

“It’s very important that we honor the fallen,” she said, while standing quietly in the snow-covered cemetery.

For additional information about the WAA project, email Amber Sullivan at waa@use.startmail.com and for the Sullivan County Vet 2 Vet program, email Lauren Roman, veteran advocate at lroman@atitoday.org.