Goshen: 'Our duty to remember'

By Geri Corey
GOSHEN — Although the morning was cloudy, threatened rain, and the slight breeze was chilly, the sentiments expressed at Goshen’s Memorial Day services, held after the parade at the Everett Monument, were warm and inspiring.
The Goshen community was reminded of the sacrifices made by many so that Americans can live in peace. With the raw pain of loss still evident, several speakers spoke through choked emotions of personal losses that they suffered because of past wars. Town of Goshen Supervisor Doug Bloomfield told of the battlefield death of a close boyhood friend who served his country in Vietnam at the same time he did.
Guest speaker, West Point graduate and Army veteran Patrick Davis, too, spoke of the death of a fellow serviceman who he had “quickly become brothers” with during their first deployment to Iraq in 2005.
Having spent full days together in a HMMWV, Davis said, “We talked. We cried. Sometimes we fought with each other. We always had each other’s back. Always.“ Later in 2010, his friend Kevin was deployed once more, this time to Afghanistan. Very early in this deployment, Davis learned that his close friend was killed in action, just after he had announced that his wife was expecting their first child.
“Today, it is our duty to remember,” Davis told onlookers, adding that nearly 7,000 patriotic Americans gave their all since 9-11; 258 died in the Gulf War; 58,000 died in the Vietnam War; over 36,000 perished in the Korean War; 405,000 died in World War II; 117,000 lives were lost in World War I.
“All the stories of those who gave all are just as heart wrenching, real, awe inspiring, and heroic,” said Davis. “For those of us here, it is our duty to make sure their stories survive. To make sure they are not forgotten..”
Elmer Budd was Grand Marshall of this year’s Memorial Day Parad. Village Mayor Kyle Roddey praised Budd for his devotion to the community. “Elmer Budd has given his life to the community. He served here and overseas, always making one decision, ‘What’s the right thing to do?’ The community is safer because of him,” said Roddey.
Budd, also asks us to remember the fallen. “We must remember them, so they didn’t die in vain,” he said. “Remember their sacrifice; remember their families who sacrificed; and remember those who gave their all so they didn’t die in vain,” said Budd.
Budd was honored to be Grand Marshall of the parade that was led off by American Legion Post #377 and Veterans of Foreign War Post #1708 combined color guard led by Commander Ray Quattrini; it was followed by the Goshen High School Marching Band, boy scouts troops, children’s groups, fire engines from Cataract Engine and Hose, Minisink, Hook and Ladder and Dikeman Engine and Hose fire departments, GOVAC vehicles, and more.
“It’s important to recognize veterans. I feel there’s not as much spirit as there used to be in this country. I feel we had to serve, now it’d be difficult to instigate the draft again,” said Donald Moran, a veteran of the Vietnam War who came to observe the ceremony.
Anthony Kolodziejsky, a veteran who served in the Philippines during WWII, came to the ceremony to hear the names of the men who lost their lives in service to respect them. Anthony had three brothers who also served during the war. “We all made it home,” said the 95-year-old, who proudly sang along with Lauren Luck during her delivery of “God Bless America.”
After Boy Scouts read the names of those from Goshen who gave their lives for freedom, Joe Burns delivered a mournful bagpipe performance of “Amazing Grace.” This was followed by a 21-gun salute, led by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 1708, Captain Ray Quattrini. “Taps” played by two buglers concluded the ceremony.
The event was a co-operative affair with local veterans organizations, the Village of Goshen, the Goshen Village Police, the Department of Public Works, GOVAC, and the Goshen Fire Departments.