The following was republished from the August 2022 article.
Hicksville Vietnam War Era Memorial Dedication Ceremony
Overview By John Tranchina - HHS 1964
Memorial Day 2022 - It was though a burden was lifted from the community after months of isolation from friends, neighbors and family, as a result of Covid restrictions. As dawn emerged the eastern sky was a clear light blue.
Spectators and participants gathered on the lawn of the Middle School to pay tribute to those who fell in combat over past and recent years. The various monuments at the Memorial Garden represent not only the fallen but past residents of the community who served this country in times of conflict.
Some of the monuments are specific to the Fallen and others are to Compliment the Community members who served either by volunteering or by conscription to serve. The Vietnam War Era Memorial represents both the living and fallen, who lived in Hicksville between 1962 and 1975.
The gathering at the Middle School started with a parade led by Hicksville's American Legion, members of the H.H.S. Marching Band, followed by various community organizations to include the H.F.D. Fire Fighters, H.F.D. Jr. Fire Fighters and Marching Band, paid for by the H.F.D. for the occasion.
The Vietnam War Era Memorial was presented and dedicated by Tommy Sullivan (Class of 1963) and was received well. I have received positive feedback from members of the community in regard to the overall effort of The Memorial Team, its construction and appearance of the monument and placement in the garden site.
Thanks to all of the people that Tommy Sullivan highlighted in his Memorial Day Presentation for answering my calls and coming up with good solutions and suggestions which made it easier to move forward with the project.
John(Jay) Tranchina
HHS Class of 1964
Dedication Ceremony Speech - Tommy Sullivan - HHS 1963
| Vietnam Memorial Dedication Part 1 (pdf) | Vietnam Memorial Dedication Part 2 (pdf) | Vietnam Memorial Dedication Part 3 (pdf) |
Dedication Ceremony Captioned Photos
Vietnam War Era Memorial shown on Memorial Day 2022 as part of Hicksville's Memorial Park;
being Celebrated by The Vietnam Veterans of America Honor Guard.
Close up of Vietnam War Era Memorial on Dedication Ceremony Day
Joe Platt, HHS Grad & Largest Single Donor to Vietnam Memorial Fund, with Jay Tranchina,
Committee Member who oversaw Memorial Construction.
Tommy Sullivan, Dedication Ceremony Speaker & MC, with attending HHS graduates
Tommy Sullivan with Jay Tranchina & Mike Melody
Original Dedication Stone for Hicksville's Veterans Memorial Park
View of WW II Memorial on Memorial Day 2022
Other Memorials within Hicksville's Veterans Memorial Park
Additional view of Memorial Gardens during Dedication Ceremony.
Memorial Day Parade Band and attendees during Memorial Day 2022 Ceremonies
This project began 15 years ago with roughly 150 names for the Memorial and was expanded to over 1,900 names when the Memorial was built. A Special Thank You goes to Adrienne Dolgin, a Hicksville alumna, who spent countless hours behind the scenes, with the help of the Hicksville Public Library staff, combing old microfilm articles for new names and details.
Also, a Very Special Thank You to our entire Memorial Committee, who contributed names for the Memorial, along with various ideas and other help. In addition to the above mentioned alumni and this writer, they include; Bob Casale, Joe Ingino, Terry Wallace and two members, who unfortunately did not live to see the Memorial built; Carl Probst and Tony Plonski.
We also could not have accomplished this Project without the dedicated help and support of the HixNews editorial staff, for whom we are especially grateful.
Further information on the disposition of names submitted for the Memorial after its construction, along with plans for the final donation of any remaining funds to worthy Veteran's causes, will be published in future issues of HixNews.
On behalf of the Project Team,
Joe Carfora
HHS 1962
A heartfelt Thank You to all of our donors to the
Hicksville Vietnam Era Memorial Project!!
Through June, 2022, 223 donors have enabled us to achieve a donation total of $41,503!!
Following is the current list of donors: Ackerman, Dr. Helen R. Andersen, Chris Anglim, Tim & Barbara Annucci, Dianne C. Arroyo, Ann & Frank Babenzien, Suzon (Cohen) Backman, Stephan Baum, Steve & Diane Bedell, Don & Janice Beltrani, Frank & Frances Bemberis, Ivars & Jeannette Bergholtz, Janet Berlenbach, Jr., John & Betty Bernett Family Best, Theresa & Joseph Birk, Robert Bocchiere, Anthony J., Jr. Boris, Joan & Joseph Brigandi, Arleen Brophy, Donald R. Brophy, Michael (In Memory) Budinich, Patricia & Richard Burke, John & Lois Calandrillo, Anthony Callejas, Ruben & Aramilda Canham, William & Rita Carey, Daniel, Jr. Carfora, Joe & Sharon Ann Carfora, Santo & Jeanne Casale, Robert Castagna, Denise & Anthony Catanzariti, Gregory & Anne Chiappone, Dolores & Robert Cheeseman, Robert & Lorraine Christianson, Donald & Kathryn Cohen, Dr. Howard Colasuonno, Steven Connelly, Linda Convery, Harold Corley, Karen Costello, William & Karren Cowell, Paul Cronin, Christopher & Patricia Cuoco, Gail Cullen, Michael Dantuono, Diana & Cousins, Pete Davis, Angela & Steve Davis, Cheryl (Proffe) & William Degnan, Ryan & Karyn Degnan, Shawn & Robyn Degnan, Walter & Karen Delaney, Robert Dethlefsen, Barbara (Bieniewicz) Dinora, Rose (Schweitzer) Dolan, James & Maryann Dunne, Patrick & Barbara Dyckman, Johanna (LoGerfo) & William Faraone, Ed Feinsilver, Rhona Appelman Fernbach, Stephen & Nancy Fippinger, Gary & Karen Fischer, Frederick & Barbara Fishman, Sheila Florio, Paulette Foster, Pete Fox, John & Joan Frassanito, Elena Marie Fulco, Philip & Valerie Fuchs, Michael Furgiuele, Peter & Martha Galke, Douglas & Mary Gallo, Francis & Frances Gavin, Thomas Germain, Joseph & Diane Germain, Michael & Elizabeth Giaccaglia, Susan Giannelli, Edward & Angela Gill, Thomas & Margaret Gordon, Eve Gowrie, Karen Guiliano, John & Barbara Hansen, Hugh Happel, Neal & Helen Healey, Laura Marie Hearon, Charles & Cathie Hearon, Philip Hellrigel, Thomas & Victoria Hemger, Marguerite & Thomas Henningsen, Charles & Charla Herfel, Paul Jr. & Alcira HFD Hook & Ladder Company 1 HHS Class of 1967 Hicksville Class of 1965 Reunion Hicksville Fire Department Hicksville High Fundraiser, 4/15/16 & 4/19 (cash donations) Hicksville High School Alumni Foundation Hicksville High School Student Government Hicksville Veterans Association/VFW Hicksville Veterans Memorial Committee Hilton, Patricia & William Hoffer, Richard & Patricia Huber, Gene & Jo Ann Imbrie, Carolyn Ingino, Joe Jaworski, Brad Jones, Robert & Marianne Katz, Carol Kaye, Nancy & John Kelly, Kathy Kenefick, Margaret & Ronald Kennedy, Joe & Mary Koziuk, Francis & Kathleen (Day) Krummenacker, Michael LaFeir, Len & Catherine Lake , Robert & Robin Lehmann, Ethel & George L. Lembke, Arthur & Dorothea Levitin, Patricia Levitt, Samuel J. (In Memory of brothers Eugene, WWII & Milton , Korea ) Libert, Elaine M Lichtenstein, Henry. Listort, Dennis Lynn, Sidney Maas, Brian Maas , Brian (In Memory of brother Palmer) Madden, Mark & Barbara Manelski, Stephen (In Memory of brother Thomas) Maniec, John Masciello, Michael Masone, Robert & Marleen McCallion, John & Janet McCormack, Ronald M. (In Memory) McIsaac, Rev. Robert M. & Margaret Melody, Michael & Susan Menghi, Ed & Jo Ann Milich, Ellen & Joseph Moos, Sanford & Marta Morton, Thomas & Francis Neri Mucchiari, Jean Muller, Ray & Maryanne Mullin, Thomas & Wendy Mulvihill, Thomas Neely, Judith Oehler, Robert A. Olivari, Irene & Lawrence Olsen, Glen & Maureen Osborne, Edward A. Osborne, Richard O'Shaughnessy, Ellen H. Ostroski, John & Maureen Otten, Robert & Leslie Peluso, Robert J., Jr. Pfaender, Richard & Lorraine Phon, Tom & Renee Piccirilli , Virginia Pietras, Robert & Victoria Pizzariella, John & Katherine Pizzo , Lorraine Platt, Joe Pohl, Kenneth & Rosemary Polanski, Christopher & Barbara Polit, Robert & Mary Ellen Plonski, Anthony J., Jr. Plonski, Anthony J., Jr. (In Memory of brother, Robert) Probst, Carl Proia, Mildred Przybyszewski, Barbara, in Honor of Cousin Ralph Kowalski Przybyszewski, Ralph & Barbara Pugarelli, Frederick Quinn, Kevin & Kathleen Recine, Vincent & Mary Reid, Maureen & George Rigdon, Alice Rivoire, Edward & Patricia Rizzo, Joyce E. Rocek, Ron Rossi, Denis Roth, Doris & Julie Rothschild, Paula Rowan, Elke & Donald Rozos, John Rozos, Michael & Sharon Rycar, Judith Sacks, Darlene Sandler, Marcia & Howard Salvino, Mary; in Honor of Father, Joseph H. Muldowney, WWII Schiavone, Kathleen & Phillip Schilling, Leona & Cliff Schlosser, Joseph & Jennifer Schrimpe, Donna Schultz, Dale & Dee Schwamb, Fred & Janet Schwartz, Fred Seritage SRC Finance Sheil, Linda Shepski, Stan & Linda Sherburne, William & Marcia Silbert, Linda & Alvin Siracusa, Lou Smith, Stephen & Lenore Starpoli, Joseph & Janet Stevens, Paul & Denise Strafer, Kenneth J. Talent for Troops Thomas, Mark & Karen Thurer, Robert & Shari Tranchina, John & Carol Traub, Richard Uusitalo, Leonard W. Van Buren, Carolyn (Fischer) Vines, Kathryn Volpe-Browne, Dorothea Walden, William Wallace, Terence K. Warshawsky, Peter W. Wassmer, Donald Weber, Walter Weiss, Harvey & Shirley Williams, Robert Wink, George W. Winkel, Fred & Barbara Winkel, Martin Woodcheke, Michael & Denise Woods Realty (Harold Woods) Zabbia, Luke & Grace Zeier, Ronald Zuckerman, Howard F.
Thank you!!
