Newsletter for the Alumni and Friends of
Hicksville High School Hicksville, New York

The Editors:
Buffalo Bob Casale '61	Linda (Piccerelli) Hayden '60
Pat (Koziuk) Driscoll '56	Bob (Gleason) Wesley '61

Contributing Editors: Bob Gillette & Walter Schmidt

Webmaster: Roger Whitaker

To contact the editors, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Hicksville Vietnam War Era Memorial - PROJECT UPDATE

As reported last month, written tax exempt status has finally been received for the Memorial Organization.  Bill Walden is in charge of our fund raising efforts.  Please see this month's UPDATE in the Honoring Our Veterans page of this newsletter for details regarding the fund raising effort to date, along with information on how to send a donation to the Memorial Fund, which will enable us to construct, erect and maintain the Memorial once it is in place.

No new names were added in November and the Confirmed List of Names continues to stand at 1,890.  We still need the help of all readers to fill in missing data on the Confirmed List of Names and to help us qualify the names shown on the Unconfirmed List of Names.

Our appeal continues.  As Jim Rubins did for the Class of '67 in August, if we can get other class presidents and/or reunion committees to provide us with contact information on the Veterans in their respective classes who we are still missing data for, we can get this task completed.  

When you visit this month's UPDATE, please remember that clicking on the two links near the bottom of the page will bring you to the complete Confirmed and Unconfirmed Lists of Names as of the end of November.  And, If you have any new information to send us, please email it to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

We hope each and every one of you and your families enjoyed a Very Happy Thanksgiving!

On behalf of the Project Team,
Joe Carfora, HHS 1962

Bill WaldenDear Alumni

It is only fitting that with Veterans Day 2014 arriving on November 11 that we announce that we have finally received our Hicksville Vietnam Era Memorial Project tax exemption. It was the final hurdle that needed to be overcome for the project to proceed. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Joe Carfora and Ken Strafer we can now begin to bring the memorial to life.
The Hicksville Vietnam Era Memorial will be located at the Hicksville Middle School's Veterans Memorial Park . On Memorial Day 1990, through the efforts of the veterans organizations of Hicksville, the park was officially named Veterans Memorial Park and a plaque was installed designating it so. Today, there are monuments recognizing the sacrifices of Hicksville residents from WWI to the present day conflicts in the Middle East . The Hicksville Vietnam Era Memorial honoring the over 1800 men and women from Hicksville who served during the Vietnam War will be located between the WWI and WWII monuments. All Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies are held at the park.

Semper Fi,
Bill Walden

Donation checks should be made out to "Hicksville Vietnam Era Memorial Project" and mailed to Bill Walden, Cmdr. of Hicksville's VFW Post and Project Team member as follows:

Hicksville Vietnam Era Memorial Project
c/o William Walden
245 West 9th Street
Deer Park, NY 11729Your personal generosity will be very much appreciated.

Attached are a couple of pictures that help define the Vietnam Memorial

Official naming of the park in 1990The plaque as it sits todayWWII Monument Veterans Day 2013Engraver's rendering of plaque

Art Lembke sent in an article about the USS New York. Many of our readers are familiar with the story behind LPD-21 (Landing Pad Dock), but this article on our veterans page reminds us about the history of this now historic ship.

The Newsletter

Photo Gallery

Happy Holidays!!

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Honoring our Veterans

Thanks to Art Lembke for reminding us about the USS New York LPD21

The fifth San Antonio class amphibious transport dock, is the fifth ship of the United States Navy to be named after the state of New York. New York has a crew of 360 and can carry up to 700 Marines. It's a warship designed for missions that include special operations against terrorists and terrorism!!!

It is notable for using a symbolic amount of steel salvaged from the World Trade Center after it was destroyed in the September 11 attacks. It was built with 24 tons of scrap steel from the two towers.

Notice the twin towers rising above the superstructure.

 New York was christened on 1 March 2008, in a ceremony at the Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans . Dotty England , the ship's sponsor, smashed the traditional champagne bottle on the ship's bow and christened the ship New York .

The official ship commissioning took place on 7 November 2009, in New York City . Speakers included Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, Governor David Patterson, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Chief of Naval Operation Admiral Gary Roughead and Commandant of the Marine Corps General James T. Conway.

Approximately one in seven of the plank owners are from New York state, a larger number than usual.

Memory Lane

Politically Incorrect Ads

Here's an assortment of advertisements that go back a long way. It sure is strange to see how things have changed dramatically. Were we being brainwashed? Are we smarter now?

Casale's Corner

A Green Thumb

By Joseph J. Mazzella

As a boy I learned so much growing up the way I did. We didn't have very much, yet we were rich in all that mattered. My Mom, Dad, brothers, and I all lived with my Grandma in her ramshackle house built from old shanty cars. It was cold and drafty at times but we could always count on a hot meal made with love to warm our bellies and our hearts. "Nana" had an old root cellar, four different vegetable gardens and a green thumb when it came to growing things. We could always count then on a delicious dinner every day.

Nana wasn't content with just growing food, though. She wanted something beautiful for the soul as well. She had flowers growing all around the house and potted plants hanging on the back porch. She always knew how to nurture each plant too. She would give each one the perfect amount of water and turn it regularly so it wouldn't grow crooked as it stretched toward the sunshine. I can even remember her once chasing a stray cat away with some harsh Italian words for daring to use one of her precious plants as a litter box.

Sadly, I didn't inherit Nana's green thumb for growing things. I have grown vegetables even rabbits wouldn't steal and I have found that my flowers do far better when I just leave them alone. I did, however, learn one thing from Nana: how to nurture the soul.

I do so each day helping it to grow. I give thanks to God for the food in my stomach and the flowers in the field. I spend time in prayer. I cherish the beauty of this glorious world. I read works that uplift and inspire. I pet my dogs. I laugh often. I hug my sons and daughter. I share smiles with strangers and my stories with everyone I can. I help others. And I plant seeds of love, joy, kindness, and encouragement everywhere I go. May you do the same. May your green thumb nurture your soul and this world with love always.