Long Valley Veterans Remembered: Wreaths Across America Ceremony

LONG VALLEY, NJ — Local veterans who eternally rest in cemeteries throughout the Long Valley area were recently honored during the yearly Wreaths Across America event.

The American Veterans Association of Washington Township or “AVAWT” Post 1776 was one of several groups among the community that helped to place wreaths on 340 veterans graves at Our Lady of the Mountain Church and the Germany Valley and Pleasant Grove cemeteries.

Long Valley Knights of Columbus program coordinator Mike Lennon, of Council 10419 welcomed attendees. In addition to representatives from Post 1776, Washington Township Mayor Matt Murello, veteran and Committeeman Ken Short, Washington Township Police Chief Jeffrey Almer, Boy Scouts from Long Valley Troop 36 and musicians also took part in the ceremony, which began as a Girl Scout Gold Project, Murello said.

An honor guard presented the colors, with the National Anthem and Taps part of the program, Post 1776 wrote in a news release.

The group made ceremonial wreathes representing the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard and Merchant Marines, which were presented, with Post 1776 Chaplain Tim Kelly doing an invocation, along with remarks from Post Commander Tom McBride and Murello.

Some of the notable wreaths presented by Navy Veteran and Post 1776 member Larry Oppel included one for West Morris Central High School graduate Sgt. Larry Maysey, with the US Airfare, who has been listed as missing in action from Laos. Another Post 1776 member, Army Veteran Charles “Chuck” Dauchet, remembered a fellow missing in action member of his unit, Specialist Richard Lacey.

“Perhaps the most striking images of the day,” said a spokesperson of the group, Paul Richartz, “were the AVAWT veterans standing in the cold mist at the graves of veterans honoring them with a slow salute and saying aloud the names of their fallen brothers in arms to let them know they will never be forgotten.”

For more about AVAWT, visit www.avawt.org.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a local news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.