Huntington holds Memorial Day ceremony after last year's COVID-19 cancellation

Huntington Town officials, veterans and Gold Star families honored fallen service members Sunday in the town’s first Memorial Day ceremony gathering in two years.

Officials placed wreaths, saluted flags and spoke in remembrance of town residents who had lost their lives in military service, including Lt. Col. Joseph J. Fenty Jr., who was killed in Afghanistan in 2006, and Sgt. Anthony L. Mangano, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2008.

They also honored Fred Amore, the longest-serving commander of the Elwood VFW, who died in February of COVID-19 complications. Amore, a Vietnam War veteran, was a member of the town’s Veterans Advisory Board.

"We have lost many members of our community over the past 15 months, including members of our Veterans Advisory Board," Huntington Town Supervisor Chad Lupinacci said of the pandemic's toll. "But we're fortunate in more ways than one to be able to gather today to honor the sacrifices they and all of our veterans, missing and fallen service members have made in the name of freedom."

The town could not hold its traditional Memorial Day ceremony last year because of COVID-19 cases and related restrictions. Instead, officials and groups organized a small wreath-laying ceremony, played taps at open beaches and made a video, Lupinacci said.

This year’s ceremony went forward in a more traditional fashion as pandemic-related restrictions on gatherings have eased. But poor weather forced the hourlong ceremony to be held inside Town Hall instead of in the Veterans Plaza and postponed a wreath-laying set for the Huntington KIA Vietnam Memorial.

Officials also presented a POW/MIA Chair of Honor, which will be on display at the Art League of Long Island in Dix Hills to symbolize the people who served the country but cannot fill the seat because of their sacrifices. The executive director of the art league is Fenty’s mother, Charlee Miller.

Huntington Councilwoman Joan Cergol said that while people have adjusted to a "new normal" in pandemic times, the families of fallen service members "have learned really in the most heartbreaking of ways what it means to really and truly adjust to a new normal."

"That's why it's so important that we gather here each year to remind those left behind that we're here for you, that we extend our hands and our hearts to all of you," Cergol said.

By Rachelle Blidner

rachelle.blidner@newsday.com@rachelleblidner

Rachelle Blidner covers Suffolk County government, politics and breaking news.