Essex County Sons Return

submitted by Rusty Myers, Adjutant, Sons of the American Legion Squadron 105 (25 February 2024) – WASHINGTON, DC – “Remembering More Then Me.” Those four words are the slogan of this year’s National Commander of the Sons of the American Legion (SAL), Donald “JR” Hall of Maryland. They stand as an affirmation of everything we as Sons stand for – that each and every one of us is a member of the organization through our father, or our mother, or a grand- or great-grandparent. We work towards the betterment of our veteran’s lives, and that or of children and community – all because of our veteran’s service … our “why”. Over the weekend of the 24 th and 25 th of February, three Sons of Belleville Squadron 105 went to Washington, DC to join hundreds of other members of the Legion Family from across the country to participate in what is called the Washington Conference. The highlight of the trip was participating in a ceremony where the SAL National Commander laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. For 64 years, the American Legion has taken this week in February to push the national organization’s legislative agenda, which revolves around promoting veteran’s rights and benefits. Per the American Legion’s website, the “Conference [also] provides an opportunity for Legionnaires to meet with their respective lawmakers and hear from members of Congress and VA leadership...” The rest of the American Legion Family – made up of the Sons of the American Legion, the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA), and the American Legion Riders – are invited to participate in the weekend’s events, which includes placing wreaths at memorials throughout our nation’s capital. “We’re here today for great things …” stated National Commander Hall before the participants from the Sons boarded the busses with the wreaths at the Washington Hilton on Sunday the 25th. “A wreath laying is a symbol … we’re here for a reason – to get together to show our passion and our love for our country and our veterans.” “…think of your ‘why’ … and that’s why you are here today”, he concluded. The attendees – perhaps 150 Sons, Legionnaires, and Auxiliary members – rode three busses to Arlington National Cemetery afterward to witness the wreath laying ceremony, though the three Sons of Squadron 105 went to the cemetery a day earlier to walk what is called “our nations most hallowed ground” as well. Essex DEC Rusty Myers, and SAL 105 Vice Commander James Elsmore, and Essex County Adjutant Richard Vlasakakis took that Saturday afternoon to reflect on our country’s legacy of service and sacrifice. “Breathtaking – there is no other way to describe it other than breathtaking” noted Vlasakakis, who has not been to Arlington since he was young. “It is something everyone should experience.” For all three, this was their first time attending the Washington Conference.. The three toured some of the burials and monuments at Arlington, including the Eternal Flame of President Kennedy and the monument to the USS Maine. They saw the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and visited the graves of Audie Murphy and General “Blackjack” Pershing. The most striking and impactful views, though, were the rows and rows of white marble headstones all standing in perfect military fashion. “Absolutely humbling…” stated DEC Myers. On three of the memorials they visited, Belleville’s Sons left challenge coins with the logo of the Sons of the American Legion … on three memorials which have connections to not only New Jersey but to the Nutley/Belleville area. The contingent from Post 105 made a special effort to locate those graves and memorials, and honor their sacrifice. After a short prayer at each, they placed the coin and snapped a salute. James Elsmore, whose membership is derived from his father’s Marine Corps service in Korea, placed a coin on the grave of Raritan, NJ’s USMC Gunnery Sargent John Basilone, a Medal of Honor recipient from Guadalcanal. Ricky Vlasakakis, who qualifies for membership though his grandfather’s US Navy service, placed a coin on the USS Thresher Memorial. Seaman Pervis Robinson, Jr., a 22-year old sailor from Nutley, NJ died on the Thresher, when she sank during a dive test in 1963 becoming the first US nuclear submarine loss at sea. Rusty Myers placed a coin on the memorial for Private Henry Svehla, our Belleville Medal of Honor recipient. Private Svehla joined the Army in 1951, and was deployed to Korea in 1952 as part of the 32nd Infantry Regiment 7th Infantry Division He was killed-in-action at Pyongony, Korea, on 12 June 1952. Through the heroic action of jumping on a grenade to save his brother soldiers in his platoon, Svehla posthumously received the Medal of Honor in 2011. The coin was placed on his memorial, as Svehla himself was never recovered from the Korean Peninsula. Squadron 105 has a special connection with Svehla, as they send a wreath during the holidays to be placed at his memorial. While walking, the Sons also stumbled upon a memorial dedicated to chaplains who dies in World War II, among which was listed Father Johnathan Washington, a priest stationed at Kearny’s St. Stephens Church – and one of the famed Four Chaplains. Each year, the Post 105 family makes its way to St. Stephens to commemorate his sacrifice at the Four Chaplains Mass. Other places the Sons laid wreaths on Sunday were at the Korean War Memorial and at the Vietnam Wall, which were equally as powerful. Each state, or detachment, gets to place a single wreath at one of the three memorials – and New Jersey placed theirs at the state’s column at the World War II memorial. Detachment of NJ Commander Keith Branes placed his wreath at that memorial in honor of his grandfathers. The next day, on Monday, before the three Belleville Sons took an AMTRAK home, they had a chance to tour some of the museums on the National Mall. They visited the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum, and the Smithsonian American History Museum. At the latter, they viewed the original 1814 “Star Spangled Banner” Flag which flew over Fort McHenry, and walked through an exhibit dedicated to our 250-year history in uniform called “The Price of Freedom.” Honor and remembrance could best describe what the three members of Belleville’s Sons of the American Legion took out of that weekend. It was an awe inspiring visit, giving the three a chance to redirect and reflect on why the SAL exists … to live up to the slogan of “Remembering More Then Me.”