Veterans Day is a day to honor all veterans and active military, alive or dead, in combat or in peace. In Haddonfield, Veterans Day is celebrated by American Legion Post 38, which asks everyone to participate in honoring those who have and are serving.
For 19 years, the Post has held the Haddonfield Middle School Veterans Day Program. The 19th Veterans Day Program was held at HMS the day before Veterans Day on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Veterans and active military members came to speak to students about Veterans Day and its significance, and share their experiences in the military.
“It started as a show of respect for veterans 18 years ago. Since I got involved in it, I wanted to do a little more, and every year it has grown. I am a member of the American Legion, and I pulled them in and it really has grown,” teacher and event organizer John Farrell said.
“It is educational, to share our history and experience with them and give them a chance to ask questions … It’s a chance to share history with the children,” Post Chair Jim McCullough said.
The Veterans Day Program started with an explanation of the Pledge of Allegiance by Farrell, a thanks by HMS Principal Dennis Morolda and an explanation of what Veterans Day is by Post Commander Joe McElroy.
“Armistice Day (was changed) to Veterans Day to give recognition, not just to service members of WWI, but to include all service men from all military branches that served in times of war and peace,” McElory said. “It is a day that belongs to all veterans.”
Each veteran was then recognized and applauded as they introduced themselves.
A big highlight of the event was guest speaker Mary Previte, a Haddonfield resident who is a survivor of a Japanese concentration camp called Weihsien in China. Previte was the daughter of missionaries serving in China in the 1930s, and at just 8 years old, was forced into a concentration camp when the Japanese appeared at her school. She was in the camp for five years before being rescued by seven men, six Americans and one Chinese translator.
Previte didn’t focus on her experience at the concentration camp; instead she focused on the heroes.
The heroes Previte mentioned were the teachers, creating an everyday routine for the children so they felt safe; Eric Liddell, an Olympic gold medal winner and missionary at the camp; the Salvation Army Band, which practiced national anthems for the day they had salvation and victory; and, of course, the seven men who helped to liberate the camp.
“I found out we lived a miracle … I had lived a miracle because of these seven heroes,” Previte said.
Previte then spoke about her journey she started in 1997 to find the men who helped to liberate the camp and thank them. The men were Raymond Hanchulak, Tad Nagaki, Peter Orlich, James Moore, Stanley Staiger and James Hannon. It took her years to track down the men and say thank you to them. Some had unfortunately passed, but she could not get in contact with the translator who helped the mission.
However, in March, Previte received an email from Daniel Wang, who ended up being the grandson of the translator, “Eddy” Cheng-han Wang. Previte said she isn’t sure when, but someday soon she will fly to China to visit Eddy and say “thank you” in person.
“You can never say enough ‘thank yous’ to these heroes you see today,” Previte said, speaking about all of the veterans who came that day.
Also last week, WWII and Iwo Jima veteran John Lauriello was honored with a shadow box and plaque in the HMS library containing a flag and sand from Iwo Jima, and articles on his journey he took back to Iwo Jima for the 70th anniversary of the battle.
McElroy hopes through this event and Veterans Day, students realize the sacrifices those in the military have made. He also hopes they feel honor and respect for the veterans.
“Veterans Day means to me that you show your gratitude and your appreciativeness toward all the veterans that served and are serving … It shows they are honorable to this country and makes me honorable to our country,” eighth grader Kylie Webb said.
“I think it is important to honor everyone who has served, and are still serving as well,” eighth grader Gillian Rozenfeld said.
HMS is honored to host the veterans each year, and Morolda gave a big thanks to all of the veterans who came.
“It is such a great tradition. From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank the veterans … Thank you for your service to our country, and thank you for being here today to continue to talk to our students about the important the things you have done in the past and continue to do in the future,” he said.
