Veterans marched down the hall of Knollwood School as students and faculty lined the hallway with American flags to show their support.
Photo by Allison Perrine
FAIR HAVEN – Veterans received special appreciation from students and staff in the Fair Haven School District Nov. 11.
Welcomed through a sea of American flags and students lining the hallways, local veterans visited Knollwood School to talk about their experiences, the meaning of Veteran’s Day and the school’s famous Wall of Honor – a wall dedicated to Knollwood graduates on active duty in the armed forces.
“When I put a photo of a young man up there, it’s like I’ve adopted another son. I follow their progress, I pray for their safety and I pray that they’re going to be home someday safe and sound,” said Joe Perrotto, a veteran who served in the Marine Corps from 1960 through 1964 or ’65.
Perrotto, the chairperson of the Wall of Honor, said his son Matthew was his inspiration to establish the wall. While Matthew was serving in the U.S. Army, Joe pitched the idea to now-councilwoman Betsy Koch. With her help and the help of the student council at Knollwood, that dream became a reality.
He and Koch now serve on the committee, as does Sean McNeil, Fair Haven superintendent of schools; Mayor Ben Lucarelli; former police chief, fire chief and U.S. Army veteran Darryl Brechenridge; first aid squad vice president and former school board member Katy Frissora; fire department secretary and lifetime member of the first aid and auxiliary Raquel Falotico; and retired U.S. Marine Corps Major Joshua Zager.
Photo by Allison Perrine
The wall currently has 15 members and was designed to handle “a reasonable amount” of active duty personnel, given the size of the nearly two-square-mile town with about 5,000 to 6,000 residents. Perrotto called the outcome “amazing” given the size of Fair Haven.
Current active duty members include: Alex Hile, Christopher Richards, Joel Hyduke, Kenneth R. Ebner Jr., Christopher Hofer, Brendan Reiss, Brian Hapeman, Edward Rago, Liam Reddy, Matthew M. Valko, Anthony Sciametta, Joseph McGovern Jr., Jamie Laughinghouse, Theo Addison and Pierson Dey, who spoke during the program. Each member was mentioned during the program and students read their names, graduation dates and ranks. Perrotto added personal details.
Dey, a 2013 graduate and a member of the U.S. Army, expressed his excitement about returning to Knollwood that day. “There’s really nothing better, especially after being in the military for three years,” he said, adding that he will soon move to the New Jersey National Guard and pursue a state trooper career upon his return home in December.
Aside from active duty members honored on the wall, there is a special space for Pfc. Jamie R. Riley who, at age 21, died from injuries following a training accident on a portion of the Fort Bliss, Texas, Army base.
The wall also features flags of the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard; an American flag; a plaque about the Wall of Honor; a photo of Fair Haven veterans; and a list of Knollwood graduates who have completed their service. Veterans on the wall were eligible only if they served when the wall was commissioned in 2011. This includes Craig Cannon, Scott Beattie, Wayne Coy, Bobby DeCanio, Shaun Foley, Brian Truex, Josh Zager, Matthew Perrotto, Will Miller, Michael Humphreys and Keegan Finn.
Soon a mailbox will be installed at the wall so students can write letters to any of the 15 active members. Perrotto said he expects it to be installed by the end of the month. “If you don’t think that someone serving on the other side of the world, in a dangerous world, doesn’t appreciate a letter from home, you’re wrong. Especially when it comes from somebody they may not know and a student at Knollwood who appreciates their service,” he said.
As the program concluded that afternoon, students handed out patriotic gifts to veterans Joe and Matthew Perrotto, Dey, Ray Taylor and Henry Stevens. Each veteran received a rustic image of the American flag.
Veteran’s Day was originally recognized as Armistice Day. It has been celebrated for 101 years and was established at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 to mark the end of World War I. It was renamed Veteran’s Day in 1954 to ensure all veterans were honored. “Without them (service members) standing between us and the people who don’t like us in the world, our enemies, we wouldn’t have the country we have today,” said Perrotto. “We can never forget that.”
According to Perrotto, there are about 20 million veterans in the United States today, two million of whom are women. The one thing all veterans have in common is that they all take the same oath to protect and serve, he said. “Everybody who joins the service is equal,” Perrotto added. “It’s a team and we all have different responsibilities.”
