B'ville: Memorial Day celebrated Saturday

A May 30 parade isn’t the only tradition Baldwinsville’s Memorial Day celebration still honors.

There is the raising of the colors at the Veteran’s Monument prior to the parade, the wreath ceremony honoring servicemen lost at sea at the bridge during the parade and the ceremony at St. Mary’s and Riverview cemeteries after the parade.

Some traditions have fallen by the wayside, such as village elementary children marching with their classes along the bridge and dropping lilacs into the river to honor servicemen lost at sea or children decorating their bikes in red, white and blue, then joining the tail end of the parade. While these traditions remain fond memories for long-time Baldwinsville residents, the celebration and recognition of our servicemen remains strong with our parade seeing greater numbers each and every year.

With the continued growth of this time-honored celebration, many tend to find a seat with a view along the parade route and end up missing some of the unique features of the day’s events.

This year, Sarah Baker, who co-organizes the event with her husband, Jack, encourages everyone to witness the wreath ceremony at the river.

“This is a tradition to highlight,” she said. “[The commander of the VFW and of the American Legion] lead a prayer, then throw an eco-friendly wreath from the bridge into the Seneca River to honor all those who’ve died at sea. This has been a tradition here for more than 50 years.”

Baker added that this year the David Hunter Piper Band will play “Amazing Grace” before the parade resumes.

Saturday’s celebration
This year’s parade will begin at 5 p.m. Saturday (May 30).

The 122nd Regiment Infantry (“Onondagas”) re-enactors will again march and be stationed at the Civil War Monument at Riverview Cemetery for the Memorial Service immediately following the parade. With financial support from the village of Baldwinsville and the towns of Lysander and Van Buren, this year’s Memorial Day event features the following bands: Tow Path Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps; CNY Police and Fire Band; the City of Syracuse Pipes and Drums; the C.W. Baker High School Band; and the Baldwinsville Community Band.

“It should be a really great day,” Baker said.

While the Memorial Day event concludes with the Riverview Cemetery commemoration, festivities will continue at Paper Mill Island featuring a Guns N’ Roses tribute band. Baker said event promoter Mike Chemotti has been very cooperative every year, silencing the island during the cemetery services.

B’ville’s Grand Marshall
Chet Bauman of Baldwinsville, who served in the Vietnam War, was chosen as this year’s Grand Marshall.

“Here we have this very humble, quiet man,” Baker said. “Sadly, [Vietnam veterans] weren’t received as other vets had been received. It was very different for those of us now in our 60s. We have very strong recollections of that time. The Vietnam War was a defining period for us in our relationship with the US Government.”

As a Sargeant in the US Army (1966 to 1968), Bauman served in the third Battalion 47th Infantry as part of the Mobile Riverine Force in the Mekong Delta during the war (1967 and 1968). While there, he was captured and escaped on the same day, Feb. 14, 1968. During his service he was awarded two Purple Heart medals, three Army Commendation medals (one for Meritorious service and two for Valor). Other awards were the Combat Infantryman Badge, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Vietnam Unit Citation Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.

He and his wife, Jean, of 45 years have two grown children and three grandchildren. Their grandson, Will, is currently serving with the US Army in Iraq. In addition to his service, Bauman has been involved with the Celebrate Baldwinsville committee and the Baldwinsville Christmas Bureau for the past several years.

“Our Vietnam veterans were called to service and they served. We need to remember that, no matter what feelings there are about that war,” Baker said.

President of the Day
Captain Paul A. Hernandez was chosen as this year’s Guest Speaker, also known as the President of the Day.

“It is very fitting that Captain Hernandez is our Guest Speaker because we are honoring the men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan in this year’s program,” Baker said.

Captain Hernandez enlisted in the US Army Reserves in 1992 as a combat medic then enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1994. Having served in many capacities since then including a combat advisor in Afghanistan, he is now a Plans Officer for the 27th Brigade Combat Team.

Cpt. Hernandez has received the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge and Pathfinder Badge.

Captain Hernandez resides in Baldwinsville with his wife, Kelly, and their four children.

Schedule of events
4:45 p.m. Veteran’s Monument at East Geneee Street (in front of the Baldwinsville Post Office): Placement of the Memorial Wreath and raising the colors
5:15 p.m. Wreath Ceremony at the bridge over the Seneca River
5:45 p.m. St. Mary’s Cemetery service (Tappan Street)
6:30 p.m. Riverview Cemetery service (Tappan Street)
• Call to colors and raising of the colors (The Eric Dalaker Memorial Flag)
• Placement of the wreaths
• “America the Beautiful” and placement of flowers at the Honor Roll Memorial
• Guest Speaker Captain Paul A. Hernandez
• Recitation by Baker High School students of “In Flanders Fields,” “Gettysburg Address,” and “Logan’s Orders.”
• Musical selections by the Baldwinsville Community Band
• “Amazing Grace” by the David Hunter Pipers
• Salute over the graves
• Taps
Note: Starting times are approximate

CATEGORY: General Society
EDITION: Baldwinsville Messenger

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