Philly region pays tribute to Memorial Day by virtual ceremonies, visiting war memorials, and playing ‘Taps’
Because of the need to continue social distancing during the pandemic, there were no large gatherings to commemorate Memorial Day in the region, but people still found ways to pay their respects.
Retired Marine Tom Jankiewicz, (left) who fought in the Vietnam War, places flags at Washington Crossing National Cemetery in Newtown, Pa., on Memorial Day. Jankiewicz is a member of the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation. Joining him from the foundation were G. Daniel Jones (in red hat) and Michael Wallace (far right).Read moreDAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer
On Monday, Tom Jankiewicz and two other members of the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation placed American flags in front of about 135 grave markers at Washington Crossing National Cemetery in Newtown, Bucks County, to honor veterans on Memorial Day.
“It’s a very serene place where you look at the markers and everything,” Jankiewicz, 77, of Northeast Philadelphia, said by phone afterward. “Today is the day to honor people who served so we can be a free country.”
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Jankiewicz, who served in the Marines from 1965 to 1989 and who fought in the Vietnam War, said in normal times, there would have been a public service at the cemetery. But with the coronavirus pandemic, that was not possible.
Because of the need to continue social distancing during the pandemic, there were no large gatherings to commemorate Memorial Day in the region. Instead, the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund posted a link to a three-minute virtual ceremony that was prerecorded last week. The Battleship New Jersey held a 15-minute ceremony, which was shown live on Facebook. And nationwide, musicians marked the holiday by playing “Taps.”
American Legion Post 184 in Wildwood held their annual Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 25, 2020, however, only a small audience was permitted. The ceremony was live-streamed through Facebook . Post Commander Harry Weimer sits after speaking. He served in Vietnam.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
American Legion Post 184 in Wildwood held their annual Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 25, 2020, however, only a small audience was permitted. The ceremony was live-streamed through Facebook . Spyros Spyropoulos, who was awarded 2 Purple Hearts for his service in Vietnam, plays taps on the bugle.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Brandon Joyce of the Wildwood Beach Patrol makes his way out on May 25, 2020 to place a wreath in the water in honor of soldiers who gave of their lives.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Hearing a positive forecast, Dolores Soltys and Bernie Krause of Fairless Hills, Bucks County, PA were persuaded to come to the beach in Wildwood, N.J. on May 25, 2020. A gray windy morning would later turn into a perfect sunny day.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Maddy Jacobs, (left), and Cecilia Dalfonso of Glassboro, N.J do flips on the beach in Wildwood, NJ on May 25, 2020. A gray windy morning would later turn into a perfect sunny day.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
The afternoon sun brought out the crowds on the Ocean City, N.J. boardwalk on May 25, 2020.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
A pedestrian on the Ocean City, N.J. boardwalk seems to aleady be in a summer mood on May 25, 2020. A gray windy morning would later turn into a perfect sunny day.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Retired Marine Tom Jankiewicz, who fought in the Vietnam War, places flags at Washington Crossing National Cemetery in Newtown, Pa. on May 25, 2020. Jankiewicz is a member of the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation. A small group from the foundation made a visit to the cemetery on Memorial Day.Read moreDAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer
Retired Marine Tom Jankiewicz, (left) who fought in the Vietnam War, places flags at Washington Crossing National Cemetery in Newtown, Pa. on May 25, 2020. Jankiewicz is a member of the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation. Joining him from the foundation during the visit to the cemetery on Memorial Day G. Daniel Jones, his grand daughter, Ryleigh Cassidy, and Mike Wallace.Read moreDAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer
G. Daniel Jones, of the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation, places a flag in front of a marker at Washington Crossing National Cemetery in Newtown, Pa. on May 25, 2020. Jones said he bought all the flags they had left at a home improvement store, about 100, and with a small group from the foundation made a visit to the cemetery on Memorial Day. After he placed each flag he would say the person’s name aloud.Read moreDAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer
Geoff Thompson places an American flag into the grounds of the Winslow Township, New Jersey Municipal Complex on Route 73 on Sunday, May 24, 2020. Jersey Surf Drum and Bugle Corps board members, alumni, volunteers and parents of former members place 250 flags on the complex grounds during the Memorial Day weekend holiday.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Solid Rock Baptist Church in Berlin, New Jersey members walk to the church before the start of service on Sunday, May 24, 2020. The church defied New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy's shutdown order and opened the church for in-person service. Gov. Phil Murphy announced Friday that he would allow outdoor crowds of up to 25 people from 10 and permit campgrounds to reopen just before Memorial Day weekend.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Solid Rock Baptist Church in Berlin, New Jersey member Mike Mauro takes the temperature of a church member before the start of service on Sunday morning, May 24, 2020. The church defied New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy's shutdown order and opened the church for in-person service. Gov. Phil Murphy announced Friday that he would allow outdoor crowds of up to 25 people from 10 and permit campgrounds to reopen just before Memorial Day weekend.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Solid Rock Baptist Church Pastor Charles Clark, III, conducts service at the Berlin, New Jersey church on Sunday morning, May 24, 2020. The church defied New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy's shutdown order and opened the church for in-person service. Gov. Phil Murphy announced Friday that he would allow outdoor crowds of up to 25 people from 10 and permit campgrounds to reopen just before Memorial Day weekend.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Kids play at the beach and enjoy the weather at Margate City Beach on Saturday, May 23, 2020. The Jersey Shore opens up for the first holiday weekend amid the coronavirus.Read moreTYGER WILLIAMS / Staff Photographer
A boardwalk worker stands along the boardwalk waiting for people to walk by to talk to at Wildwood, N.J., on Saturday, May 23, 2020. Many local businesses along the boardwalk are doing curbside pickups and keeping social distance.Read moreTYGER WILLIAMS / Staff Photographer
A man hands a little girl a frozen treat at Margate City Beach on Saturday, May 23, 2020. The Jersey Shore opens up for the first holiday weekend amid the coronavirus.Read moreTYGER WILLIAMS / Staff Photographer
A sign warns people to maintain social distance and that masks are suggested while walking along boardwalk at Wildwood, N.J., on Saturday, May 23, 2020. Many local businesses along the boardwalk are doing curbside pickups and keeping social distance.Read moreTYGER WILLIAMS / Staff Photographer
Surfers come out to enjoy the weather and catch waves near the pier at Ventnor City Beach on Saturday, May 23, 2020.Read moreTYGER WILLIAMS / Staff Photographer
American flags - “648 reasons to remember Memorial Day" - are planted at the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Penn's Landing May 24, 2020. Philadelphia, like most towns and cities throughout the region, will not be holding public ceremonies on Memorial Day. And like most other communities they will be live streaming or offering a filmed virtual ceremony. The Vietnam Memorial's will be live at 12:30 p.m. on Monday their Facebook page.Read moreTOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer
Tom Piatek places an American flag into the ground of the Winslow Township, New Jersey Municipal Complex on Route 73 on Sunday, May 24, 2020. Jersey Surf Drum and Bugle Corps board members, alumni, volunteers and parents of former members place 250 flags on the complex grounds during the Memorial Day weekend holiday.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Beachgoers setup along the beach at a safe social distance while enjoying the weather at Margate City Beach on Saturday, May 23, 2020. The Jersey Shore opens up for the first holiday weekend amid the coronavirus.Read moreTYGER WILLIAMS / Staff Photographer
Trumpeters in Philadelphia and across the country heeded a call from CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman and retired Air Force bugler Jari Villanueva to play the funeral and military ceremony tune from lawns and porches at 3 p.m. Monday as part of the “Taps Across America” event.
The intention was to remember not just fallen service members but also victims of the coronavirus pandemic. Philadelphia Orchestra principal trumpeter David Bilger and Jeffrey Curnow, the orchestra’s associate principal trumpeter, played an echo version of taps in front of Bilger’s Bala Cynwyd house.
“It’s a chance to remember the sacrifice that makes it so we can live the lives we live,” Bilger said. "For me it’s about capturing the solemnity of it.”
In a prerecorded ceremony posted online Monday by the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Mike Daily, 74, of East Falls, the group’s executive director, thanked the 648 Philadelphians killed during the Vietnam War and their families for the sacrifices they made. The group was not able to hold its normal ceremony at the memorial on Spruce Street near Columbus Boulevard because of the coronavirus.
Still, dozens of people visited the Society Hill memorial Monday. Matt Flannery, his wife, and two of their three daughters looked at the names of Philadelphians killed in the Vietnam War etched into the charcoal gray granite wall. “I’ve never been down here,” said Flannery, 50, of Glenside, Montgomery County. “It’s important for them to see it,” he said of his daughters, Dylan, 16, and Erin, 9.
Normally the family would have gone to the Jersey Shore or attended the Memorial Day Parade in Wyndmoor, but they didn’t want to be among crowds and the parade was canceled.
“We wanted to bring the girls down and pay our respects,” said his wife, Susan.
