Belleville Residents Honor Memorial Day With Flags, Tributes

BELLEVILLE, NJ — Residents across Belleville paid tribute to the memories of fallen soldiers on Memorial Day 2021.

In preparation for Memorial Day, the Belleville Historical Society made sure that U.S. flags were in place at the graves of the Belleville young men killed in action located at several local cemeteries.

In addition, the society also set additional flags at the graves of soldiers awarded the Medal of Honor who are buried in the area. World War II Army Lt. Steven Gregg is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington, while Civil War Navy Captain James McIntosh is interred at Arlington Cemetery in Kearny and World War I Lt. Patrick Regan rests in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Bloomfield.

According to the Belleville Historical Society:

“Lt. Regan was one of the original pallbearers for the Unknown Soldier. When the body of the Unknown Soldier was returned to the United States from France on Armistice Day, November 11, 1921, ten soldiers who had been awarded the Medal of Honor were selected to serve as pallbearers. The ten marched alongside as the Unknown Soldier made the journey to the newly built tomb in Arlington National Cemetery. This year is the 100th anniversary of the Unknown Soldier.”

Regan's Medal of Honor citation reads:

“On October 8, 1918, although severely wounded, Lt. Regan dashed, with an empty pistol, towards an enemy machine gun nest, capturing 30 Austrian gunners and four machine guns.”

"In addition to the three Medal of Honor recipients buried locally, two other medal recipients from Belleville are memorialized here," the society pointed out.

World War I Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Fred Stockham, is buried in Union, but a monument in his honor was built by the Belleville Historical Society in his memory in St. Peter Church cemetery in Belleville where he was a parishioner.

Korean War Army honoree Henry Svehla is memorialized in the Belleville Veterans Park. Svehla's remains were never recovered.

The Belleville Historical Society is a member of the Medal of Honor Historical Society and has cleaned and decorated 10 Medal of Honor grave sites in North Jersey during the past five years.

FLAGS ON LAWNS

Meanwhile, with the help of Belleville American Legion Post 105, a pair of Belleville siblings honored the holiday by placing U.S. flags on lawns in their neighborhood.

The effort was the latest deed in a “wave of positivity” by Selena and Sabrina Kossup, who said it was a chance to “reflect on what this holiday truly means.”

• See related article: Belleville Sisters Keep Up 'Wave Of Positivity' With Food Drive

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