Fallen Army Hero Honored In Hometown

MASTIC, NY — A hero who sacrificed his life for the nation was honored Thursday.

The House of Representatives passed legislation introduced by Rep. Lee Zeldin to honor the life and legacy of Army Specialist Thomas J. Wilwerth by renaming, in his honor, the post office in his Mastic hometown.

Specialist Wilwerth participated in the Junior ROTC program while at William Floyd High School and enlisted in the Army Reserves his junior year at just 17, Zeldin said.

He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, CO.

Deployed in December, 2005 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Specialist Wilwerth and two other service members fell in the line of duty on February 22, 2006, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Bradley Fighting Vehicle while on morning patrol near Balad, Iraq, Zeldin said.

“I wish there were more people who possessed such a profound sense of patriotism. Even fewer answer the call at just the age of 17, who sacrifice their entire lives and their entire future to serve in the U.S. military,” said Zeldin. “Specialist Wilwerth was the best of who we are. He is the embodiment of what makes this country the greatest in the world — the willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our exceptional nation. The willingness to lay down one’s life for his neighbors, for his community but, most courageously, for those Americans he never knew.”

“Tommy died so that his fellow Americans could live a better life,” said the Wilwerth family. “His deep rooted sense of patriotism drove him to enlist in the aftermath of September 11, and he would have been so proud of his sacrifice on behalf of our entire nation. To have his name and legacy displayed in the heart of the community he loved — the community he laid down his life for — will never bring him home, but it will ensure his memory and sacrifice live on in the hearts of those who call Long Island home.”

Specialist Wilwerth was survived by his parents Elaine and Terry Wilwerth and sister Kerry; he is buried at Calverton National Cemetery.

“The Specialist Thomas Wilwerth Military Dignity Act” was sponsored by Zeldin and was signed into law in September, 2011, prohibiting protests within 2,500 feet of military services, funerals, and processions of deceased service members unless the protest organizers post a bond to the local municipality to defray the increased security costs; Zeldin and Wilwerth were both graduates of William Floyd High School, according to published reports.