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Veterans Honored on Wreaths Across America Day
Putnam County Squadron, Civil Air Patrol, places wreaths on veteran headstones in Carmel to remember and thank those who served.
Members of Civil Air Patrol’s Putnam County Composite Squadron honored veterans laid to rest in Raymond Hill Cemetery in Carmel on December 19 -National Wreaths Across America Day.
Family and friends joined the squadron to place 246 wreaths on veteran headstones throughout the cemetery. First Lieutenant Theresa De Benedictis opened the ceremony with the Pledge of Allegiance and directed placement of honorary wreaths at the main gate for each of the six U.S. Armed Forces service branches. “I am grateful to those who volunteered to help place wreaths so we could remember and honor our veterans,” said De Benedictis.
Mrs. Catherine Kortlang, a Carmel resident of 57 years, braved the piles of snow to place six wreaths. Escorted by Cadet First Lieutenant Maggie Mahoney, Kortlang stopped first at her husband James T. Kortlang’s grave, carefully positioned the wreath and said a silent prayer. Cadets saluted as they placed the wreaths on headstones and said each veterans name aloud in remembrance.
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Wreaths Across America ceremonies take place nationwide. This year volunteers placed 1.7 million wreaths at over 2,500 participating locations across the U.S. Each veteran's wreath is a gift of respect and appreciation, placed on graves by volunteers as a small gesture of gratitude for the freedoms Americans enjoy.
For information about the Putnam County Composite Squadron contact Major Elena MacDermant at (845) 216-5433, email elenamac@aol.com, or visit ny033.cap.gov.
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Civil Air Patrol is the longtime auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and as such is a valued member of its Total Force. In its auxiliary role, CAP operates a fleet of 560 single-engine aircraft and 1,550 small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS). It performs about 90% of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and is credited by the AFRCC with saving an average of 82 lives annually. CAP’s 66,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. Operating as a nonprofit organization, CAP also plays a leading role in STEM/aerospace education, and its members serve as mentors to 28,000 young people participating in CAP’s Cadet Programs. Visit www.CAP.NEWS or www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com for more information.