Yorktown, Somers Veterans Inducted into Third Annual Veterans’ Hall of Fame

Two veterans from Yorktown and Somers – Dimitri Sywyk, William Lewis and Nicholas LaPenna –are among the 23 men and women who were recently chosen for the 40th Senate District’s Third Annual Veterans’ Hall of Fame.

The veterans will be officially accepted into the Hall of Fame, which was created by Senator Greg Ball (R,C,I-Patterson), on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2013 at 6 p.m at the Mahopac Falls Elementary School, located at 100 Myrtle Ave. in Mahopac.

"Nominated by their communities, these heroic men and women have pursued a distinguished path in both their military and civilian lives, demonstrating admirable qualities and reaching great achievements worthy of this recognition," Ball said in a statement.

Somers' Private First Class Nicholas LaPenna served in the Army during WWII, where he was assigned to the 99th Infantry Division, serving during the Battle of the Bulge. He has been awarded many medals, including the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge. 

After his time in the Army, Private First Class LaPenna went on to a 23-year career with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, and he is an active member of the Joseph Marasco VFW Post 8213 in Somers. He lives in Somers with Nancy, his wife of 34 years. 

Yorktown's Sergeant Dimitri Sywyk is a WWII Veteran. He served as both a Private First Class in the U.S. Marine Corps, and a Sergeant in the U.S. Army. Sywyk served in the 101st Signal Battalion in Korea and Japan, receiving seven medals including, including the World War II Victory Medal, World War II Army of Occupation Medal, the United National Medal for Serivce in Korea, and the Korean Service Medal. He is also a graduate of Westchester Community College and the Devry Institute of technology.

William Lewis, also of Yorktown, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1954, and spent two years on the Battleship Wisconsin. He served in the 3rd Marine Division on Okinawa Island. Sergeant Lewis served four years active duty and four years in the reserve. He is active in his community and has volunteered for 15 years at the U.S. Marine Corps recruitment center in Peekskill. 

He founded the Yorktown’s Veteran Parade and has served as the area coordinator for the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program in Westchester and Putnam counties. Sergeant Lewis and wife Josephine will be celebrating their 50th anniversary next year. The couple has four children.

Each veteran honored at the ceremony will also be included on a traveling wall that will tour local municipalities and schools throughout the 40th district.

"These extraordinary veterans devoted their lives to a cause greater than one’s self, nobly dedicating themselves to preserving the safety and freedom of the American people through acts of courage, honor and integrity," Ball said.