Fourth Ward Councilman Jerry Ficeto has long been a champion for Kearny’s veterans. And, for the last few years, he’s been the driving force behind the town’s annual Memorial Day Parade. But Ficeto decided, with the nation’s 250th anniversary (also known as the Semiquincentennial) upon us, this would be a great year to make the parade extra special.
And he’s succeeding at making that happen.
“It was very important for me, at the 250th anniversary of our great nation, that we honor all those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” Ficeto, also the United Veterans Organization of Kearny’s liaison to the Town Council, said. “The best way to do that was to increase participation with bands from neighboring towns, the veterans organizations and all of the area service organizations.”
Ficeto says the Kearny, Harrison and Union City High School marching bands will take part in the march. Many others wanted to march, he says, but because it’s prom seasons, and for various other reasons, some had to decline.
“But they most certainly wanted to participate,” he said.
All three of Kearny’s veterans organizations — American Legion Post No. 99, VFW Post No. 1302 and the Marine Corps Detachment — will march. They’ll be joined by more than 100 junior ROTC Marine Corps members from Elizabeth and Union City.
Local service and social groups — like UNICO, the Elks, the United Irish, the Girl Scouts, the Boy Scouts, among others — will also march.
“I really wanted to make this as big as I could,” Ficeto said.
It’s definitely looking like that’s how it’ll be.
Meet the Grand Marshal
The Grand Marshal of the parade is Howie Taylor, of Summit.
Taylor joined the United States Marine Corps Reserves Nov. 7, 1949, while still a senior in high school. He
was placed with the 21st Infantry Battalion at the Naval Air Rocket Test Station in Dover to begin his Marine Corps training. He is currently a member of the West Hudson Marine Corps Detachment.
When the Korean War began in June 1950, just weeks after graduating high school, his reserve unit was placed on active duty. He and his unit were sent to Camp Pendleton for further training, where he learned how to be a BAR man.
He landed at Wonsan, North Korea, on Nov. 7, 1950, exactly a year to the day of his enlistment, and joined Item Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division.
He participated in the battles of the Chosin Reservoir campaign, fighting over mountainous terrain, in snow, wind and temperatures that plummeted to minus 40º Fahrenheit. He was a cold-weather casualty, receiving frostbite to his hands, toes, nose and ears, leading to a nearly four-month stay in St. Albans Military Hospital when he returned stateside.
After Korea, Taylor was stationed again in Dover, serving as a base MP until he left the Corps in 1953 with the rank of sergeant.
After the Marine Corps, he continued to serve his community for 42 years as a firefighter in his hometown of Summit from 1955 until his retirement as Battalion Chief in 1997.
He is an active member of the Central Jersey Leathernecks Marine Corps League and the National Chapter of the Chosin Few.
In all, Ficeto says he’s really looking forward to what should be a most memorable parade, perhaps the most grand in Kearny’s history.
“I have to thank all those who were so willing and who wanted to participate in our parade,” Ficeto said. “It is the least we can do to honor the many who gave the ultimate sacrifice. And I cannot thank Mayor (Carol Jean) Doyle enough for entrusting me to coordinate it all. I am extremely grateful.”
Doyle, meanwhile, says she’s grateful for Ficeto’s efforts.
“Jerry has worked very hard to make this a special Memorial Day Parade and I am so happy to know it will be a memorable one,” Doyle said. “It’s so important we honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice and our town will always be here to honor those who did.”
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.