Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Saturday marks Veterans Day, as Americans gather to honor those who have served and are currently serving in the military. The Buffalo Naval and Military Park will hold ceremonies Saturday.
Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park will host a number of special Veterans Day programs to honor and recognize all veterans. The Veterans Day Ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. EST inside the Hangar Building. During the ceremony, three veterans will be posthumously inducted into the Wall of Honor:
Gasper Aronica, a native of Cheektowaga, NY, served in the U.S. Army as a Specialist Third Class from 1954-1957. He was a retired Deputy Sheriff for Erie County and a longtime volunteer for the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park.
Captain William H. Sharp, a graduate of Kenmore East High School, entered the U.S. Air Force as a 1st Lieutenant advancing to Captain, where he flew KC-13’s and Huey helicopters in Vietnam. After his military service, he worked in the banking industry and published a novel, Summer Warriors, that was inspired by his time at Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod.
Col. Michael K. Toellner enlisted as a private in the U.S. Marine Corps in January 1973 and worked his way through the enlisted ranks eventually as a Colonel in August 2009 after serving honorably for 36 years and 8 months. He was assigned to numerous staff and counter-intelligence positions throughout his career. He attended the Defense Intelligence University in the Post Graduate Intelligence Program and earned his Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence.
The Veterans Day ceremony will also feature guest speakers Chris Affuso and Ryan Jensen, who serve as volunteer coordinators of the PTF 17 Preservation Project. The Buffalo Naval Park’s docents will provide the color guard and George Miller will perform the National Anthem.
“The Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park proudly honors and recognizes veterans throughout the year, but we especially look forward to showing our appreciation on Veterans Day,” commented Paul Marzello, President and CEO. “There is an incredible veteran community in Western New York, and we like to take advantage of every opportunity to recognize their service and welcome them to the Buffalo Naval and Military Park.”
Affuso and Jensen also serve as the 2024 "All Hands On Deck" Campaign Co-Chairs for the Buffalo Naval Park’s annual campaign which will officially kick off at the Veterans Day ceremony with the unveiling of the 2024 "All Hands On Deck" Challenge Coin. Only 500 of these individually numbered challenge coins have been minted. This is the fourth challenge coin in the "All Hands On Deck" series. Donations to the "All Hands On Deck" campaign directly support Park operations including personnel costs, ship maintenance, and general operating expenses during the year.
In addition to the morning ceremony, the Naval Park will also host a Hispanic American Veterans Ceremony at 12 p.m. EST at the Western New York Hispanic American Veterans Memorial, located in the Monuments Garden. It is free and open to the public.
The Buffalo Naval and Military Park will offer free admission for all veterans on Saturday. In November, the Buffalo Naval and Military Park will be open Saturday - Sunday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. EST. The last ticket will be sold at 3 p.m. EST. The last day of the season will be Sunday, Nov. 19.
Also at McKinley Mall, The WNY Garden Railway Society will display G-scale trains at the former Zales store to honor veterans.
These trains consist of flat cars carrying jeeps reminiscent of WWII equipment, tanks, and trucks. In addition, there are box cars that have graphics on the side, some with pictures and short description of various battles, some honoring the men and women of the armed services.