Moorestown’s Memorial Day ceremony will take place on May 30 at 10 a.m. at Memorial Field on South Church Street. The ceremony will be outside and attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs.
Rain or shine, the ceremony offers the community an opportunity to honor the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Moorestown Mayor Nicole Gillespie, a veteran and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, will welcome all.
This year’s speaker will be Dr. Fred Young, who will speak about the Vietnam War. Young received a commission in the United States Air Force in 1962 after graduating from Queens College and attending Air Force Officer Training School. He initially served in Maine at an Air Defense Command headquarters and was subsequently assigned to Takhli Royal Thai Air Base in Thailand during the Vietnam War build up. Following his service during the war, Young returned stateside where he served at McGuire Air Force Base as a Top Secret Control Officer in the Air Force Courier Service. He was accepted for his graduate degree at Temple University in Philadelphia in 1967 and remained in the Air Force Reserve after his discharge from active duty as a Captain. Young received both his master’s degree and his doctorate in educational administration from Temple, both using the GI Bill.
The Moorestown Memorial Day ceremony has been taking place for 35 years, under the direction of Judith Young who took over planning with Jean Gash in 1986. Last year, Judith passed her responsibilities to Brooke Van Saun, who along with her husband Lt. Col. Alan Van Saun (U.S. Army Reserves), look to continue her efforts to memorialize those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
This year’s ceremony will include a presentation of the colors, a recitation of the names from the memorial wall and a wreath presentation by the Girl Scouts. Taps will be played by a member of the Moorestown High School band and Post 42 of the American Legion will fire the gun salute to honor those lost.
