Sunnyside’s Bar & Grill was the sight of a recent dinner celebrating Sloatsburg’s WWII veterans.

Sloatsburg’s fabulous five WWII veterans were celebrated during a recent dinner at Sunnyside’s Bar & Grill.

The event was an honorary dinner for the five veterans who participated in the April 11 Hudson Valley Honor Flight to Washington, DC. The dinner event was organized by two of the Honor Flight guardians, Rick Walls, a former Sloatsburg resident and postman (who recited all the street addresses of the vets as he introduced them), and Lori Mennella, the daughter of veteran Robert Wagenhoffer, who grew up in Sloatsburg and now lives in Mahwah.

Five Sloatsburg WWII veterans attended this year’s special Hudson Valley Honor Flight (seated front row from left to right): Allie Massaro, George Heller Sr., Sidney Gettenberg, Robert Wagenhoffer, and Harrison Bush. Standing behind the veterans are those guardians who accompanied them on the Washington, D.C. trip.

All five veterans who were on the flight attended the special dinner — Sidney Gettenberg, Harrison Bush, George Heller Sr., Robert Wagenhoffer and Allie Massaro — along with Mayor Carl Wright and his wife, Carol, along with many family members of all the veterans.

Veteran Coordinator from the Hudson Valley Honor Flight Marty Purdy also attended, which had some 45-50 people in attendance

Sloatsburg’s veterans awarded this flag to Mayor Carl Wright for his support of the veterans Honor Flight.

The veterans and their guardians assembled at the front of the room, where each talked about a few highlights of their Washington trip and the sacrifices other veterans made for in service to country. Each veteran was also presented with a special commemorative star and a 5×7 framed photo of the five of them standing together at the WWII memorial in D.C.

Sloatsburg Mayor Carl Wright and his wife Carol were recently celebrated for their support of Sloatsburg’s WWII veterans.

Sloatsburg Mayor Carl Wright, along with his wife Carol, were given a special thanks for their instrumental involvement in helping with Sloatsburg’s Honor Flight arrangements and in assisting in obtaining funding so some of the guardians could participate.

Hudson Valley Honor Flight’s Purdy noted that Mayor Wright was one of the most active public officials in this year’s program. Carol Wright was given a bouquet of flowers while Mayor Wright was awarded the folded American flag that the five Sloatsburg veterans were photographed holding up together at the WWII Memorial.

Mike Downes, who participated as a Sloatsburg guardian, also presented the Mayor with a framed trio of photos that featured Sloatsburg’s WWII veterans (one with flag and one without) on the top and bottom and, in the middle, a photo of Carl and Carol waving their flags at Stewart Airport during the welcome-home ceremony.

The event was capped off by a special cake for the veterans.

The Honor Flight program provided Sloatsburg’s WWII veterans with an emotional reminder of their service contributions and legacy.

Article and photos provided by Daphne Downes, with photos of the event also provided by Peter Bush.