By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
DOWNBEACH – Despite the cool misty morning, Downbeach communities turned out in record numbers to honor those American men and women who gave everything so that we can be free.
Ventnor moved its ceremony inside City Hall for all to hear emotional speeches from members of the Board of Commissioners who proclaimed the day in the name of unity, honor and freedom.
Mayor Tim Kriebel said Memorial Day is one where differences in politics fall away to honor and remember lives lived and lost in service. It is a day of unity and remembering the sacrifices they made, he said.
“In a ceremony like this, we ensure the next generation understands what came before them, and we as a city are committed to not letting that memory fade. So today, especially to those who gave their lives in service to the nation, we remember you, we honor you, and we thank you.”
An emotional Commissioner Maria Mento remembered her father, a veteran whom she said loved the country like no other.
“Think of someone today that you would like to honor and be thankful and grateful to them,” she said.
Commissioner Lance Landgraf was also emotional sharing that his son Evan, who is currently serving active duty in the U.S. Navy, was able to surprise him and his mother with a visit over the holiday weekend.
“I look around our thriving city and see that our foundation was built upon the peace secured by our fallen heroes. The liberty to gather freely, speak openly, and watch our children grow up in a vibrant community was paid in full by their selflessness,” he said.
The Margate Mothers’ Association held its annual Memorial Day Parade along the Parkway section followed by a ceremony at All Wars Memorial.
Resident Teddy Fusco sang the national anthem a capella as veterans uncovered and saluted, and civilians held hand over heart.
Mayor Michael Collins welcome dignitaries and speakers before stating that Memorial Day is more than a “tradition” in Margate.
“This year’s celebration carries even deeper meaning as our nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of our nation. We join together to remember those heroes who never returned home. We honor their courage, devotion to duty and the families that continue to carry their memory forward. Today is about reflection and gratitude. We must move forward as one community and one nation to preserve the values they fought to protect.”
Keynote speaker former Senator Bill Gormley spoke about the city’s banner program honoring Margate’s veterans. Eleven of them honor the men of Margate who died fighting for freedom.
“These people lost their lives and all we ask is that you don’t forget what they did. Who are they? Marines who died on beaches, sailors buried at sea, airmen lost beyond the clouds, and the soldiers who died frozen in Korea,” he said.
He spoke individually about a few of them, one who died in action in the mud of Alsace, France, one day before the armistice, and another who died on D-Day, one mission short of the 25 needed to earn a discharge from service.
He asked residents to look up at the tribute banners that line the Amherst Avenue Promenade when they go out to dinner, and remember and honor them.
And with military precision, Longport’s service organized by American Legion Post Commander Larry Pacentrilli, drew a large crowd to hear last year’s Wounded Warrior Week recipient U.S. Army SFC Chase Tanton of Provo, Utah, speak about his days of service as a Green Beret.
He said his visit to Longport last September was “life altering” for him and his six children. He and his family were ecstatic to learn they would return to Longport to commemorate Memorial Day, again staying at the rectory at Church of the Redeemer that overlooks the bay.
“We couldn’t think of another place to be on Memorial Day. Our kids were counting down the days like it was Christmas,” Tanton said.
He said his wife sent him a quote that clearly defines the days we honor the military.
“Armed Forces Day is for those who are still in uniform, Veterans Day is for those who hung up their uniforms, and Memorial Day is for those who never made it out of their uniforms,” he said before remembering two of his comrads who perished in active duty.
Robert J. Miller received the Medal of Honor posthumously.
“He was a warrior in every sense of the word. Running toward enemy fire, he chose others over himself. In his final moments, it was him against 100 armed fighters and he drew the fire toward himself so his team could survive,” he said. “His actions that day were not a surprise, they were a direct reflection of who he was every day.”
Michael A. Gaphart was his closest teammate.
“We shared the same dirt, the same meals, the same missions, struggles and laughs. He was someone you could count on no matter what. He made tough moments lighter to help carry the load. That’s what people don’t see. The human side and the bonds that form going through things together.”
“Losing someone like Mike doesn’t just leave a gap, it changes you. When you share that kind of bond, you can’t just remember them on Memorial Day, you carry them with you every day in the way you live and lead others. That’s what Memorial Day is, not just about honoring the fallen, it’s about carrying them whole, and that their sacrifices become a living part of who we are,” he said.
“So, for those who never made it home, we remember you, we honor you and we will carry you with us always.”
Copyright N.Lo Communication, LLC 2026
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