Photo – The color guard from the McGuire Composite Squadron presents the colors to open the “Wreaths Across America” ceremony. From left are Cadet Lt Col Alexander Hawkins, Cadet 2nd Lt Sophia Loosa, Cadet LtCol Nathaniel Hawkins and Cadet Staff Sgt Lauchlan Marcheski. Photo credits to New Jersey Wing, Civil Air Patrol.
Civil Air Patrol cadets from across the New Jersey Wing recently honored America’s fallen service members during Wreaths Across America ceremonies held Saturday at veterans’ cemeteries throughout the state.
At Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Wrightstown, NJ, cadets from the Maj. Thomas B. McGuire Jr. Composite Squadron and Twin Pine Composite Squadron led the ceremony, while cadets from the Allentown and Pineland Composite Squadrons stood in formation in support. The event drew more than 300 veterans, family members and volunteers and concluded with the placement of nearly 3,000 wreaths at veterans’ gravesites.
“Wreaths Across America is a powerful reminder of the service and sacrifice made by generations of American veterans,” said Col. Amy Myzie, Commander of the New Jersey Wing. “Our cadets are honored to participate and demonstrate the values of respect, remembrance and service central to Civil Air Patrol.”
McGuire Composite Squadron Cadet 1st Lt. Audrey Hersey served as master of ceremonies. The squadron’s color guard presented the national colors, Cadet Airman Ava Costanzo performed “Taps,” and cadets from both McGuire and Twin Pine Composite Squadrons served as wreath bearers. Chaplain Arlan Davis of the U.S. Coast Guard delivered the invocation.
Elsewhere in New Jersey, cadets and senior members from the Lone Eagle Composite Squadron were joined by U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in laying wreaths at veterans’ gravesites at Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church Cemetery. The Jersey City Composite Squadron participated in Wreaths Across America at the Historic Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetery. The squadron’s color guard took part in the opening ceremony before members joined volunteers in laying wreaths.
At Beverly National Cemetery, members of the Riverside Composite Squadron participated alongside community volunteers in honoring the fallen.
Wreaths Across America is a national nonprofit organization founded in 2007 to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. Wreaths Across America is committed to teaching younger generations about the value of their freedoms and the importance of honoring those who sacrificed so much to protect those freedoms. In 2023, over three million veterans’ wreaths were placed in total across the country at 4,224 participating locations. More than three million volunteers helped place wreaths, a third of whom were children, according to Wreaths Across America.
