Category: News

On Nov 3, 2022  our post visited Old Farmers Road School for  a Veterans breakfast , flag raising and discussion with 5th grade students in the auditorium.

On Nov 2, 2022 members of our Post placed American flags on the graves of our deceased Veterans.

Michael W. Knudsen, 71 of Hackettstown, NJ, passed away at home on September 19, 2022. Born in Dansville, NY, Michael was the son of the late Oscar & Alice Price Knudsen. Michael grew up in Hornell, NY, four days after his High School graduation he joined the United States Navy. After his service to the U.S. Navy, he began his working career as a mason then moved on to driving a truck for the former Welsh Farms of Long Valley, NJ. Michael later established Knundsen & Son Trucking, a tractor trailer hauling business. His final career was with the Morris County Road Department from which he retired several years ago.

Michael was a member of the Chester NJ. American Legion and AVANT Post 1776 of Long Valley, NJ. and attended Highlands Presbyterian Church, Schooley’s Mountain, NJ. Since his retirement, Michael and his beloved wife of 51 years, Anna have enjoyed travelling and enjoying their winter home in Fort Meyers, Fla.

In addition to his beloved wife Anna, Michael is survived by one son Paul Knudsen (Candice) and one daughter, Kristina Wohlers (Jason). Three loving grandchildren, Kailey, Alexis and Jason, Jr.

Our post presented  the Colors at the West Morris home football game on Fri. Sept 9th for remembrance of 9/11. 

 

On May 27, 2022,  Post 1776 lost one of their brothers, Al Guenther.

Alvin C. Guenther, Jr., 74, of Califon, NJ, passed away on Friday, May 27th, 2022, at Morristown Medical Center with his wife and children by his side. Alvin was born on December 14, 1947, in Newton, NJ to the late Alvin C. Guenther, Sr. and Lillian (Dinkowitz) Guenther. He graduated from West Morris Central High School in 1966 and later earn a bachelor’s degree from the Rutgers University. At Rutgers, he was able to have the special experience of attending the same school at the same time as both his daughter and son. He bravely enlisted during the Vietnam War and served from 1967-1968 before being honorably discharged.
Alvin had an accomplished 45+ year career as a Real Estate Broker, having most recently worked for Weichert in Chester, NJ. He was not only a Broker/Sales Representative, but he was also a member of MIRM, New Homes Specialist, Weichert Million Dollar Sales & Marketing Club, NJAR Million Dollar Sales Club (1984-1985), and the Quarter Century Club. He was a member of the Washington Twp. Veterans Association and the American Legion in Chester. His passion in life was buying and restoring classic cars. Some of his favorites were his 1955 and 1957 Chevys. He also enjoyed attending car shows across New Jersey.
Alvin is survived by beloved wife of 49 years, Maureen (McAvoy) Guenther; two devoted children, Kelly Bauks and husband Tim, and Jeff Guenther and wife Stephanie Wilson; four cherished granddaughters, Kaleigh, Lauren, Brier, and Piper; and by his siblings, Patricia Lunger, and John P. Guenther; and by many other loving family members and friends.
Alvin’s Life Celebration will include a visitation on Tuesday, May 31st, 2022, from 4pm – 8pm at the William J. Leber Funeral Home (908) 879-3090, 15 Furnace Rd. (corner of Route 206) Chester, NJ 07930. A Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, at 12noon at the Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Pequest Union Cemetery in Independence, NJ.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Disabled American Veterans by visiting www.dav.org

On May 28, 2022 Post 1776 held their annual Memorial Day Ceremony at Rock Spring Park in Long Valley, NJ

Additional information from the Observer-Tribune may be seen by clicking on the below link.

MD1  (Click on MD1)

Post 1776 participated in a flag raising at various schools in Washington TWP during Memorial day week.

May 24 at Cucinella School

  

 

May 25 at Old Farmers Road School

On May 27 at Kossman School

 

May27 at Flocktown School

Observer Tribune 12/23/21

WASHINGTON TWP. – Long Valley continued one of its newest holiday traditions on Saturday, Dec. 18 when volunteers placed 370 wreaths at the grave sites of veterans as part of the annual national Wreaths Across America ceremonies.

The event honors individuals who served in the armed forces in times of war and peace. After a ceremony held at St. Mark The Evangelist‘s Parish Hall on Spring Lane, volunteers fanned out to different burial sites around Washington Township to honor those who once served the country now resting peacefully.

“The reason we are all sitting here free on days like this is because of a lot of those grave sites out there,’’ said Township Committeeman Kenneth Short, an Army veteran. “I think there are 370 of them. When you go out to a site and you stand there and salute and say the person’s name, it’s moving.’’

Wreaths Across America was brought to the township six years ago by Sarah Guida as part of her Girl Scout Gold Star initiative. After she left for college at Virginia Tech, the act of continuing it gained support through Township officials, Police Chief Jeffrey Almer, the Long Valley Knights of Columbus and the American Veterans Association of Washington Township 1776 (AVAWT).

Mayor Matt Murello has marveled about how much the event has grown in stature in such a short time.

“I think this is one of the signature events we have this time of year as we lead into Christmas,’’ Murello said moments before the ceremony began. “You can never forget the military and what they have done for us.’’

Event coordinator Mike Lennon of the Knights of Columbus said that the organization surpassed its goals set for sponsoring wreaths this year.

“We raised our quota last year,’’ Lennon said. “It was 365 and we bumped it up to 370. We are at 410 now and I just mailed in a few more checks. We will go slightly over that so we are actually 10 percent of our way to next year.

“In previous years we have donated wreaths to Arlington (National Cemetery),” he said. “It is my understanding that they are very well sourced there and that there really isn’t a tremendous need. We will roll it forward next year to keep it in the community where it was donated.’’

This year’s Long Valley presentation included songs by bagpiper Mary Wood Russell; the national anthem sung by Maggie Shaffer and a thought-provoking invocation by Tim Kelly, the AVAWT Post 1776 chaplain.

Thomas McBride Navy Master CPO and the Commander of Veterans Post 1776 provided some appropriate remarks then Mayor Murello provided the names of those veterans placing symbolic wreaths at the ceremony.

Korean War veteran Don Cable placed a wreath for the Navy, Army veteran John Groahl placed a wreath for the Army. Marine veteran Brian Mcguire placed a wreath for the Marines. Navy veteran John Larkin, whose two children attended the Coast Guard Academy, placed a wreath for the Coast Guard. Air Force Veteran John Wierbowski, placed a wreath for the Air Force. Navy veteran Jerry Kieffer placed a wreath to represent the Merchant Marines.

In remembering those who were Prisoners of War and Missing in Action, Navy veteran Larry Oppel placed a wreath in memory of West Morris graduate, Air Force member and MIA in Laos, Chester Borough’s Larry Maysey.

Army veteran Charles “Chuck” Dauchert placed a wreath in memory of Army specialist Richard Lacey, a member of his unit that went missing in action in South Vietnam. Afterwards taps was played on a trumpet by Nicholas Murello, the mayor’s son.

In concluding, Lennon provided instructions to the volunteers who would be laying wreaths: “Place the wreath in front of a tombstone marked by an American flag, render proper honors if in uniform, say the veteran’s name and take a moment to reflect and remember’’.

There are five cemeteries in Long Valley where war veterans are buried. The German Valley Cemetery on Coleman Road, the Middle Valley Cemetery at West Mill Road and Beacon Hill Road, the Our Lady of the Mountain Cemetery on Schooley’s Mountain Road, the Pleasant Grove Cemetery on Califon Road and the Old Stone Union Hill Cemetery on Fairview Road.

Cindy Hanft is one of many who consider Wreaths Across American a tradition. Her husband Tim Hanft and daughter Makenna and her father Charlie Davidson were part of a group of volunteers laying wreaths at Our Lady of the Mountain Cemetery.

“I grew up in Long Valley,’’ Cindy Hanft said. “My parents still live in Long Valley and every year we place the wreaths on the graves of the veterans.’’

Each December the mission of Wreaths Across America, a non-profit organization, is to remember fallen veterans and honor those who served through wreath placing ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery as well as 1,600 different locations across all 50 states and abroad.

The idea was initiated in 1992. Morrill Worcester, owner of Worcester Wreath Company in Harrington, Maine, found his business had a surplus of wreaths. Remembering a boyhood experience from a visit to Washington D. C., Worcester, with the aid of Maine Senator Olympia Snowe, arranged for the extra wreaths to be placed at Arlington in one of the older sections of the cemetery.

The practice soon became an annual tribute. It went on quietly for 13 years with more and more volunteers and organizations stepping up each year to provide and lay more wreaths at Arlington. In 2005, a photograph of the rows and rows of grave stones at the national cemetery adorned with wreaths and covered in snow circulated around the Internet and drew plenty of attention from individuals and groups around the country wanting to help with the Arlington effort or wishing to emulate the act of laying wreaths at their national or state cemetery. As a result, Wreaths Across America was created in 2007.

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