Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank all those who served honorably in the military—in wartime or peacetime. Our dad Frank Augustine was recognized in a distinguished service medal ceremony along with approximate 80 other Vets (and family of Vets that had passed away) in the Grand Rotunda of the Justice Brennan Courthouse in Jersey City, NJ, on April 15, 2014. He also received a Citation Certificate for his seven years in the US Army during WW ll, where he served as a cook and personal aide to his friend and mentor, Army Chaplain, Cape. William Walsh until September 15, when he was given an Honorable Discharge. The Even was a joint effort by Hudson Count Executive, Thomas A. DeGise, the Office of Veteran Affairs, and the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders chaired by Anthony Romano. Dad also received a Proclamation from the Office of the Mayor (former) of Hoboken, presented by his 6th ward councilwoman and the mayor’s former Chief of Staff, Jennifer Giattino. At 97, dad was on of the oldest—if not the oldest Veteran to receive these honors. My sister Josephine, was present as was my dear late childhood friend Joseph Brennan.
Postscript: Dad has his late older brothers (my uncles) Anthony and Joseph Augustine to thank for his decision to follow their footsteps to serve in United States Army Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio Texas. Later, he did a second stint at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
Normally Veterans Day doesn’t include those active in military service (that’s observed on Armed Forces Day, I’ve included a photo of my nephew Andrew Augustine who chose a career in the United States Air Force about 10 years ago. My dad, his grandpa, was very proud of his grandson and would have wanted it that way.
