Honored military veterans relay stories at Heritage Manor
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YOUNGSTOWN — The Austintown Fitch High School band performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” as veterans, families and staff gathered at Heritage Manor Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation for a Veterans Day ceremony recognizing more than 20 men and women who served in the United States military.
The Nov. 11 event honored veterans from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and National Guard, including Heritage Manor residents, Levy Gardens Assisted Living tenants, Adult Day Services clients and staff members.
Richard Clark of Patriot, a Marine veteran, presided over the ceremony. Each veteran was individually recognized, presented with a certificate and pin, and saluted. The program also included a flag-folding ceremony explaining the traditional meaning behind each fold of the American flag.
For Army veteran Jeffrey McCary of Youngstown, military service began with a practical decision.
“To be honest with you, I just needed a trade,” McCary said when asked what inspired him to join. “They paid for it.”
His service took him to Panama, Germany, California and Atlanta, where he worked in recruiting.
Looking back, McCary described his experience as having “more good days than bad days.”
“I did the best I can do, and they got the best out of me,” he said.
For 95-year-old Marine veteran Arthur Z. Greenfield of Youngstown, entering the military happened a little differently.
Originally drafted into the Army, Greenfield was taking his physical examination when Marine Corps representatives asked for volunteers.
“I volunteered, along with quite a few other boys from Youngstown,” he recalled.
Greenfield had previously worked in an aluminum storefront and window plant. That experience helped determine his military assignment, eventually leading him into air traffic control.
“I saved many a life just by voice,” he said of his work in a control tower.
His memories weren’t limited to military responsibilities. During the early 1950s, Greenfield and his wife lived in a converted milk house in Kansas, complete with a dirt floor covered in linoleum.
Greenfield’s daughter, Carol Mirkin of Liberty, attended the ceremony with him.
“I’m just so thrilled that my 95-year-old father is around to tell his story and keep the legacy going,” Mirkin said.
She hopes younger generations understand that people sacrificed their lives protecting the freedoms Americans enjoy today.
Her father’s message was equally straightforward.
“I think you have to remember that we live in the United States of America, and it’s the most important thing we have,” Greenfield said.
Shane Baldwin, executive director of Senior Services for the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation, said the annual veterans pinning ceremony has taken place for many years.
Baldwin, who has worked for the organization for nine years, said recognizing veterans remains an important tradition.
“I just hope they feel how much we appreciate them and the sacrifices they made for our country,” he said.
“It’s a small token to be able to honor them one day a year, but we feel this is very important to show our respect for them and everything they’ve done.”
The Austintown Fitch band, under the direction of Jeremy McClaine, has participated in the ceremony for several years.
“This is our third or fourth year that we’ve been here at Heritage Manor, and they’ve always put on a great Veterans Day ceremony,” McClaine said.
Beyond providing music, McClaine said he believes the experience gives students an opportunity to better understand military service and recognize those who served.
Student musician Sydney Smart said Veterans Day holds personal meaning because of her grandfather’s military experience.
“Today is a day to honor the veterans because my grandfather was a veteran, and he has amazing stories,” Smart said. “I love to hear the stories that the veterans have.”
For McCary, the importance of Veterans Day extends beyond recognizing those in attendance.
He hopes people remember the generations who served before him and those who will serve after him, helping preserve the peace and freedoms Americans experience every day.
The ceremony was sponsored by Heritage Manor and Patriot Hospice in conjunction with the Veterans Service Commission, with additional support from Giant Eagle and Cornerstone Caregiving.
Senior Living by Youngstown Area Jewish Federation includes Heritage Manor Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation, Adult Day Services at Heritage Manor and Levy Gardens Assisted Living.
As the ceremony concluded, Greenfield’s words offered a reminder of why the annual recognition matters.
“I think you have to remember that we live in the United States of America,” he said, “and it’s the most important thing we have.”