The Bristal Honors 16 of its Residents for Their Service to the Nation
For some veterans it’s been over 70 years since they served in the military, but even after all that time the memories and emotions are often as vivid as they were when they were in uniform.
On Wednesday, The Bristal in Armonk commemorated Veterans Day by honoring the 15 men and one woman – 89-year-old Joan Fles, a military nurse during World War II – who are residents of the assisted living facility. The brief ceremony paid tribute to the veterans, all between 81 and 97 years old, most of whom served during World War II or the Korean War, and featured visits by local dignitaries.
Harold Merler, 89, a World War II Army veteran, said the best part of the service was after he arrived home he was able to go to college on the G.I. Bill, which helped lead him to good jobs. There were many others he knew, however, who weren’t as fortunate and Veterans Day was a time to remember them.
“I think of a lot of friends in the neighborhood who never made it back,” said Merler, a former White Plains resident.
The ceremony featured the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of the national anthem, followed by remarks from representatives of The Bristal, Assemblyman David Buchwald, County Legislator-elect Margaret Cunzio and North Castle Town Board members Barbara DiGiacinto and Stephen D’Angelo. The veterans and their relatives who attended enjoyed cake following the ceremony.
Winsome Bent, The Bristal’s regional director, said it was important to recognize the facility’s residents who served the nation. Since many of them don’t typically talk about their experiences, some might not have even known that there were so many fellow veterans living under the same roof.
In May, The Bristal in White Plains recognized the 70th anniversary of V-E Day and its veterans who served.
“The price of freedom is high. We can’t forget those who were willing to pay it,” Bent said. “Today we celebrate American veterans for keeping this nation the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
Leon Yablon, 95, one of The Bristal’s brave veterans who formerly lived in the Bronx, served from 1942 to 1945 in Europe with the 269th Combat Engineers. During the ceremony he proudly held a small card that contained a picture of him in uniform.
The engineers were among the first American soldiers to meet up with the Soviets in Germany in the closing days of the war in Europe. But his experiences have also taken its toll over the years. Yablon’s daughter, Ronnie Meyer, said her father still sometimes wakes up with nightmares from witnessing so much death and destruction.
Yablon was one of several veterans who fought to keep emotions in check when talking about their service.
“We did a job we had to do because what I (saw) there I still can’t sleep,” he said.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
