Niagara County honors veterans many times over

by Emily Dulanski
Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, November 5, 2009
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, November 7, 2009

This coming Veterans Day, our nation will proudly celebrate those citizens who served their country. There will be many different ceremonies held throughout the U.S. to honor these brave men and women, and there are a few notable local events occurring in Niagara County.

One such event takes place in Youngstown. On Wednesday, Nov. 11, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 313 will hold an outdoor ceremony at Veterans Park. The event begins at 11 a.m. and will be followed by a reception at the post, located at 434 Third St. Similar observances are planned throughout the county, including at the veterans memorial in Academy Park in Lewiston starting at 11:11 a.m., with representatives of the Lewiston VFW and American Legion posts, and at Greenwood Cemetery in Wilson with representatives of Martin F. Jennings American Legion Post 836.

Other observances locally include the Lewiston-Porter School District’s tribute to veterans dinner at 6 p.m. Wednesday evening at Lewiston No. 1 Volunteer Fire Co. on North Sixth Street, and afternoon visits that day by members of the Lewiston American Legion post to veterans at Fairchild Manor Nursing Home and Schoellkopf senior residence in Niagara Falls.

In Sanborn, American Legion Post 1451, 6525 Ward Road, will conduct a Veterans Day ceremony recognizing all veterans on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Wheatfield monument on Ward Road.  Following the ceremony a flag retirement ceremony will take place at the Legion Hall.  Anyone wishing to retire an American Flag that is weathered and torn may bring it to the Legion where it will be properly retired.  Chowder will be served afterwards at the post.  Anyone having questions regarding the Veterans Day activities may call the Legion Hall at 731-4712.

In the county, the Town of Niagara Lions Club’s annual Veterans Day ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. at Veterans Heights Park. There will be a color guard and flag raising ceremony as well as a wreath placed at the memorial. Speakers will include Christopher Clark, a veteran of the U.S. Army; Michael Hoplight, who served with the American Red Cross in Iraq; and Col. James M. Germain, a longtime member of the 914th Airlift Wing at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Base.

Another event of a slightly different nature is the final lecture in the 2009 Military Heritage series, taking place at the North Tonawanda History Museum. Dr. Gretchen A. Duling will be speaking about her new book, “A Legacy of Mutual Trust: The Diary (June 1944-May 1946) and letters (1944-2005) of Otto Herboth, World War II German Prisoner of War Interned at Fort Niagara, NY” Duling will speak on Monday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m.

Perhaps one of the most interesting observances is the Niagara County Legislature’s Veterans Day recognition, which opened the Legislative session on Wednesday, Nov. 4. What makes this unique was its focus on the bravery of one area veteran of the Civil War era.

Michael Huskey of Lockport fought in 1862 for the Union during the Civil War. Although not much is known about him or what he did, his valor in battle awarded him the Medal of Honor, a high commendation rarely given.

“We were working in the office going through papers, and my deputy pulled out a list of Medal of Honor winners,” said Catherine Emerson, Niagara County historian.

Huskey served as a first class fireman on a city-class gunboat, also known as the “brown water Navy,” that went down the Mississippi River to attempt to cut the Confederate forces in half. However, the river was difficult to navigate, said Emerson, and during this mission Confederates set the admiral’s tugboat on fire. Huskey was among those who volunteered to go help.

“If the Confederates had gotten hold of this flotilla, the whole end result of the war would have changed drastically,” said Emerson. “He was the only member of the rescue group who received this Medal of Honor, so he must have done something above and beyond the call of duty.”

Unfortunately, Huskey passed away in a hospital the following year, and may never have known about the award. He is likely one of the 8,000 unidentified bodies buried in the National Cemetery in Memphis. His medal was never claimed, and there are currently no known surviving descendants or family members. For this reason, Niagara County is attempting to claim Huskey’s Medal of Honor to display in the Courthouse.

“He’s disappearing into the mists of time and no one has done anything to honor him,” said Emerson. “His name is on no memorial.”

As our nation celebrates our surviving veterans as well as our fallen friends, we remember those great deeds they have done to serve and protect us. On Veterans Day, through all the various ceremonies and events, we have an opportunity to truly thank these outstanding men and women.