Joe Calamito

On Memorial Day, May 25th, 2026, as a Vietnam Era Veteran, I was proud to attend the 2026 Memorial Day event at Pershing Field in Jersey City, invited by a friend of 50 years, Thomas Murphy, the event , honored Vietnam Veterans who died in action and Veteran casualties who lost their lives from service -related illnesses after returning home from Vietnam.

This event was special to me because childhood friends of Murphy, were also my High school friends. Murphy worked diligently, to have their names added to the pavers.

Our friends being honored that day, John Whalen, Robert Postel, and Patrick Downes.

Their names were placed into the Hidden Casualties of War pavers that now reside with the name of Frances Dolan, another friend of ours which Murphy, placed years ago.

All four of their names, Dolan, Whalen, Postel and Downes sit across from The Jersey City Vietnam Veterans Memorial that also lists another of Murphy and my friends, Michael Majeski killed in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive.

The event was moving with Billy Joel’s song “Goodbye Saigon” playing on a loud- speaker, and roses being placed on the memorials by willing participants in attendance. There were speeches by Jersey City Mayor James Solomon , Former Freeholder Anthony Romano of Hoboken and Murphy, who fondly remembered our friends, and himself as the Hamilton Park Boys, Hamilton Park in downtown Jersey City, an area they frequented in their youth .

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Committee, President John Stanton acted as Master of Ceremonies to the event.