North Castle American Legion Honors Fallen Heroes

The names of the year’s lost war veterans labeled four vacant chairs inside of the North Castle American Legion Post 1097 as residents filed into the ceremony.The Memorial Day event was moved inside due to the anticipation of bad weather, so seats were limited. Many children and some adults sat along the wall on the floor to get a view of the musicians and discussion.Post Commander Patrick Burke led the ceremony and was accompanied by town representatives, including members of the Armonk Fire Department, the Banksville Police Department and the Byram Hills High School band.“It’s important we always remember and honor those who paid the ultimate price for freedom,” he said.Burke walked the streets of North Castle last week to place fresh American flags on the graves of war heroes throughout the town. He said local Boy Scouts also helped in traveling the area to place flags onto gravesites.Major General Vito J. Castellano was beside Burke during the ceremony and participated in the holiday parade held shortly beforehand.“The parade was magnificent,” he said. “It was a good chance to thank my neighbors for their attendance.”Vince Cirillo served in the United States Navy and grew up in North Castle. He rode in one of the vehicles during the parade and waved as supporters waved flags.“Today means a lot to me,” he said. “It means that it’s time to remember my buddies. We lost a lot of shipmates over the years.”

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