P’ville Church, Community Rededicates World War II Monument
There was no chance Marty DeGrazia was going to miss Sunday morning’s World War II monument rededication ceremony outside Our Lady of Pompei Church on Saratoga Avenue in Pleasantville.
DeGrazia’s family connection to the war, the monument and the neighborhood surrounding the church runs deep.
“My uncle, Michael DeGrazia, was the chairman of the original monument committee and my Uncle Albert went down with the U.S.S. Juneau in the South Pacific,” reminisced DeGrazia, whose family roots in Pleasantville date back to the 1820s. “But more importantly my Uncle Joe was blown up on Normandy Beach and they left him because they thought he died and he was rescued later by the Americans and brought back to America.”
DeGrazia, whose father and another uncle also served in World War II, was part of a group of attendees whose heart was warmed on a chilly morning when the restored granite stone monument and new foundation were unveiled. It was originally placed on the church’s lawn shortly after the end of World War II to honor the 24 village residents who were killed in action.
During the ceremony, Village Administrator Patricia Dwyer read each name that appears on the monument’s plaque followed by a ring of the church bell. There was also Taps and an honor guard salute by Hawthorne American Legion Post 112.
Rev. William Holt of Holy Innocents parish, which includes Our Lady of Pompei Church, said it was important for community members and parishioners to restore the monument because it honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
“They’re just animated to get this rededicated,” Holt said of the community. “They were all just excited about it like of bunch of kids at Christmas and they really did a superb job.”
The effort was spearheaded by Grace Baer, a lifelong resident who has lived next door to the church for the past 40 years. Her grandfather, a stonecutter, helped build the church.
Baer said they were able to locate an anonymous donor who paid for the roughly $3,600 in work. She said in the future she hopes to get a fence to be placed around the perimeter of the lawn.
There are deep connections for many the neighborhood in the southeastern portion of the village, which has often been referred to as The Flats. About 95 years after the neighborhood’s original settlers built Our Lady of Pompei Church, it continues to be a tight-knit community, said Pleasantville Mayor Peter Scherer.
Scherer made special mention of Baer who had been a major catalyst behind the efforts that culminated in Sunday’s ceremony.
“It’s really had its own identity all these years and continues to,” Scherer said of the area. “The monument and the rededication of a monument that was privately created and privately sustained is really a nice thing. It doesn’t happen in too many places. And if something needs to get done, Grace is going to get it done.”
Also attending the ceremony was County Executive Rob Astorino Growing up, Astorino spent most Sunday mornings at Our Lady of Pompei in addition to having his confirmation at Holy Innocents parish. He was happy to see that there are still some families who have a link to the church’s roots and the original installation of the monument.
“It’s a special place and there are some really special people that make up that parish and this community,” Astorino 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/