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MEMORIAL DAY MEMORIES
By Paul Cantor
On the day before Memorial Day 75 years ago the dedication ceremony
for Richard Kemper Memorial Park took place at
Mamaroneck High School in Mamaroneck, New York.
Richard Kemper, a former MHS student and my uncle, was killed on
August 6, 1944, exactly two months after D-Day. He
was killed in the Battle of the Hedgerows, the
effort to drive the Germans out of France during
World War II. Subsequently my grandparents, Adolph
and Helen Kemper, purchased land outside the High
School and turned it into a memorial where they and
others might come to honor those who fought to
defend our country and the enlightenment values
embodied in our founding documents.
And by situating the memorial outside the high school Richard had
attended they hoped it would motivate teachers and
students to address questions related to how to
create a just and peaceful world. Nevertheless,
when Colonel Bernard Lentz, the
former commander of Fort Slocum in New York, thanked
them at the dedication ceremony on May 26, 1947 for
ensuring “the
heroes of yesterday will not be pushed out of our
recollection or the recollection of the generations
of boys and girls who will be receiving the
blessings of liberty in the shape of an American
common school education” he did not mention that he
shared their hope that the sacrifices made by
Richard and others who died fighting fascism would
inspire educators and students to address questions
related to putting an end to wars and the threat of
wars.
Fortunately, however, six months later, the United Nations
adopted the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights as the “common standard of achievement”
they should aim for. Specifically, it stipulated
that “every individual and every organ of society”
should “strive by teaching and education to promote
respect” for human rights and that educators should
“promote understanding, tolerance and friendship
among all nations, racial or religious groups, and
shall further the activities of the United Nations
for the maintenance of peace.”
So where are we today? Today Russia’s President Vladimir Putin
is threatening to use nuclear weapons in his war
against the NATO supported armed forces of Ukraine
and, according to UN Secretary-General António
Guterres, “we are facing the highest number of
violent conflicts since 1945.” Clearly educators in
our country and around the world have failed to do
the job my grandparents and so many others who lost
loved ones in wars past and present called and call
on them to do. They have failed, in short, to
motivate their best students to address the issue of
how to create a just and peaceful world order with
the same rigor they use to address issues in the
hard sciences and mathematics.
“Education,” as Nelson Mandela noted, is the most powerful weapon
which you can use to change the world.” We used it,
for instance, to train the scientists who helped put
our footprints on the moon and iPhones in our
hands. We, and other countries too, used it to
train scientists who put nuclear weapons in our
arsenals. But we and others have yet to use it to
develop the laws and enforcement mechanisms needed
to eliminate the existential threat those weapons
embody. In order to do that we need educators to
motivate our best students to address human rights
issues with the same rigor they address issues in
the hard sciences.
That is something I, and I hope others, will be thinking about
today as we celebrate our service women and men past
and present who sacrificed their lives in defense of
a world order where everyone everywhere shares the
rights enumerated in our Declaration of Independence
and Bill of Rights as well as the UDHR and many
other related human rights documents.
Paul Cantor is the President of the Kemper Human
Rights Education Foundation. This year is the 23rd year
the foundation has sponsored human rights essay
contests. For more information about KHREF, the
question it is posing this year, and the prizes it
offers go to khref.org.
Click here to download "Memorial Day Memories"
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Thanks to your generous donations we have
reached our goal and planted 6 White Pine trees!
Come see our new White Pine trees
Signs
of Spring at the Park!
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A Personal
Account of D-Day
by Jim Levy
(Charles Kemper's roommate at Duke)
Click here
to read more
Dr. Charles
A. Kemper,
cousin of Richard M. Kemper and
life long friend of the Richard M. Kemper Memorial Park,
passes away at 103
Click here for more
about Charles' life
World War II Veteran Lee
Fadem Visits Hommocks Middle School 7th Graders
Click to view slideshow
Charles Kemper celebrates his 103rd
birthday on December 29th, 2022
Click here for more
information
Photos by Chris DeVito
Click to view slideshow
75th
Anniversary
May 25, 2022
Past, present, and future merged at the rededication
ceremony held in Kemper Memorial Park on May 25th.
Exactly 75 years before, on May 25, 1947, the Park was
officially accepted by the Mamaroneck School District as
a gift from the family of Adolph Kemper, whose son, Lt.
Richard Kemper, died during the Normandy Campaign in
France.
The rededication ceremony, marking the Park’s 75th
anniversary, was organized to mirror the original
ceremony as closely as possible, including the School
District’s symbolic acceptance of the gift once again. MHS
students participating in the annual Kemper Contest this
year were given a quote from the original dedication
ceremony and asked if those words still have meaning
today. The winning essay and poem both conveyed that
they do.
The ceremony also focused on the Park’s future. On
display were four new metal tablets that will soon be
installed over the original engravings on the monument,
which have deteriorated over time. They were created to
ensure that the names of the Kemper honorees will be
clearly visible for at least the next 75 years.
Additionally, a hard drive containing the complete
history of the Park from its inception until now will be
buried behind the monument. This time capsule will be
unearthed on the Park’s 100th Anniversary in
2047.
Linking generations has always been a major goal of the
Kemper Memorial Park Preservation Fund and the
Rededication Ceremony was a further example of our
success. As always, we are grateful for the support
that enabled us to do it.
We encourage you to view the entire ceremony below so
you too can take pride in being part of a community that
keeps its promise to honor those who sacrificed
everything for us.
Click to view video
Park
Rededication Ceremony
Click to play
video
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Special thanks to LMC-TV for
recording this video
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Village of Mamaroneck - American Legion Post 90
Memorial Day Parade
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Click to view video |
Mark your
calendar
This year marks the 75th
Anniversary of the Dedication Ceremony for
Kemper Memorial Park.
Following the death of his son, Lt. Richard
Kemper during the Normandy Campaign in
France, Adolph Kemper purchased the land and
financed the construction to create Kemper
Memorial Park and the Monument honoring his
son and the other residents of the
Mamaroneck and Larchmont communities who
perished in World War II. The Park was then
bequeathed to the Mamaroneck School District
to remain, in perpetuity, as a memorial to
the sacrifices made by those individuals to
preserve our freedom.
Our community has seen many changes during
the seventy-five years that have passed
since the May 25,1947 dedication ceremony,
but what remains steadfast is our promise to
honor the memory of the members of that past
generation who sacrificed so much for us.
To reinforce that commitment, we invite you
to attend
The Kemper Memorial Park Rededication
Ceremony on
May 25 at
3:15 p.m. At that time, you will
hear the donor’s original wish for the
Park’s future and The Mamaroneck School
District’s vow to honor it. Additionally,
you will see the results of the
collaboration between the School District
and the Kemper Memorial Park Preservation
Fund to beautify and enhance the Park for
school and community use.
The Rededication Ceremony will be held in
Kemper Memorial Park, weather permitting,
and moved indoors to the Mamaroneck High
School Auditorium if necessary. We hope you
can join us!
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May
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Name |
Place of Death |
Date of Death |
Status |
Place of Burial |
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Richard J. Shea |
Fort Hughes, Caballo Island,
Philippines |
Wednesday, May 6, 1942 |
Killed by bomb splinter |
Tablets of the Missing, Manila Amer
Cem, Manila, Phili |
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Wilbur R. Buckingham |
Gustav Line near Mt. Cassino, Italy |
Friday, May 12, 1944 |
KIA |
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John J. Marsella |
Anzio Beach, Italy |
Friday, May 26, 1944 |
KIA |
Zachary Taylor National Cemetery,
Louisville, Kentucky |
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John Joseph Sganga |
Off coast of Okinawa |
Friday, May 4, 1945 |
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Tablets of the Missing, Honolulu
Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii |
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Duncan McLaren Crane |
Okinawa |
Sunday, May 6, 1945 |
KIA |
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Robert Edward Frye, Sr. |
Okinawa |
Wednesday, May 9, 1945 |
KIA |
National Memorial Cemetery of the
Pacific |
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Kenneth John Foster |
Okinawa |
Thursday, May 10, 1945 |
KIA |
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Woodrow Wilson Johns |
Okinawa |
Saturday, May 12, 1945 |
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Sam Paonessa |
Davao, Mindanao, Philippines |
Wednesday, May 23, 1945 |
KIA |
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Clark A. Neal |
Kawasaki, Japan |
Friday, May 25, 1945 |
M |
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Thomas Sullivan |
Off coast of Okinawa |
Monday, May 28, 1945 |
KIA |
Tablets of the Missing, Honolulu |
Click
name to view profile
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CHARLES
KEMPER,
THE BIRD
MAN OF CHIPPEWA FALLS
By Paul Cantor
Dr. Charles Kemper,
the Bird Man of Chippewa Falls and Richard Kemper’s first cousin will be 103 on
December 29, 2022. Charles was a flight surgeon in
the Pacific in World War II, a country doctor for 40
years after the war, an editor of the Wisconsin
Society for Ornithology, president of the Inland
Bird Banding Association, author of Birds of
Chippewa Land and founder of the Kemper Woods
wildlife preserve
(https://gochippewacounty.com/listings/kempers-woods/).
Click
here to read more...
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Click to view video
Mamaroneck High School Veterans Day Ceremony
2021
WWII Red Cross Clubmobiles and
Kay Cullen
We recently received a
digital book from a gentleman in Spain about the WWII
Red Cross Clubmobiles. Kay Cullen, one of the Park's
honorees, was serving on one when she was killed in a
bomb explosion at the hospital in Belgium where she was
staying. He also sent an image of a postcard her group
sent the family of one of the soldiers.
Click to view the Virtual Meet & Greet
For the past
few years, on Veteran’s Day, the Kemper Memorial
Park Preservation Fund has sponsored a Meet and
Greet Event between students and veterans at the
Richard M. Kemper Park on the Mamaroneck High
School campus. The students benefited
tremendously from this event and we hope that
the veterans enjoyed it as well. Due to
Covid-19, we decided once again to hold the
event virtually on our website.
Click here to submit a video
Mamaroneck High School Veterans Day Ceremony
2021
WWII Red
Cross Clubmobiles and Kay Cullen
We recently
received a digital book from a gentleman in Spain
about the WWII Red Cross Clubmobiles. Kay Cullen,
one of the Park's honorees, was serving on one when
she was killed in a bomb explosion at the hospital
in Belgium where she was staying. He also sent an
image of a postcard her group sent the family of one
of the soldiers.
The History Channel's series,
History's Greatest Mysteries
called Expedition Bermuda Triangle
with Laurence Fishburne. Episode 1 of Season 2, has a whole
segment
(about 47 minutes in the video)
about George Paonessa with photos of him and the telegram
his family received after his death.
Stephen Colbert speaks about his uncle 1st Lt. Andrew Edward
Tuck II
during a CNN interview on June 6, 2014
Learn more about Andrew
Edward Tuck III by clicking his name in the
Profiles of Honorees area of our site
Following the Footsteps of My Father
A touching story about Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds
experiences
during The Battle of the Bulge
Click to view video
Medicine Under Canvas is a wonderful video depicting
how the medical units operated during WWII. It includes
a brief segment about one of our honorees,
Anne Kathleen "Kay" Cullen.
Video
made by Dan Ginivan and released by the
University of Kansas Medical Center.
Nurseries
Click here to view video
Click here to view the slideshow
See our beautiful
garden beds thanks to all the donations made by Larchmont
Nurseries
and the loving care of Jeff Gibson and the MUFSD Grounds crew
Nurseries
Click here to view video and learn more about Flag Day!
Click here to view video
See the Park in all it's Glory
Click to view video
Video by Mark Schumer & Music played by Mat Schumer
The Angels of Bataan: The World War II Nurses
Who
Survived Three Years in a Japanese Prison Camp
Click here
for more information
Photos by
Mark and Jane Schumer
Click to view more photos
Boy Scouts hold
meeting at Kemper Memorial Park
Boy Scout Troop 2 hold their meeting at
the Park
under the direction of Scout Leader John Sykes
Click here for video
Click here to view video
Latest Information Regarding
the New Rochelle Naval Armory
The lawsuit filed in 2019 by local veterans
against the city of New Rochelle and developer,
Twining Properties, has been dismissed by the State Supreme
Court.
Click
here for more information
Veterans History Project
Interview with
Dr. Max Eagelfeld
Click here to view video
See Our New Plaques
Many
thanks to Jeff and his crew, Inmar and Jose,
who installed the beautiful plaques.
A
special thank you to Chris who crafted the
stones for the plaques.
Farewell to a Dear Friend
Click here for the video
Click for obituary
Signs of Spring at the Park
Flashback to Memorial Day 2016
Our Veterans' Stories
Here is Jim Camera's second entry!
Intro to Passage of Solitude
Passage of Solitude
Do you have work you
would like to share?
Click here to let us know.
A Snowy Day at the Park
Photo by Mark and Janie Schumer
See Our New Sign
Click to
see video
Our New Rock Garden
Newest Additions
Glorious brand new azalea bed that has been
created in front of the "lunch" rock
on the West Side of the Memorial Park and along the fence are
rhododendron.
Jeff and his crew did a fabulous job with the generous donation
from Larchmont Nurseries.
Outdoor Education!
Mamaroneck High School music teacher Tim
Hooker finds the
Park a perfect place to hold his band classes
Photo by Mark & Jane Schumer
See the enhancements to the Scout Garden
Click here to view video
Photos/Video by Mark, Jane and Mat Schumer
Girl
Scouts create homemade ornaments
honoring the 101 Heroes for tree decorating contest
Please click here to
read more about this event and who was declared the winner!
Click to view video
Press Release
Fall is coming!!!
Click here to view video
Memorial Park serves as a classroom!
A MHS reading class taking advantage of the
beautiful Kemper Memorial Park grounds, on a wonderful sunny
day.
They expressed their gratitude for the work done in the park and
the maintenance of the gardens.
The Park is in full bloom!
Once again we extend a very special
thank you to Jeff Gibson and his crew
for their TLC of the Park especially during their
revised schedules and with these drought conditions
When you can't be at the Memorial Park,
please celebrate with us, virtually.
Click to view video
Spring is
here!!!
Photos by Mark Schumer
The
Park is in full bloom!
Once again we extend a very special thank you to Jeff Gibson and his crew
for their TLC of the Park especially during their revised
schedules and with these drought conditions
When you can't be at the Memorial Park,
please celebrate with us, virtually.
Click to view video
Spring is
here!!!
Photos by Mark Schumer
Getting Ready
for Spring!!!
Our Lilac Bush was planted by Joanne Grossman
Photo taken by Mark Schumer
Special thanks to Jeff Gibson and his crew
for all their hard work.
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Hommocks' Students Annual Gathering with Our
Veterans
Mamaroneck High School Veterans Day Ceremony 2019
Click to view video
War Memorials at Mamaroneck
High School
Produced by MHS Junior Anna Daum & Senior
Amelia Bohn
Spring Has Finally Arrived At The Memorial Park
2019
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Our Sign Is Up!
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Annual Richard
Kemper Memorial Contest
2019
Description
Click to view video of the Veteran's Day ceremony at Mamaroneck
High School
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Hommocks Students
Celebrating Veterans Day
at Kemper Memorial Park 2018 |
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1st graders from the Daniel Warren School in the Rye
Neck School District, thank the veterans for their
service.
Bill Fraser and his WWII Jeep
Click to view video
The Kemper Memorial
Garden Project
Click to view video of Erin Byron's 9th graders visiting
the Kemper Memorial Garden
Tony
Marsella
The Mamaroneck community
has lost a great citizen and World War II veteran: Tony
Marsella died on August 6th. He was a supporter of
Kemper Memorial Park for many decades and a member of
the Board of Directors of the Kemper Memorial Park
Preservation Fund.
Tony was arguably the human face of the fight to
preserve the Richard M. Kemper Memorial Park, as his
brother John perished in the War and is one of the 101
honorees on the memorial stone. Tony was able to spend
time in the Park
to grieve for his brother Pvt. John J. Marsella, US
Army, who was killed in action on the Anzio beachhead in
Italy on May 26, 1944. A graduate of Mamaroneck High
School, John was only 21 when he died and was awarded
the Purple Heart.
Tony's decades-long advocacy for the preservation of the
Park was tremendously effective. May he rest in peace
and may we who cared for him be comforted by fond
memories of him.
Please click the In Memoriam tab
for more information
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An interview with
Denise Sevean and Her World War II Memories
Click here to view the interview
Long time Larchmont resident Denise Sevean grew up in France in
the 30s and 40s and was a small girl during World War II. She
shared her memories of the Nazi Occupation and its effect on her
family in this interview with Vicky Amon, Jan Northrup and Karen
Bonaparte.
Hommocks Students Celebrating Veterans Day
2017
at Kemper Memorial Park
Village of Mamaroneck
Memorial Day Celebration
2017
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| Korea DMZ vet Ray Fiorentino and WWII
vets Jack Coughlin, Joe Germano and Sheldon Evans salute
the American flag. |
Bench Dedication Ceremony
July 4, 2017
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Bench
honoree Cal Schlick, Joanne Falinski, KMPPF President
Jan
Northrup and VFW Post 1156 Commander Burt Corwin |
Folks gather for the
bench dedication ceremony on July 4, 2017 |
The Park's
New Irrigation System
Kemper Memorial Park
Award Ceremony
Videos of
Memorial Day 2017 Events
(Videos recorded by LMC-TV)
Click
here to read the May 2017 Newsletter
Norman Rockwell Returns to Mamaroneck High School
See the display of the original Saturday Evening
Post magazines with
Norman Rockwell's work entitled Four Freedoms.
Click to watch the concert
With the
generosity of Larchmont Nurseries and the efforts of Jeff
Gibson and his crew we now have an incredible shade garden
among the White Pines.
MHS students enjoying the park
Thanks to Eagle Scout candidate Robert Britto,
his team of scouts, family, and friends for creating a
beautiful garden on the southeast side of Kemper Park.
Memorial Day 2016
Fall at the Memorial
Photo by Mike Scully |
See
our Timeline in the History area!
