By DAVID LEE
HUDSON—The Hudson Veterans Day observances began at 10 a.m. on Monday, November 11, with the placing of a wreath at the veterans monument in the 7th Street Park by Hudson VFW Post 1314 Commander Joseph Drabick and American Legion Post 184 Commander Eric DeKraai.
A parade commenced from there to the Columbia County Courthouse where a program was presented. Reverend Richard Washburn delivered the invocation. Hudson Mayor Kamal Johnson thanked the veterans for all of the community work they do all year. He also thanked the Hudson High School Band who performed on their day off.
The keynote speaker was former Army Nurse Ret. Lt. Colonel Anna Cortese. She spoke of two of her personal heroes – predecessors and “women warriors who overcame impossible odds and paved the way for future military women like me.”
She told the story of the WASPS Women Airforce Service Pilots, one of whom, Lillian Yonally, told Ms. Cortese how she trained young pilots and towed gunnery practice targets. Ms. Yonally also made rare color photographs of the program. Her second hero, Army Nurse 1st Lieutenant Diane Carlson volunteered for one of the more dangerous evacuation hospitals in Vietnam. After the war she founded the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Project. The monument in Washington, DC was completed in 1993.
“These two women continued on despite difficulties, opposition and discouragement. They brought honor, healing and hope to otherwise forgotten women who served during WWII and Vietnam,” She said.
Vocalist Michale Hofmann sang “Song of Peace” by Jean Sibelius, lyrics by Lloyd Stone.
A special recognition was made of the work Columbia County Veterans organizer Vince Grimaldi, a Vietnam veteran, life member of of the VFW Post 1314 and 50-year member.
