Veterans Day, the Utica Way

Utica, NY (WIBX) - Veterans Day, a day to pay tribute to all those who served in the military is being marked all across the country today including in Utica, with six wreath laying ceremonies at different monuments throughout the city. The first ceremony started at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument at Oneida Square this morning.

Purple Heart recipient, Joe Fraccola is Commander of Central New York Chapter 490 Military Order of the Purple Heart. He said more young people should attend the annual wreath laying ceremonies on Veterans Day. "For a young person to come to an event like a wreath laying ceremony, or a flag raising ceremony would really give them an idea of what these brave men and women went through--Just seeing the soldiers and veterans standing there saluting that flag and just being honored for what they did to protect this country and make it free is important," he said.

The other five ceremonies were held at The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the POW-MIA Monument and the WWI, WWII and the Korean War Monument in Utica. The event was organized by the American Legion’s Utica Post 229, The Military Order of the Purple Heart, Vietnam Veterans of America and several other veterans groups.