MANCHESTER – Amid a large audience of residents, parents, students, public officials and staff, was a senior couple who rarely miss the annual Veterans Day ceremony hosted by the Manchester Township High School.
Harold and Ellie Kravetz were there once again to listen to the music and speakers. Harold Kravitz is 98 years old and a World War II veteran who served in China-Burma. “There are only nine of us left out of 3,000 of Merrill’s Marauders.”
“So far, so good,” Ellie Kravetz said, noting her husband’s strong spirit despite approaching his centennial birthday in a few years.
Merrill’s Marauders was named after Frank Dow Merrill, a U.S. Army general best remembered for his command of the Marauders which were officially the 5307th Composite Unit (provisional).
The Marauders were a long-range penetration special operations jungle warfare unit, which fought in the South-East Asian theatre made up of China-Burma-India. The unit became famous for its missions behind Japanese lines, often engaging forces of Japan which were superior in number.
“We’ve lived in Leisure Village West here in Manchester for 25 years. In September we were married for 75 years,” said Ellie Kravetz, who is 95.
She laughed when she spoke about how people often ask them what they attribute their long lives and long marriage to. “He says, ‘yes dear’ and I say ‘honey do this’ and ‘honey do that.’ The first 50 years are the hardest.”
“The guy upstairs has been very kind to both of us,” Harold Kravetz added.
Naval Science Instructor 1st Sgt. Tim Hinger, retired US Marine Corps, and Lt. Commander John Holzer, retired U.S. Marines, came in uniform and spoke during the ceremony. They both serve as Naval science instructors at the high school.
Holzer who is the senior Naval Science instructor at the high school spoke to The Manchester Times after the ceremony about the purpose and long-standing tradition of the day’s event.
“Today I had the students come up. They read the proclamation from the president of the United States and the commandant of the Marine Corps that talks about Veterans Day and why it is important to the country,” Holzer said.
“This was an event to bring together our school community, our veterans from the community, our educators, students, our local politicians, our School Board members to commemorate and talk about Veterans Day and remember them and why it is such an important holiday,” Holzer said.
Superintendent David Trethaway was pleased with the turnout that came out from the community for the event. “It is nice to be back in person. These guys have been coming back for years and years. They have one in the town but we like to have one here as well. It is great for the kids to see this. A number of our students are (Navy) ROTC.”
He noted that having a Navy ROTC program was a bit of a challenge. When it was formed the Navy wasn’t as open with ROTC and the Board and administration nearly went to the Air Force to form an ROTC program through them but within a month or two afterwards, the Navy approved an ROTC unit.
The school band performed the “Star-Spangled Banner” and a medley of the song from each branch of the armed forces. The MTHS ROTC cadets presented the colors while Cadet Matthew Neuman led the audience in the pledge of allegiance and cadet Simon Trzepizur read the proclamation from the president.
