Mayor Strauss Organizing Car Parade

Mayor Strauss Organizing October 24th Car Parade

for 100th Birthday of Anthony Catalano

UPDATE:

Route
The route will have all vehicles exiting onto Jericho Turnpike from Saville Road, proceeding on Jericho to Beebe Road, travelling north on Beebe Road to Nancy Road where they will pass Sgt. Catalano’s house and disperse onto Herricks Road.

Staging at 10:30 AM
It is imperative that participating vehicles arrive via First St. on either Emory Rd. or Marcellus Rd. and travel north to Jackson Ave. Once at Jackson Ave, they will be met by a volunteer parade Controller who will direct the vehicles onto Jackson Ave. to Saville Rd.

At Saville Rd. they will be directed by another Controller on where to stage. We are anticipating lining both sides of Saville Rd. and Jackson Ave. with vehicles. If needed, we will also utilize the east side of Emory Rd. in front of the Middle School and the north side of Garfield Ave. from Emory to Marcellus.

Fire Department, MVAC, specialty vehicles, and motorcycle groups will line up on Jericho Tpke. between Emory Rd. & Marcellus Rd. They will feed into the parade as directed by a Controller.

All are invited to participate in Saturday’s parade. If you would like to join us, please feel to come to the staging area to line up at 10:30 AM.

During World War II, Sergeant Anthony Catalano, served in General Patton’s famed 3rd Army. Over the years, Sgt. Catalano has told me many stories of his time overseas. One of these stories is of a time when he and his men were trapped in 4 feet of snow in the forests of France. There was no way to get out and no way for supplies to get to them. For days they suffered in sub-freezing temperatures. Their rations so low they scraped snow into their canteens to try and melt it for water. He had to wake his men every 2 ½ hours to prevent them from freezing to death. One of his men, a 19-year-old from Brooklyn, begged Sgt. Catalano to shoot him in the leg so he’d be sent home as he could no longer take the frigid cold. Sgt. Catalano’s response to that? He took off his own coat and draped it over the shivering young soldier. They were finally rescued by bulldozers who plowed their way to them.

Sgt. Catalano’s Company was also part of the group that liberated the Dachau Concentration Camp. To this day he gets visibly shaken when even he mentions the horrors they saw.

Sgt. Catalano has been extremely active in past years going to schools, teaching students about the experiences he and his fellow veterans have gone through. It is because of men and women like Sgt. Catalano that we are here today and that the United States of America even exists.

On Friday, October 23, Sgt. Catalano will turn 100 years old. I am organizing a “Birthday Car Parade” to go past his home (501 Nancy Rd) on SATURDAY, October 24. We will look to assemble at 11 am at a location to be determined. I ask that you and your organization (if you are affiliated with one) not only participate, but help me spread the word and get as many people, cars, trucks, and vehicles in the parade as possible. Please encourage all participants to make signs, banners, etc. wishing him a Happy Birthday and any other appropriate well wishes.

More details will follow as they are finalized.

Thank you in advance.

Scott P. Strauss
Mayor