Retired U.S. Marine Corps Major Fred Nielsen to be Honored
Glen Cove, NY, May 12, 2017… The City of Glen Cove Memorial Day Parade Committee announced today the schedule for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend which honors our country’s veterans and remembers those who fought tirelessly to protect our freedoms. Glen Cove’s Memorial Day weekend activities include the decoration of the city’s war monuments, a memorial service and a commemorative parade. The Memorial Day Parade Committee, whose members represent the VFW, James Donahue Post 34; American Legion Post 76, Young-Simmons American Legion Post 1765 and the Dan Daly Globe and Anchor Detachment (Marine Corps), have selected Fred Nielsen as their 2017 parade honoree and Michael Gonzalez, U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. as the parade’s Grand Marshal.
Mr. Nielsen is a retired Major of the United States Marine Corps who served his country from 1965 to 1986. He is the recipient of the Presidential Unit Citation, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the Secretary of Defense Meritorious Unit Citation, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, and the Secretary of Defense Meritorious Service among other awards. Married to wife Teresa, Mr. Nielsen is a father of five and grandfather of eight. He is an active member of the Glen Cove veteran community, veteran advocacy groups, the Boy Scouts and their Knot Board project and is a member of the Glen Cove Memorial Day Parade Committee. Mr. Nielsen said, “I remember being a blonde haired gung-ho 19 year old Marine doing my duty in Vietnam. Now I am a white haired gung-ho Marine veteran doing my duty in the Nassau County veteran community.” He added, “I am profoundly honored to be chosen by my veteran peers to be the 2017 Memorial Day honoree. I am especially pleased to be the honoree asked by the committee to initiate the new tradition of bringing into direct remembrance one of Glen Cove’s more than 200 War Dead named on our monuments in Veteran’s Park. I have chosen WWII Navy veteran Petty Officer Ernest Ubite.” The parade committee will present a Certificate of Remembrance and Appreciation during the Memorial Day opening ceremony. The Glen Cove Memorial Day Weekend Schedule is as follows:
Sunday, May 28, 2017 Decoration of the City’s War Monuments: 1:00 p.m. - Doughboy Monument on Glen Cove Avenue by the Glen Cove Public Library 1:20 p.m. - Monument at the Forest Avenue & Ford Street 1:40 p.m. - Monument at Elm Avenue and Frost Pond Road 2:00 p.m. – Monument at St. Rocco’s Church 3:00 p.m. – Interfaith Memorial Services hosted by the Congregation Tifereth Israel, 41 Hill Street, to honor the nation’s war dead
Monday, May 29, 2017
11:00 a.m.: The City of Glen Cove Memorial Day opening ceremonies begin with the Veterans Memorial Park Ceremony which is to be held at Monument Park (North St. and Forest Ave.). The parade’s 2017 honoree, Fred Nielsen, will be recognized following the ceremonies dedicated to the memory of the nation’s men and women in uniform who made the ultimate sacrifice. This year’s parade Grand Marshal is Michael Gonzalez, U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. and the Parade Committee Co-Chairmen are James B. Middleton and Anthony Anzalone.
11:30 a.m.: The Memorial Day Parade will assemble on the corner of Cottage Row and Forest Avenue and will step off at noon.
12:00 Noon: The Glen Cove Memorial Day Parade begins at Cottage Row and Forest Avenue, then it continues down School Street, left onto Glen Street, right onto Pulaski Street, right onto the Arterial Highway, past the reviewing stand in front of Glen Cove Public Library, and ending at Charles Street.
Photo Caption: City of Glen Cove 2017 Memorial Day Parade Honoree Retired U.S. Marine Corps Major Fred Nielsen. Photo Credit: Tony Gallego