Funeral For Petty Officer Denis Miranda

By Grace Cangemi

If you saw the group that formed an honor guard outside the Anderson and Campbell Funeral Home in a bar, you might think it was a tough place.  Today, the tough place was on Main Street in Toms River as Petty Officer 3^rd Class Denis Miranda was laid to rest.

The honor guard was made up of about sixty bikers, all of them riding today for the Patriot Guard.  They flanked the driveway of the funeral home and held a flag line there and at the cemetery.  They came to show respect for a young man who made the ultimate sacrifice and a family mourning an unimaginably tragic loss.

Dressed mostly in jeans and leather vests, the riders assembled at American Legion Post 129 at eight a.m. and awaited a Toms River Police escort that met up with members of the Dover police, State Police and several fire companies.  Most rode motorcycles, while about a dozen rode in trucks and SUVs.

As the service was held inside the funeral home, I spoke to Rich Baumann of the Patriot Guard.  Members of several organizations were represented by riders this morning.  Rolling Thunder, American Legion Riders Posts 129 and 348, and the Blue Knights all joined together to honor a fallen soldier.

“Today everyone rides with the Patriot Guard,” he said, explaining that on “these missions” the Patriot Guard includes all the riders.  “It’s the brotherhood of what we do.”

This was Rich’s 90^th funeral and he is a Senior Ride Captain, coordinating the honor guard, flag lines, and escort.  At times in the past, they have had to deal with what Rich calls “uninvited guests.”  While that was thankfully not the case today, Rich explained that when such folks do show up, the Patriot Guard creates a flag line between these people and the family so that the family doesn’t see or hear them.

“If you have a problem with the politics,” he says “go stand in front of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  Leave the families alone.”

Joe Ryan of the Legion Riders Post 348 in Brick has been involved in veteran’s causes for nearly as long as he can remember.  His daughter’s have both served.  His eldest completed four years in the Navy and his youngest is in her eighth year in the Air Force.  Like many other riders, Joe took the day off.

He rides as many of these as he can.  “Some things,” he said “are more important than money.”

Robert Bianchini of Toms River also has a passion for helping troops.  He was at a wedding and met some servicemen.  Thinking that they might enjoy a weekend at the beach, he opened his home to them for a getaway.  Since then, he continues to host veterans and servicepeople who are referred to him.  A veteran himself, Robert said that it’s important to remember that as long as even one serviceman is deployed, we still have people in harm’s way. 

About twenty people stood across the street from the funeral home, some with flags, all there to honor a fallen warrior.  Elaine Horan and her sister didn’t know that Miranda family, but had seen the procession pass the house when Denis Miranda was escorted from McGuire Air Force Base and read about the young man in the paper.  They stood holding small flags. 

Elaine said,” We live locally and thought we should come to honor him and his family who made the ultimate sacrifice.”

As the Miranda family waited outside the funeral home, Denis Miranda’s flag draped casket was placed in the hearse by his SEAL teammates.  The procession, once again lead by state police and the Patriot Guard, would drive past Denis Miranda’s home, his high school, and his YMCA, finally arriving at the interment at Ocean County Memorial Park.

Capt. Tim Szymanski, commodore of Naval Special Warfare Group Two spoke about Denis Miranda.

“Miranda was a man who touched the lives of so many of us … a man who willingly made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the freedom and liberty of his fellow citizens … and a man who lived his life for the cause greater than himself.”

After these remarks, the flag draping Miranda’s casket was folded and presented to his mother.  Following the flag presentation, Navy SEALs from across the country lined up and one-by-one, removed the Tridents from the left chest of their uniforms and pounded them into Miranda’s coffin.

One cannot help but be humbled by the service this young man offered us and by the sacrifice made by his loved ones.  Those who took time off work and came to honor him know that by comparison, what they do is small, but they know it’s important too. 

The next time you think “I support our troops,” think about how you can truly put forth a helping hand.  And think about the Miranda family –  a mother, a father and two younger brothers who buried a precious young man who was an accomplished Navy SEAL when he was killed at the age of 24.  And say a prayer for Petty Officer Denis Miranda and all of those like him who stand ready to sacrifice their lives for us.

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Anna Little Shines Light On Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury Plan

Congressional candidate Anna Little (R, NJ-6) held a press conference this morning to shed light on Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury and the plan for the treatment of brain injuries created by the Sarah Jane Donohue Foundation that has the bi-partison support of 110 members of the House of Representatives.

Little’s opponent, Congressman Frank Pallone, is preventing congress from holding an up for down vote on the the Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury Plain by refusing to allow  H. Con Res. 198 from being released from the committee he chairs.

Appearing Little was Patrick Donohue, Sarah Jane’s father, Kim Illions, President of the Pediatric Hydrocephus Foundation and Craig Sears a traumatic brain injury survivor.

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Help Anna Little Reach Her Fundraising Target!

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Pallone Operative Slugs Little Senior Citizen Volunteer

Competing sign teams came to blows last evening in Atlantic Highlands when long time Pallone supporter Joe Hawley assaulted Atlantic Highlands GOP chairwoman Jane Frotten, 68.

According to Frotten, Hawley was interfering with a Little sign team in the borough when she showed up and tried to reason with the him.  Hawley screamed disparaging remarks about Jane’s husband Bernie, 79, and pushed her.  Jane, who serves as Anna Little’s campaign treasurer, hit him back.

The Atlantic Highlands police were called to the scene.  No charges have yet to be filed.

“He probably skipped his meds,” said Frotten about her assaulter.

Hawley could not be reached for comment.

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Honoring One Who Served

By Grace Cangemi

Petty Officer 3rd Class Denis Miranda

 

If you watched network television today, you might think that the biggest story out of the Seaside Heights/Toms River area is about a guy who calls himself “The Situation” and whether or not he’s continuing to dance with the stars.  Not even close.

 

Here’s the name we should be hearing about today – DENIS MIRANDA.  Petty Officer Third Class, son, brother, fiance’, friend, Navy Seal, not quite 25 year old Denis Miranda has been brought back to his hometown after a little more than a week in Afghanistan.  He will be laid to rest tomorrow.

 

Petty Officer Miranda was a graduate of Toms River East High School serving us overseas when he was killed in a Black Hawk helicopter crash in Afghanistan on September 21st along with 8 other young men.  As friends, family, and fellow servicemen and women arrived at the Anderson and Campbell Funeral Home on Main Street in Toms River, small flags lined the sidewalks and a half a dozen men from the Patriot Guard stood outside holding American flags.  In declining to comment, one  gentleman simply said, “There’s not much to say.  We’re here because he was there.”

 

Later, I spoke to Patriot Guard Senior Ride Captain Rich Baumann of Bayville.  He told me that members of the Patriot Guard are motorcyclists from all over the country.  Some are veterans, some have family who are serving, but all have one thing in common – “a desire to show honor and respect for our fallen troops.”  The Patriot Guard escorted Petty Officer Miranda from McGuire Air Force Base to the funeral home and has been keeping an honor guard there during visitation.  Tomorrow, they will join several other groups in escorting the procession from the funeral home to the cemetery.  Baumann told me that the Patriot Guard will also have flag lines at both locations. 

 

“It is,” he said, “our honor that we can do this.”

 

While we hear a great deal from people who say that they support our troops, I spent a good part of the day with people who are actively involved in doing just that for Denis Miranda and his family. 

 

American Legion Post 129 (alpost129.com) is preparing for a long day tomorrow.  Wendy Sharkey, founder of the post’s Legion Riders, told me that the post was expecting up to 1000 people.  The post will be hosting the repast for the family following the interment and will also be a staging area for many of the supporting organizations.  She expects them to include Warrior Watch Riders (warriorswatch.org) and Rolling Thunder (rollingthunder1.com).  All of these organizations have been working together to provide escorts, honor guards, and support. 

 

American Legion Post 129 is providing the food and drink for the repast.  Dennis Grella, one of the Sons of the American Legion, was in the kitchen where a crew was busy preparing for tomorrow. 

 

“We give back to our country,” Grella told me, echoing the sentiments of nearly everyone I spoke to.  “When it comes to troops, everything stops.  Everything stops for the troops.”

 

And that’s the way it should be.

 

Between now and January, approximately a thousand men and women will be deployed from New Jersey.  For them and their families, we are still very much at war.  And for the organizations and volunteers who serve them, the challenge is ongoing.  At deployments, at returns, at family information briefings, and, maybe most importantly, at funerals, these people show up time after time – in rain, in snow, at all hours of the day and night to honor and serve our men and women in uniform.  These organizations need all the support they can get.

 

As Ronnie Micciula of the American Recreational Military Service (ARMS – supportarms.org) says, “There’s a lot of troops going and it’s going to be tough to provide for it, but we’ll find a way.  How can we let our soldiers and their families down? We owe it to them.  They work so hard to serve us.  It’s an honor to serve them.”

 

Tomorrow morning, as  dedicated men and women from these organizations help lay to rest an American hero, the Miranda family will bury their oldest son.  Perhaps we should keep in mind the words of Thomas Paine:

 

“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”

 

And we should all take a moment to thank and remember Petty Officer 3^rd Class Denis Miranda.

 

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NJ Should Exit RGGI Now

By “Firesign58”

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Pallone, Pelosi and Holt. Perfect together!

By Tom Stokes, Middletown

Incumbent Congressman Frank Pallone and Rush Holt today provided the crucial votes to support Speaker Pelosi’s attempt to adjourn Congress before holding a vote to block the largest tax hikes in our history this coming January 1.

Had either of these professional politicians chosen to vote, as every Republican and 39 Democrat congressman did, in a true bi-partisan effort to prevent this massive tax hike, American workers and American businesses would have had certainty relating to the tax rates for next year. Uncertainty in these economic times is a nail in the coffin of economic recovery.

Make no mistake, Frank Pallone and Rush Holt voted today, not to lower your taxes, but to raise taxes on everyone.

The simple and sad truth is that both Pallone and Holt voted to support the ultra liberal “progressive” agenda of Nancy Pelosi, as they have consistently done in the past.

As one Republican Congressional candidate, Anna Little said, “Fifteen million Americans are looking for work, and they were looking to the Congress to block a massive tax hike scheduled to go into effect on New Year’s Day. Our unemployed friends and neighbors are smart enough to know that raising taxes on small businesses and entrepreneurs is the wrong thing to do when it comes to creating the conditions for economic growth.”

Anna Little is opposing Congressman Pallone. Republican Scott Sipprelle is opposing Congressman Holt.

In 34 days we, the people, will have the chance to send these professional politicians, Pallone and Holt, a loud and clear message. In the words of Donald Trump, “You’re Fired”.

On November 2nd, vote like your jobs, your businesses and your children’s future depends on it. Because they do!

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LITTLE: PALLONE CAST DECIDING VOTE TO ADJOURN BEFORE ACTING TO PREVENT MASSIVE TAX HIKE

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In Memory Of Donald Charles Unsworth

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Assemblyman Dave Rible has issued the following statement on the passing of Duncan Thecker

“I am terribly saddened to announce the passing of Duncan Thecker. Duncan was a business icon who rose from a concrete salesman to become the leader of one of the most successful manufacturing companies in Monmouth County. Duncan helped create the Republican Party.  He was committed to the Party and improving lives of residents of Monmouth County. Monmouth County and the state of New Jersey is a better place because of the efforts of Duncan Thecker. Duncan was a generous philanthropist, a wise businessman, and I was fortunate to call him one of my best friends.”

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