Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • May 25, 2011
Midland Park
Memorial Day to feature Berninger as grand marshal
On Saturday, May 28, Midland Park’s Memorial Day Parade will be led by Grand Marshal Bernard Berninger, a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. Captain Erik Ruebenacker will be the principal speaker during the traditional memorial service following the parade. Berninger, a Midland Park native, left a job working on aircraft engines at Curtiss Wright to enlist in the Navy on Oct. 3, 1942 at the age of 20. He was trained in radio operations and was selected for LORAN training at MIT. He was ultimately assigned as a radioman second class to the heavy cruiser U.S.S. San Francisco, part of the fast carrier task force in the Pacific Theater. The ship traveled with Navy carriers to provide anti-aircraft fire, responsible for downing many kamikaze bombers, and participated in the bombardment and capture of Okinawa, Iwo Jima, and several other Pacific islands.
Bernard Berninger
“I was too young to be afraid,” said Berninger last week as he recalled his experiences. “You’re on a ship; you do what you have to do,” he said, noting that “things got hot mostly when we started to bomb each island and during the actual invasion.” The U.S.S. San Francisco was in China when Japan surrendered, so it took the young serviceman three months to get home. He arrived back on Thanksgiving Day 1945 to join his wife Elsie, whom he had married while on leave in 1943. They bought their current home in Midland Park two years later. The Berningers have three children, 12 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Berninger went back to work at Curtiss Wright, from which he retired when the plant closed in 1983. The parade, which will step off at 10 a.m. from the (continued on page 23)
MIDLAND PARK Generous donations
Farmers
June 4th to September 10th
Held in the parkand-ride behind Rosario’s Trattoria 29 Central Ave Midland Park
Market
Ernie Wiegers has made multiple donations to the Borough of Midland Park: three truck body roll-offs so field rakes and other grounds equipment can be stored at the Van Der Meer Field. Wiegers also fabricated the aluminum doors for the sprinkler system. All were donated at no cost to the borough. Pictured: A roll-off truck.
Every Saturday from 9AM-2PM
$1 Off Fresh Mozzarella
with this ad
The Wyckoff Chamber of Commerce
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