Rockland County Veterans Honored by Senator Bill Weber

Displaying reverence to veterans and showing appreciation for their service, both on and off the battlefield, is one of the time-honored traditions in American politics.

Such was the case on June 17 at the Nyack Seaport when Senator Bill Weber (R - Montebello, Rockland County) held his fourth annual appreciation dinner reception for more than 200 veterans who fought in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Afghanistan, and other military engagements.

“It’s a night for them to come out and enjoy, to meet other veterans, to hear about what’s going on and to really enjoy it. It’s the least we can do,” Weber, who is not a veteran, told The Jewish Press. “We have Democrats and Republicans here. It’s not a political event. It’s about the veterans, and we appreciate that… I appreciate their service and all the things that they’ve gone through.”

The cost for the dinner reception was $5,000 to $6,000m paid from Weber’s campaign funds, he said, even though he’s facing a challenge in the November election.

Joel Hershkowitz, 79, the commander of the Jewish War Veterans in Rockland County, felt the appreciation Weber tried to convey at the event. Hershkowitz received the Veteran of the Year honor last year. He said he knew practically everyone in the room.

“It’s good to talk to them and kibbitz with them, mostly. We don’t really talk shop…We don’t talk about what we did back in the day [during the war]. We just talk about what we do now,” he told The Jewish Press. “I was in Korea, and I was stationed about two miles south of the Imjin River, which puts it about five miles south of the DMZ. There was a lot going on where I was. The barracks that I was in was actually blown up. Fortunately, I was not there. We lost a lot of men. That really bothers me.”

Hershkowitz was in the thick of conflict during the little-known but strategically important Battle of the Imjin River, which took place from April 22 to 25, 1951. Troops from the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army (PVA) attacked United Nations Command positions on the lower Imjin River in an attempt to achieve a breakthrough and recapture Seoul, the South Korean capital. At 8 a.m. on April 25, U.S. I Corps issued the order to execute Plan Golden A, which called for a withdrawal of all forces to a new defensive position further south.

There was never a peace treaty signed between North and South Korea, but even if there was, Hershkowitz said it wouldn’t help ease the pain about what happened. “It’s hard to come to closure really, because men that I was with didn’t make it. Before we went out on patrol, they would show me pictures of the child who they hadn’t seen yet. They were counting how many days they had left before they could go home. I wasn’t there when the sabotage killed many people and I know they never went home. It’s hurtful to me, for sure,” he said.

Hershkowitz attends services at Congregation Shir Shalom, a Conservative synagogue in New City, Rockland County. He and his wife, Bela, have two grown boys and three grandchildren.

Susan Branam, 57, the director of the Rockland County Veterans Service Agency, was recognized at the event. On Thursday, May 28, she was inducted into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame as Weber’s choice for the recognition.

Branam, who served from 1993 to 2000, became one of the groundbreaking women to complete combat aviation training and advanced combat skills. During her seven-year service, Branam flew attack helicopters, conducted missions worldwide, and served in the United States Cavalry. County Executive Ed Day presented her with a certificate. She received special recognition at the Nyack event as an honored guest of Weber.

“Susan is a disabled veteran, a dedicated public servant, and a proud mother of three. She’s an accredited veteran service officer with the American Legion and holds a lifetime membership with Disabled American Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion,” Weber said as he introduced Branam at the event. “Susan is a tireless advocate for veterans helping connect them to critical services such as transportation, counseling, health care, education, benefits, housing, and rehab.”

A recording played for attendees noted: “Susan Branam served in the United States Army and achieved the rank of captain. She became one of the pioneering women to complete combat aviation training and flew attack helicopters conducting missions worldwide. She is actively involved with Homes for Heroes.”

While Congressman Michael Lawler was not in attendance at the Nyack event, he sent his constituent services specialist to read his message and present Branam with a certificate of appreciation. “She has dedicated herself to helping fellow veterans and their families access the benefits, resources, and support that they have earned. Susan’s commitment to those who have served is evident in everything she does. She is a tireless advocate, a trusted leader and a source of guidance for countless veterans throughout Rockland County. The recognition is the reflection of a lifetime of service both in uniform and in the community,” said Lawler aide Jacob Wantroba.

Branam offered a few words of gratitude for the veterans’ community.

“My job is not possible without a community that helps support veterans,” she said. “It really does take a community and we’ve got a fantastic veteran community. I really feel blessed because you make my job easy.”

Prior to her current role, Branam, who was raised in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, served as an adjunct professor of psychology at Rockland Community College. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in biology from the University of Pittsburgh, a Master’s in psychology from the Georgia School of Professional Psychology, and a post-Master’s certificate in marriage and family counseling from the Minneapolis-based North Central University, a Christian (Pentecostal) community whose students and faculty are encouraged to live by Biblical values.

The star of the event was a spry 99-year-old Marty Hyman, an Orangeburg resident. Hyman does not like talking about his age or his experience in World War II. He served in the Army across five European countries from 1943-46.

Born in the Bronx, Hyman lived through the Depression. “It was a rough time, but we banded together,” Hyman recalled. “I never knew from prejudice until I went into the service. At the very beginning, there was a lot of prejudice. Hyman is a Jewish name and I used to hear things after a while. ‘Hey, Hyman’ – they couldn’t say hi. ‘Hyman, I didn’t know you were a Jew.’ I said, ‘Yeah, I got horns out of my head,’” he shared. “I was never into religion. I was bar mitzvahed.”

One of Hyman’s tours of duty was being stationed in Belgium. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge. “During the Bulge, the Germans tried to go to Antwerp [Belgium]. That was a POE – Port of Embarkation. That would have prolonged the war at least a year more,” Hyman told The Jewish Press. The Battle of the Bulge lasted five weeks from December 16, 1944 until January 25, 1945. Hyman was lucky to get out alive.

He also fought in the Malmedy massacre. The Malmedy massacre was a German war crime committed by soldiers of the Waffen-SS on December 17, 1944 at the Baugnez crossroads near the city of Malmedy, Belgium. Soldiers of Kampfgruppe Peiper summarily killed 84 U.S. Army prisoners of war who had surrendered after the brief battle. The Waffen-SS soldiers had grouped the U.S. POWs in a farmer’s field, where they used machine guns to shoot and kill them. Many of the prisoners of war who survived the gunfire were executed with a gunshot to the head.

“I still got my draft card from World War II,” Hyman said proudly. After leaving the Army with the rank of corporal upon his honorable discharge, Hyman opened aplumbing shop, Able Plumbing, got married in 1948, and had two children, Brad and Barbara. He was married for 75 years until his wife’s passing in 2023. Hyman turns 100 years old at the end of July.