Despite threatening skies, Hanover Township celebrated its 4th annual Armed Forces Day May16 at Armed Services Park dedicated to the men and women who are serving and have served in all branches of the military.

Residents and dignitaries gathered underneath the flags of each branch of service, along with the Stars and Stripes to reflect on the sacrifices made by those in uniform. The entire township board of supervisors attended the ceremony, and together laid a wreath at the memorial.

State Senator Mario Scavello and State Representative Marcia Hahn also attended, but they gave no speeches.

Those came from Lt. Cmdr. Seth Phillips, USN (Ret.) one of only eight rabbis who acted as U.S. Navy Chaplains during his time of service (1992-2012). The audience also heard from CWO4 Donald E Smith, Army (Ret.) a Hanover resident whose Naval career spanned more than 50 years. He's been a member of Congressman Charlie Dent's Military Academy Selection Board for the last 23 years, and described the military careers of several Hanover residents who attended the military academies.

Music entertainment was provided the brass ensemble of the American Legion of Bethlehem. Post 379 also provided an honor guard and a 21-gun salute in honor of the fallen.

In his benediction, Rabbi Phillips reminded the crowd of these words from Archibald MacLeish's "The Young Dead Soldiers Who Do Not Speak":

"We leave you our deaths.

Give them their meaning.

We were young, they say.

We have died; remember us."

As his words withered away, WWII Veteran LeRohn "Dan" Deysher stood a distance from the crowd, and played Taps. Deysher served three years during WWII in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Pennsylvania as Mus1C from the Aleutians to Okinawa, followed by three years shore duty to complete his enlistment. Retiring from Bethlehem Steel in 1984, he has played Taps for over 3,000 military funerals, Memorial Day services and other remembrances.