PLATTSBURGH — “We are all standing on someone else’s shoulders,” Chaplain Thomas Paul Azar said during the 2026 Memorial Day ceremony hosted by the Edward & Moses Wells VFW Post 125.
Commander of VFW Post 125 Norbert Niederer led the ceremony with Auxiliary President June Seymour to honor the men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces who died in the line of duty or returning from a conflict.
Neiderer reminded all that Memorial Day is a day to honor those who fought and gave their lives for freedom.
“Our goal here today is just to honor everyone that fought for our freedom, and we want to make sure the families of everyone that died know that they’re not forgotten,” he said.
The ceremony included the Pledge of Allegiance by Trustee Robert Verrier, national anthem sung by Beekmantown Elementary School teacher Olivia Keever and invocation by Chaplin Roy Soderberg.
Each component of the POW/MIA Missing Comrade Table, or Missing Man Table, was explained by Trustee Frank McGrath. Auxiliary Champlain Lisa LaPierre led the divine blessing, followed by the placement of the four wreaths.
The first, laid by Scott Ferris, represents the VFW Post 125. The Auxiliary Wreath was laid by District 9 President Marie-Amyee Fiske, which represented all service members. The POW/MIA wreath reflected imprisoned and missing comrades, laid by Officer of the Day Paul Gingrich. The final, the Gold Star Mothers Wreath, placed by Seymour, represents mothers who have lost a child in the service of their country.
Niederer introduced Azar as the guest speaker of the ceremony. With over 47 years of pastoral experience, Azar served as an active duty chaplain in the U.S. Air Force from 1984 to 2008.
He currently serves as chaplain for the Military Officer Association of America and the Air Force Enlisted Village in Florida.
During his speech, Azar emphasized the sacrifices made by the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who died in the line of duty.
“We’re here today because they have no voice. We’re here today because we’re standing on their shoulders — the POWs, the MIAs, and those that died,” he said.
“Every wreath has such great significance. We have a debt that’s really hard to pay, isn’t it.”
Azar shared the story of the four “immortal” chaplains on the USAT Dorchester.
The Germans attacked and sank the ship on Feb. 3, 1943, and the four chaplains onboard spread out on the ship to calm the survivors and direct them toward safety, handing out life vests.
When they ran out of life vests, the four chaplains took their own off to give to others.
“They gave hope. They gave confidence,” Azar said. “They let them know God was with them and they were cared for by other people.”
Those four chaplains were Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist; Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish; Lt. John P. Washington, Roman Catholic; and Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed.
Azar said their story inspired him to become a chaplain himself.
“We live in the greatest nation in the world. When times get dark, be like those chaplains. Be a light, give hope, don’t gossip and go along with it. Trust as they did,” he said.
“They worked together. They believed that evil was bad because peace is not the absence of war, my friends. Peace is not the absence of war. Peace is the absence of evil.”