by Bob Dumas [2]
LEWISBORO, N.Y. – World War II veteran Ray Stone of Lewisboro has been nominated by the Town Board for Sen. Greg Ball’s second Annual Veterans’ Hall of Fame.
The Veterans’ Hall of Fame was created by Ball to honor outstanding veterans from his 40th Senate District. Each veteran honored will be included on a traveling wall that will tour municipalities and schools throughout the 40th district.
Stone enlisted in the Navy at the age of 17 and served on the USS Intrepid from 1943 through 1945. He survived five kamikaze and two torpedo attacks on his ship. He currently serves in the Former Crew Members Association of the USS Intrepid, which meets every month on the ship. Stone gives tours of the ship and said he enjoys answering questions from visitors.
“This is an amazing honor,” Stone said of the nomination. “To be honored like this, I feel like I am honoring all who served in all branches of the service. To me it means if they honor me, they honor all.”
Ball said town officials nominated Stone because he chose a path of courage, honor, integrity and bravery.
“America is not a great country because of its politicians,” Ball said. “It’s a great country because of our veterans.”
Town Supervisor Peter Parsons said he’s known Stone for some time and believed him to be an obvious choice for the Veterans’ Hall of Fame.
“First, he is my neighbor, and second and, more importantly, he is my friend,” Parsons said. “I admire the living daylights out of him. I have met others who served on that ship with Ray and they are a good bunch of people. They are the reason we live as we do today.”
The 2nd Annual Veterans Hall of Fame Ceremony will be held at Peekskill Middle School on Thursday, Nov. 1, at 6 p.m., with a light reception to follow.
For more information about the Veterans’ Hall of Fame, or to speak with Ball, contact Joe Bachmeier at 845-200-9716. (ARTICLE [3])
