GENERALLY SPEAKING: Fort Hamilton holds Veterans Day tribute

November 13, 2020 Theodore W. General

ebrooklyn media/Photos by Ted General

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On Friday, Nov. 6, the U.S. Army Garrison at Fort Hamilton held its Veterans Day Remembrance Ceremony in the base’s Post Theater. The annual event included the presentation of the colors by the NYC Joint Service Color Guard, an invocation by Staff Sgt. David Teakell, who also sang the national anthem, and welcoming remarks by Commander Craig Martin.

In commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, Dino Lamia, a World War II veteran and a well-known Bay Ridge/Dyker Heights civic leader, was chosen as this year’s keynote speaker. Lamia, who recently turned 99, is a licensed real estate broker and real estate appraiser. He has served as president of the Brooklyn Board of Realtors and the Bay Ridge Real Estate Board and is a former member of Community Board 10. He still serves on the boards of the 12:30 Club of Bay Ridge and the Colonial Club. He is also a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Catholic War Veterans, is a fourth-degree member of the Knights of Columbus and a longtime parishioner and Eucharistic minister at St. Ephrem’s Church.

Assemblyman Peter Abbate congratulates Dino Lamia on his award.

His daughter Risa accompanied him and read the narrative he provided for the occasion.

Whenever he is called upon to give an invocation at a professional or community meeting, he always closes with, “God Bless America. The land of the free because of the brave.”

Col. Martin and Command Sgt. Major Michael McCabe presented Lamia with a citation and bronze statue of a World War II soldier.

Among the high-profile guests were Assemblyman Peter Abbate, New York City Commissioner of Veterans Affairs James Hendon and Capt. Jason Tama, commander of Coast Guard Sector New York and captain of the Port of New York and New Jersey.