Men who stood up

Haddonfield American Legion Post 38 hosted its 85th annual Last Man Standing dinner on April 7 at the Tavistock Country Club to honor veterans in the community.

Post commander Rodney Thomas’ speech at the beginning of the dinner cited both veterans in attendance there and those who’ve passed away.

“We are here to honor those who have gone before us, our comrades, our brothers and sisters, who answered the call and have now answered their final roll call,” Thomas noted. “We remember their laughter, their friendship, their courage, and their sacrifice. To never forget those who served.”

Will Dengler presented the Last Man observation, where a single table setting was placed next to the stage to represent prisoners of war, soldiers missing in action and other who never made it home. Each part of the table was significant, from the white tablecloth that stood for the purity of intentions, to an upturned glass representing drinks the fallen never sipped, to a lemon representing the bitterness of their fate, to salt that stood for the tears of their families.

“It’s not about ceremony for the sake of ceremony,” Dengler explained. “It’s about remembering people as individuals, teammates, friends and family members. Over time, it’s easy for names to become numbers and stories to fade. This table is there to ensure that doesn’t happen.

“For those of us who served, it’s a reminder to carry that responsibility forward,” he added. “To live well and to remember the people who didn’t get that chance.”

As part of the ceremony, a member of the audience shouted nominees for the Last Man Standing in America’s major wars. Thomas Reilly was honored for World War II; Bill Brown for the Korean War; Ray Farreny for the Vietnam War; Steve Maloney for conflicts in Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Somalia, Bosnia and Haiti; and Dustin Tarditi for the Persian Gulf wars.

The legion’s finance officer, Joseph McElroy, introduced Reilly, who also served during the Korean War and taught English at Haddonfield Memorial High School for 25 years.

“It’s a privilege and honor to be here,” Reilly said. “It’s the finest dinner that this club ever holds, I think, all year round. The kind of people like you that are here, I thank you for being here. I thank you my comrade legionaries for their service. I say to the Vietnam veterans, welcome home. To the rest of you, well done. That’s as high as you can get in Navy parlance.

“Thank you Post 38 – I am humbled.”

A previous Last Man Standing was Donald Beck, who died at the end of 2025. McElroy also announced the winner of the Tom Bare Leadership and Service Award, Alisann Romanelli, who was at a loss for words.

“Oh my,” Romanelli said. “I’ve known Tom from when I first came to Post 38. And he’s standing as one of these great people before me, and I am so humbled. I just don’t know what to say. I don’t have the words.

“Except thank you.”

The legion also gave out awards for continuous membership, 50 years for Louis Fallstick and 60 for Robert Shreve.

Near the end of the dinner, the names of three Haddonfield natives who died last year were read aloud, followed by the ringing of a bell. They were Jim McCullough, who served in Vietnam for the Air Force; John Bachelor, a Navy veteran who also served in Vietnam; and Irene Loretta Aydelotte, a member of the Women’s Army Corps – known as WACs – in World War II.

Thomas also honored McElroy, who earned the Haddonfield Civic Association’s Alfred E. Driscoll Community Service Award. McElroy recalled an award from the past and the speech he gave.

“First I thank my wife, and I would do that again, because she has allowed me the time to give to the different clubs and church, because she’s involved in that, too,” he explained. “But anyway, the point is, the next thing I thought was, I’m only imitating all of you. Cause you’re all involved and you’ve been a role model, too.

“So the song continues,” McElroy added. “We all help each other. It’s all about community. It’s been very healthful in my life. So I thank all of you.”