Throughout the United States of America on Saturday, December 14, 2024, evergreen wreaths will be placed on the graves of veterans and those who died during wars all across the country, remembering the fallen, honoring those who serve and their families, and teaching the next generation about the value of freedom.

Beginning at 10 a.m. on December 14, members of the Captain Oliver Chase Peekskill American Legion Post 274, the West Lakeland Girl Scouts, and volunteers from Peekskill and Cortlandt will lay wreaths on the 86 War Dead and randomly place wreaths on veterans’ graves scattered throughout the Assumption, Hillside and Old St. Peters/ VanCortlandtville cemeteries.

At noon, the public is invited to a brief ceremony, where the names of all 89 War Dead will be read aloud (three are located in the First Hebrew Cemetery). The ceremony will take place at the Veterans section in Hillside Cemetery on Oregon Road in Cortlandt, located about 100 steps away from the office building as shown in the featured picture at the top of this story. 

“Unlike Memorial Day, where we place a flag on all of the Veterans’ graves, for this event, we place a special focus on the War Dead buried or memorialized in the cemeteries. War Dead includes those who were Killed in Action (KIA) and those who died in service of disease/training, and the like,” Tim Warn of the Peekskill American Legion said.

Tim has been the person-in-charge of the Veterans list at the Assumption Cemetery since 2013. He took over the reins from Victor Pizzella after he and his family relocated. In 2020, Tim was asked to take over Hillside Cemetery, Old Saint Peters and Van Cortlandtville Cemetery, and to keep watch of First Hebrew Cemetery.  

Over the course of the past few years, Tim has not only kept and updated the list of Veterans who are buried between all of the cemeteries, but has made it a passion project to bring to life those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. 

A week ago, Tim took me on a tour at Hillside Cemetery. As we drove around, Tim explained “between all of the cemeteries, there are more than 3,500 veterans buried.”   “I have identified 89 of those who are war dead. Three are located in First Hebrew Cemetery and do not get a wreath placed. Unfortunately, not every person who served gets a wreath either, as the American Legion was only able to purchase around 1,000 wreaths with the help of donations.” 

As we drove through the cemetery, Tim pointed out graves of prominent veterans such as General Seth Pomeroy and John Paulding from the American Revolution. He pointed out a memorial dedicated to the seven French Soldiers who died during the Revolutionary War.

Tim then drove to the grave site of the Neidhardt family. Buried there, next to their mother and father, Minnie and Alfred, is Frederick Neidhardt and a memorial stone to Charles Neidhardt. 

Tim said he could not fathom the grief that Minnie went through between 1943 and 1944 as first, her son Charles was killed on June 1, 1943, her husband Alfred died soon thereafter in November, and another one of her sons, Frederick was killed on September 30, 1944. 

Tim, not knowing anyone from the family personally, explained he had very little information about the brothers, how they died or what the circumstances were. From there, a quest to find out who the Neidhardt brothers were began which included Tim, local historian Frank Goderre, local history librarian Sarah Scott from the Field Library and myself. 

The Neidhardt Brothers:

The Story of Charles Neidhardt and the SS John Morgan

Charles Neidhardt was one of three Neidhardt brothers to enter the service during WWII. He graduated from the old Peekskill High School on Ringgold Street in June 1942 where he was an active member of the Peekskill High School Swimming Club for three years. He was described by his peers as having a well rounded personality and varied talents. That information was found in the Heroes of WWII section of PeekskillHighAlumni.net. Just after graduation and shortly after his 17th birthday, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy on July 24, 1942.

Charles became a Signalman, Petty Officer third class, serving in the Atlantic. He completed one round trip to Africa and upon return from his second voyage was to have been married to Miss Florence Travis of Durrin Ave according to the Peekskill Home News and The Evening Star. However Charles never had the opportunity to marry Florence. 

On June 1, 1943, during its maiden voyage, the SS John Morgan, a World War II Liberty ship built by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, was headed outbound of Chesapeake Capes enroute from Baltimore to the Persian Gulf. The Morgan had a crew that consisted of 42 Merchant Marines, 28 armed Naval Armed Guard, and a cargo of more than 5,000 tons of high explosives.  At the same time, the SS Montana, with a cargo of high octane gasoline, was headed inbound to Norfolk, Virginia. 

As they approached each other in opposite, but parallel directions, (with a routine port to port passing,) suddenly the Morgan changed course to port and headed directly toward the Montana. The Montana was struck by the bow of the Morgan on the port side just forward of the midship house. 

An enormous explosion occurred as the Morgan broke in half and sank almost immediately plunging to the bottom of the ocean. The violent collision between ships, instantaneously started fires aboard Montana. So tremendous was the explosion, debris was showered on the decks of vessels over a quarter a mile way. 

The Montana however, did not sink. The USS Shubrick, engaged in gunnery practice in the Chesapeake Bay, was immediately sent to investigate. She sent a party aboard the Montana to assist in extinguishing the fires, but recalled the party after discovering that Montana was also carrying ammunition. Soon afterwards the USS Herndon and USS Nelson arrived, and circled the area looking for survivors. Unfortunately, they only recovered only 12 bodies from the John Morgan, the rest of the men were lost at sea. 18 men perished out of Montana’s crew of 82. After burning for a few days, the fire on the Montana was finally extinguished when a Navy firefighting crew boarded the ship and put it out with foam apparatus. Eventually the Montana was returned to service, however, the men that perished that day included Peekskill native, Charles Neidhardt. 

The first news about Charles was that he was missing. That information reached the front page of the Evening Star on Tuesday, June 8, 1943. The headline read, “Chas. Neidhardt Missing At Sea.” At that time, “the Navy Department officially notified Mr. [Alfred] and Mrs. [Minnie] Neidhardt, of 943 Diven Street that their son Charles, 18, is missing at sea.” 

It was not until later that year, on October 26, 1943 that the Neidhardt’s would receive word from The Bureau of Naval Personnel, that officially “following the collision…an extensive search was made but no trace of your son was found.”   

Less than one month later, Minnie Neidhardt, and the entire Neidhardt family were heartbroken when Alfred A. Neidhard Sr., her husband and father of her five children, died suddenly on November 27, 1943 at the age of 44.  

Frederick Neidhardt and the 458th Bombardment Group

Frederick Neidhardt graduated from Drum Hill Junior High School. Afterward, he became employed at Standard Brands (also known as the Fleischmann Factory at Charles Point). On September 7, 1942 Frederick joined the U.S Army Air Corps where he trained in Lincoln, Nebraska. Frederick was stationed in several places in 1943 including in Burbank, California and in Connecticut. In March of 1944, Frederick was sent overseas to England as part of the 458th Ninth Service. The 458th was a Bombardment Group first activated during World War II deployed to the European Theater of Operations. There, it participated in the strategic bombing campaigns against Germany and helped prepare for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, by striking artillery batteries, rocket launching sites, and airfields in France. On D-Day, it attacked coastal defenses to support the amphibious landings. 

However, Mrs. Neidhardt said she never knew whether Fred participated in the invasion of  France on June 6, the last letter she received from him was months prior. She received a brief telegram from Adjutant General Ulio which said that it was with deep regret he “announced the death of Private Neidhardt in Guise, France,  on September 30. 1944” per The Evening Star November 2, 1944 edition.

Minnie, and the entire Neidhardt family once again faced death for the third time in less than a year and a half. Her son Charles, her husband Alfred, and then her son Frederick. 

On Saturday, November 4, 1944, Minnie Neidhardt and 19 other next of kin were awarded silver plaques by the City of Peekskill at a ceremony held in the Peekskill High School auditorium on Ringgold Street under the auspices of the Peekskill National War Fund Committee. Over 400 people attended the service which honored two young men from Peekskill who made the supreme sacrifice to that date. Mayor Ralph F. Hopkins, made special mention of the fact that Mrs. Minnie Neidhardt of 934 Diven St. was the first Peekskill Gold Star Mother to suffer a double tragedy. Because the plaques were ordered in advance, the families of two Peekskill boys did not receive a plaque at the Nov. 4 event, because their sons died after the plaques were ordered.  In addition to her son, Frederick, the other Peekskill boy whose family didn’t receive a plaque for their son was that of Charles Roberts, of Central Avenue.

Remembering our veterans, honoring our veterans, and teaching the next generation about why it is important to remember and honor is why the Captain Oliver C. Chase, Jr. American Legion Post 274 places wreaths on the graves of those war dead and veterans who served our country every year. It is stories like the Neidhardt brothers that Tim Warn continues to learn about as he digs into old newspapers from Peekskill’s past discovering and learning about those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. It is a passion of his to bring their stories to life, by remembering, honoring and teaching the next generation.

Special thanks to Tim Warn, Frank Goderre and Sarah Scott for helping with the research and information in this article. A multitude of sources were used including PeekskillHighAlumni.net, Peekskill Home News July 1943, Peekskill Home News November 1943, Peekskill Home News December 1943, The Evening Star 1943, PeekskillHerald.com, DBpedia.org, USDeadlyevents.com, Newspapers.com and Wikipedia. Research was also conducted with the use of The Field Library History Archives online which houses Peekskill’s local newspaper archives database dating back to 1830.