Page 9 - Boca ViewPointe - December '24

December 2024 Viewpointe, Page 9
Special Tribute: Honoring Our WWII Veterans

By Lisa Sileo

Edgewater at Boca Pointe, an Acts Retirement-Life
Community, is proud to be home to 57 veterans, each with
their own stories of service and sacrifice. Last month, the
community paid special tribute to eight residents who served
during World War II.
Residents packed the community’s auditorium to hear
about their own WWII heroes’ personal experiences during
a pivotal time in history. The phenomenal program, brought
to life by a resident committee led by resident Bob Taylor,
served as a powerful reminder of the courage and resilience of
our Greatest Generation.
Art Polacheck, a
resident who served Eight WWII veterans and residents of Edgewater at Boca
as a U.S. Army Signal Pointe honored for their service.
Corps, during WWII,
shared his passion for
radio electronics which Golf Carts
led him to serve as a Edgewater at Boca Pointe Executive Dir. Susan George with
radio operator at 17 resident Buddy Harris who received the Congressional Gold
years old. Medal of Honor for his WWII service. Please Drive
“During the last
year of the war, I was those explosions sank a minesweeper patrolling alongside Carefully!
on Okinawa, encoding my ship.”
and decoding Morse Resident Harold Katz was pulled from the Connecticut
messages,” he said. College of Pharmacy by the draft in 1944. “By the spring
“After the surrender, of 1945, I was living in a tent on a beach on Cebu in the
I served in Tokyo, Philippines, waiting for the Japanese to come out of the Lease Renewals
where I even formed hills,” he said.
a musical trio that Last month’s emotional Veteran’s Day tribute also
entertained troops Edgewater resident Art Polacheck honored Edgewater resident Buddy Harris, a WWII veteran Renters- If you plan to renew your lease
throughout the island.” who served in the US Army Signal who received the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor at Boca Pointe, please provide the BPCA
Edgewater resident Corps from 1945-1948. for his service. Harris addressed the group and recalled Management office a copy of your renewal
Bernard Levine also America’s fight against the Nazi submarine wolf packs lease and vehicle registration prior to your lease
enlisted at age 17. “I knew I would be drafted as soon as along our Eastern Atlantic coastline.
I turned 18. So, in May 1944, one month before my 18th “I always considered serving others as the rent I paid for expiration date. Both items are needed to ensure
birthday, I enlisted in the merchant marine, which, during my place on earth,” said Harris. that your transponder does not get deactivated
the war years, was part of the US Navy,” he said. Edgewater at Boca Pointe is proud to honor these heroes when the lease ends. Please email to admin@
After basic training in New York, Edgewater resident who sacrificed so much during World War II. Their stories bocapointe.com.
Jerry Kaliner found himself on a minesweeper in the remind us of the bravery, resilience, and camaraderie that Thank you! 
Pacific. “Even after the surrender, it was dangerous. We defined a generation. We thank them—and all veterans—for
had to detect and detonate mines,” he recalled. “One of their service to our nation. 