PGRNY Completed Missions

HOTH Mission

Wreaths Across America
Long Island National Cemetery

All Military Branches

Farmingdale, NY - 12/16/2023

Mission applies to the following Region(s):

Region 7, Region 8, Region 9

About the Mission:

Remember, Honor, Teach at Long Island National Cemetery, one of the largest cemeteries in the nation, by number of wreaths to be placed.  Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, our mission to Remember, Honor and Teach is carried out by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at more than 4,000 additional locations, including Long Island National Cemetery, in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad. Use the following links to learn more about this program:

Wreaths Across America Mission                 Wreaths Across America Long Island National Cemetery page


We are fortunate to receive and place up to 65,000 wreaths at Long Island National Cemetery this year.

Our schedule for the day is as follows:
07:30 AM KSU of an escort of trucks from Hilton Long Island to Long Island National Cemetery
08:00 AM Trucks unloaded onto roadways inside LINC
10:00 AM Unloaded trucks to be moved out of the cemetery
12:00 Noon Ceremony
12:30 PM until complete - Laying of Wreaths

**WREATH PICKUP will be on 20 January 2024. The mission will be posted in advance of that date.

Primary Staging Date and Staging Time:

12/16/2023 at 07:00am

Staging Location:

Hilton Long Island
598 Broadhollow Rd
Melville, NY 11747

Lead Ride Captain and Contact Info:

Rob Wrenn
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631-626-5315

Special Covid-19 Mission Guidelines:

Updated 8 March 2022

Based on the most current COVID-19 Prevention Guidelines: Protect Yourself and Your Family from COVID-19, and CDC Guidelines of 3 March 2022, going forward, the Lead Ride Captain for any mission will be responsible for determining whether PGR members will have to mask up or not. Please ensure that you have a mask with you, should the need arise, and respect the LRC’s decision in these matters.

Special Information:

LE led escort of Wreath Trucks will KSU from Hilton Long Island at 7:30AM to Long Island National Cemetery.

**Please read this important information:
We expect upwards of 50,000 wreaths and thousands of volunteers this year. Although we have improved the process of this event each year, we have needed to address certain issues. One is traffic control inside and outside the cemetery. The Punishers LEMC has committed to sending many of their members from several of their Chapters, along with other LEMCs, to direct the flow of traffic and parking. Suffolk County Police Department has committed to supplying personnel and equipment to aid in traffic control outside all four gates of Long Island National Cemetery. Another issue was the placement of Grave Specific Wreaths. We have formed a committee to guide volunteers and administer this task.

Because the tractor trailers are not able to get to this year's Designated Sections (likely to be in the southeast corner of the property, near Section Z, as yet to be determined by the Cemetery Director,) we will have to shuttle the wreaths to those sections on pickup trucks and flatbed trailers. If you have or know someone who has such equipment, we ask that you show up at 8:00AM at the cemetery to help. We also need responsible adults to manage hundreds of student volunteers at the pickup and dropoff points of these shuttles. We will also need people to 'guard' the wreaths until the conclusion of the ceremony, at which point the public will be invited to place the wreaths.

Thanks to Suffolk County 1st Precinct, NY State Police, Punishers LEMC, Red Knights MC, Long Island HOG, American Legion Riders, Rolling Thunder NY6, DuWayne Gregory of the Town of Babylon, Marine Corps League - Sunrise Detachment, Team Rubicon, and probably several others who I am neglecting to mention, for their participation in this massive undertaking.

Please read the 'Master Plan,' link below, for insight into the project.

Please contact Wayne Cohen with any questions or comments about this project and how you can help: 516.729.9869

Click here to view cemetery map                 Click here to view master plan

Is there a Second Stage to this Mission?

yes

Second Staging Date and Staging Time:

12/16/2023 at 10:30am

Second Location:

Long Island National Cemetery
2040 Wellwood Avenue
Farmingdale, NY 11735

Second Lead Ride Captain and Contact Info:

Terry and Jim Martinelli
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631-617-3298

Second Stage - Special Information:

Ceremony to begin at 12:00 Noon in front of the Committal Shelters
See RC Terry and Jim Martinelli for flag line instructions.

Is there a Third Stage to this Mission?

no

Submitted by:

Wayne Cohen - SRC Region 8 NY

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