Major Joseph Marchesini and Capt. Ricardo Thurston welcome the National Guardsmen.
WEST ORANGE, NJ — It was an exciting Veterans Day morning on Nov. 11 as a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter landed on Conforti Field at West Orange High School.
A team of National Guardsmen arrived with the helicopter, brought in from Lakehurst as part of the Air Force Jr. ROTC training program. After disembarking, the guardsmen answered questions and showed ROTC students the inside of the Black Hawk.
“The Black Hawk UH/HH-60 is the Army’s utility tactical transport helicopter,” according to the U.S. Army. “It provides air assault, general support, aeromedical evacuation, command and control, and special operations support to combat, stability and support operations. This versatile Black Hawk helicopter has enhanced the Army’s overall mobility due to dramatic improvement in troop and cargo lift capacity. It will serve as the Army’s utility helicopter in the Future Force.”
Air Force Jr. ROTC Commander Major Joseph Marchesini and Chief Ricardo Thurston were on hand to welcome the guardsmen, along with high school administration and members of the West Orange Police and Fire departments. Two of the guardsmen in attendance were alumni of West Orange High School: 2008 graduate Capt. Ellis Mensah and 2017 graduate Ashley Kuglin.
Following the visit, the ROTC students attended the township’s annual Veterans Day Ceremony. The high school held its own ceremony on Nov. 10.
Photos Courtesy of WOSD
About the Author
