West Islip, NY - April 19, 2016 - Suffolk  County  Legislator  Tom  Barraga  (R-West Islip)  recently  met  with  Ted and his spouse Mary, to present Ted with a Proclamation honoring him for his military service.

Ted volunteered for the United States Navy and served from 1964 - 1974. He was awarded the  United  States  Navy  Achievement  Medal  with  Combat  Distinguishing  Device  while  serving with friendly foreign forces against the North Vietnamese.

Ted  was a  past  Commander  and member  of  the  West  Islip  American  Legion  Post  No. 1738 for over 12  years.  He earned an Empire State College  Bachelor of  Arts Degree in Human Services and graduated Stony Brook University with a Master’s Degree in Social Work.

Ted  enjoys  playing  guitar  and  is  a  vital  part  of  two  Veteran  guitar  groups.  He  writes poetry and is a talented painter working in both water and oil acrylics.

Shown above is one of Ted’s paintings – his rendition of the famous photograph taken on February  23rd,  1945  by  Joe  Rosenthal  depicting  five  U.S.  Marines  and  a  U.S.  Naval  hospital Corpsman  raising  a  United  States  flag  atop  Mount  Suribachi  during  the  Battle  of  Iwo  Jima  in WW II.