For the past 18 years, members of the Flyer family have gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to honor the lives and sacrifices made by our 56 Gold Star Alumni. This year, on Saturday, June 27, alumni and faculty members met once again at this sacred place to continue the tradition. However, this year marked an even more special occasion. This year the trip fell on what would have been the 46th birthday of Sgt. James “Jimmy” Regan ’98, one of the three Gold Star Alumni who are buried beneath the hallowed ground of Arlington. 

The day began with a visit to the three gravesites of James J. Regan ’98, Paul J. Dour ’77, and Robert F. Carroll ’54. Mr. Gregory Kay ’98, chief academic officer at Chaminade and teammate to Regan, spoke about his friend, and Chris Dour ’83 spoke about his brother, Paul. At each grave Fr. Vincent DeRosa ’99, who currently serves in the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., said a prayer, and the group laid a flag and a Chaminade challenge coin.

Following the visits, the group made its way to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for the wreath-laying ceremony. Mr. Kay, Torch Fund Chairman Joe Pollaci ’99, U.S. Navy Commander Mike Hearon ’03, and U.S. Marine Corps Captain Alex Cappellino ’16 took part in the ceremony, which is a precise yet profound tribute to the sacrifices of all American service members.

“Laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on behalf of the school [Regan] loved, I felt the full weight of what this trip is about,” Mr. Kay reflected. “It is a promise that Chaminade will never forget the men it has sent into the world, and that we will honor them by forming young men of the same character, courage, and conviction.”

After the activities at the cemetery, the group met for a luncheon at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. During this event, alumni from the Washington-Baltimore Chapter were able to connect with each other and hear updates about what’s happening back home on Jackson Avenue. 

Mr. Robert Paul ’92, principal of Chaminade High School, Mr. Ted Fioraliso ’03, director of alumni engagement, as well as Mr. Kay and Mr. Pollaci all spoke about the school, academics, the Torch Fund, and alumni engagement. “The trip also gives us a chance to connect with our Washington-area alumni, which is a reminder that the Chaminade brotherhood extends far beyond Mineola,” said Mr. Kay. “I am grateful to have been there.”

This now long-standing Chaminade tradition first began in 2008, after Padraic McDermott ’00, a former Naval Officer and the current president of the Washington-Baltimore Alumni Chapter, saw a photo in The New York Times of a young woman laying beside Regan’s grave. “In 2007 I was stationed at the Pentagon, and at that time the Iraq War and the War on Terror were raging,” McDermott said. “[Chaminade] had lost three guys from my time-frame in Iraq, Ronald Winchester ’97, my classmate Michael LiCalzi ’00, and Sgt. Regan, so it was very high on our minds. When I saw the photo in the newspaper, and saw that Regan was here, I knew we had a responsibility to make sure somebody from Chaminade was remembering him and ‘keeping a watch’ on him.” 

Luckily for McDermott, the Washington, D.C., chapter was hosting its Christmas happy hour only a week after he had first seen the photo. He attended the happy hour with the purpose of meeting the then-chapter president, Paul Kaplun ’74, in order to discuss with him that something needed to be done to look after Regan and honor his sacrifice. Mr. Kaplun was more than happy to begin exploring a way to properly “keep watch” over Regan. 

After many weeks spent searching, McDermott and Kaplun learned about the wreath-laying ceremonies that took place each day at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. With help from Bro. Richard Hartz, S.M. ’59, the two were able to arrange the first wreath-laying ceremony in honor of Sgt. Regan and all of Chaminade’s Gold Star Alumni.

Since the first ceremony in 2008, this annual tradition has helped strengthen the bonds of the Chaminade Family. McDermott revealed, “the event also helped us discover more Chaminade alumni who were in the military, such as Marine Corps Brigadier General Kevin Killea ’83, who helped the event in the very beginning, and still comes to support even in his retirement.” 

Reflecting on the legacy and growth of the event, McDermott shared, “of all the things I have done in life…without question the absolute proudest thing I have done in my life is play a role in starting this, and seeing it still happen almost 20 years later only reinforces that.”

Since its beginning, this deeply moving and powerful event has only grown, expanding into its current form through the tireless dedication of so many members of the Chaminade community. “Putting together an event like this, especially because clearances are required to enter the base, is a true team effort,” said Mr. Fioraliso, who played a major role in orchestrating this year’s event. 

In a final reflection of this long-standing tradition, Bro. Thomas Cleary S.M. ’81, president of Chaminade High School, shared, “the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, in remembrance of our 56 Gold Star Alumni, is a poignant reminder of the brotherhood that unites all Chaminade alums and the call to service that is each of ours to take up. It is humbling to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service of our country.”

By Blake Lou Weaver ’27