On Wednesday, November 11th, Brother Martin students and the NJROTC joined together around the Chief Petty Officer Fontan ’86 Flagpole to honor the brave men and women who serve in the military in honor of Veterans Day. These men and women strive to preserve and protect the freedoms that we take for granted every day. Family members of Chief Petty Officer Jacques Fontan ’86, Navy Seal, and his 1986 classmates attended the ceremony where they a placed wreath at the flagpole in celebration of Chief Fontan’s Birthday that is also on November 11th.
Chief Petty Officer Jacques Fontan ’86, a Navy Seal, was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2005. He and other special forces members were on a rescue mission to save other team members on the ground who had come under heavy enemy fire; as their helicopter approached the landing zone, it was struck by an RPG (rocket propelled grenade), killing all souls on board. Our “Fontan Flagpole” was dedicated in Chief Fontan’s memory, and a plaque has been placed beside it so that we may always be reminded how Brother Martin men make a difference around the world each and every day.
