Brick VFW Members Receive World Trade Center Flag for Sandy Efforts

Two members of Brick Township's VFW post have received a flag that has flown over the World Trade Center site in New York City as a token of appreciation from Gov. Chris Christie for their efforts in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.

Post 8867 Commander Ed Sofield and Vice Commander Terry Fearon, both Brick residents, were instrumental in organizing the post's immense response to Sandy in the Brick community.

After the storm struck, the post building on Adamston Road was used as a staging area to allow residents back into the township's barrier island section, as well as a gathering place for residents to come for storm relief.

"The town called us around 6 o'clock at night the Sunday after the hurricane and asked us to open the building so it could be used as a pass operation for people to go over to the island," said Fearon, a former U.S. Navy Seabee who served in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968.

At the time, the post had no power, so its members set up with the help of only flashlights and worked 12 hour days for several weeks.

They greeted more than 600 Brick residents per day who were being taken to their homes on the then-closed east side of Mantoloking Bridge.

"To socialize with these people, help them out, comfort them, it was the most rewarding thing about it," said Sofield, who was also a Navy Seabee.

"Each day we had residents coming back and finding their house was totally gone," said Fearon. "Some people were taking it very hard. We would give some moral support to the residents, and would listen to their stories."

Among those residents who were displaced were the sisters who lived at the St. Joseph's by the Sea convent off Route 35, next to Brick Beach III.

"They came in the second day of the operation," Fearon recalled. "I could see they were really fish out of water, with tears in their eyes."

That day, Fearon accompanied them on a bus back to the convent and helped them get started on their recovery. He's returned frequently ever since.

The VFW post also gave out hundreds of boxes of food, bath items and clothing to those in need, Fearon said, plus hosted Federal Emergency Management Agency representatives and mental health counselors.

The post also helped the Red Cross set up food trucks which severed hundreds of meals on a daily basis.

"I cannot begin to express my gratitude to you and the thousands of others who have helped in so many different ways," a letter from Christie that accompanied the flag said.

"We didn't know what we were getting into, but that was fine," said Sofield. "This is what we did when we were in the Navy, when we were Seabees. The motto of the Seabees is 'Can Do,' and that was our mindset."