IN MEMORIAM

MICHAEL J. HANDY
DIRECTOR, MAYOR’S OFFICE OF VETERAN’S AFFAIRS
1948-2003

Michael Joseph Handy was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in St. Albans, Queens.  He was a graduate of York College CUNY and received a Master’s Degree in the Administration of Justice from the American University in Washington D.C.  He was appointed to the Mayor’s Office of Veteran Affairs in March 1993, and held this position in four mayoral administrations.

Michael joined the U.S. Air Force in 1968 serving in Fairbanks and Tucson before receiving orders for Vietnam.  He served as a “Quick Reaction Team” Leader (E-5) and a 50-caliber machine gun Instructor while at Phu Khet AFB in the Central Highlands.

Active in veteran affairs for nearly 30 years, he acquired more than 50 Honors and Awards from City, State, and Federal levels.  Michael was a member of the American Legion; the Catholic War Veterans; the Navy League; an Honorary Member of the New York Society of Military & Naval Officers, and a Member of the Veteran Corps of Artillery.  He was a founding member of the National Black Veteran Braintrust of the Congressional Black Caucus; former Chairman of the Veteran’s Committee of the DDS Chapter, NAACP.  He was a former member of the Board of Directors of the Black Veterans for Social Justice.

Michael led the City of New York’s battle to save Times Square Recruiting Station.  In 1991 he was appointed to the Operation Welcome Home Commission, which organized the (then) largest ticker tape parade in New York City history.  In 1995 he was the Mayor’s Representative for the “Nation’s Parade”, NYC Tribute to the 50^th Anniversary of World War II.  In 2000 he led New York City’s Grand Parade to honor the veterans of the Korean War.  Also in 2000, he was a principal organizer of the International Naval Review, the largest maritime event in history.  He was the Mayoral Representative for ten of the fifteen “Fleet Week” celebrations in New York City.

Michael is survived by his wife, Edna Wells-Handy, and by his four daughters.

HONORS AWARDS AND CERTIFICATES

2003        ELLIS ISLAND MEDAL OF HONOR
            NECO – National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations

2001        OUSTANDING CIVIL SERVICE MEDAL
               Department of the Army, International Affairs

               NEW YORK STATE CONSPICUOUS SERVICE MEDAL
               Governor George E. Pataki, Division of Military & Naval Affairs

               CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION FOR SERVICE & SUPPORT
               Major General Thomas Plewes, Chief, Army Reserves  

               PROCLAMATION: MICHAEL J. HANDY DAY, 15^TH C.D.
               Congressman Charles B. Rangel, 15^th Congressional District

                    LETTER OF APPRECIATION - EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE, USMC
               General James L. Jones, Commandant, USMC

               NETWORK DIRECTOR’S COMMENDATION, VISN #3
               James Farsetta, Director, DVA, Veterans Integrated Service Network

               DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS COMMENDATION
               John Donnellan, Director, New York Harbor Healthcare Network, DVA

               2001 PATRIOTS AWARD
               USO of Metropolitan New York

               LETTER OF CONGRATULATION
               Rudolph W. Giuliani, Mayor, City of New York

               LETTER OF COMMENDATION
               Guy V. Molinari, President, Borough of Staten Island

               CITATION, NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
               Clarence Norman, Assemblyman, 85^th Assembly District

               CITATION, NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
               Ronald C. Tocci, Assemblyman, 23^rd Assembly District

               PROCLAMATION, NEW YORK STATE SENATE
               Vincent Gentile, Senator, 23^rd Senatorial District

               HONORARY RANK OF COLONEL, US ARMY RESERVES
               Militia Association of New York

               CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION
               United War Veterans’ Council of Manhattan

               CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION
               Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter #126

               LETTER OF APPRECIATION
               Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen’s Club

               CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION
               Montford Point Marine Association

               CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION
               U.S. Navy Office of Information, East

               CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE
               American Veteran’ Memorial Committee

2000        CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE
               United Veterans for the Restoration of Military Facilities

FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE 6^th COMM BN, USMCR
               United States Marine Corps

1999        NAACP JESSIE BROWN DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
               For outstanding Contributions to Veterans Programs and Services

               HONORARY MEMBERSHIP
               Knickerbocker Chapter, Retired Officer Association

               HONORARY APPOINTMENT – COMMANDER
               New York State Naval Militia

1998        VETERAN SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR
               U.S. Small Business Administration

               COIN PRESENTATION – TIMES SQUARE RECRUITING STATION
               Honorable William Cohen, Secretary of Defense

               HONORARY REGIMENTAL MEMBER
               Fort Hamilton High School, Jr. ROTC

               CERTIFICATE OF THANKS & COMMENDATION
               U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, Quantico, Virginia

1997        CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION
               Rolling Thunder, New York Chapter #1

SPECIAL PRESIDENT’S AWARD – OUTSTANDING SERVICE
               Montford Point Marine Association

U.S. AIR FORCE AWARD
               New York Society of Military and Naval Officers

               COIN PRESENTATION – OUTSTANDING SERVICE, FLEET WEEK
               Hon. John H. Dalton, Secretary of the Navy

1996        IN APPRECIATION – MAJOR MC CARTHY MEMORIAL
               Frazier Civic Association

               DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD – MAJOR MC CARTHY MEMORIAL
               Marine Corps League, Brooklyn Detachment #1

               FOR MERITORIOUS AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICE 
               Colon/Rivera Chapter, Military Order of the Purple Heart

               FOR GENEROUS SUPPORT
               Veterans Continuum of Care Network

               FOR OUTSTANDING SUPPORT TO THE DEPSRTMENT OF DEFENSE
               William Perry, Secretary of Defense

1995        CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION
               Marine Corps League, Yankee Detachment

DEPARTMENT COMMANDER’S AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE
               Department of New York, Jewish War Veterans, USA\

               50^th ANNIVERSARY OF LIBERATION OF FRANCE MEDAL
              Consul General of France/Federation of French War Veterans

               HONORARY MEMBER
               New York Society of the World Wars

1994        CERTIFICATE OF APPOINTMENT – MAYOR’S OFFICE
               Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, Mayor, City of New York

PFC LOUIS SCHILLER AWARD FOR AMERICANISM & PATRIOTISM
               Kings County Jewish War Veterans, USA

PARTNER IN EDUCATION –CONTRIBUTIONS TO NEW YORK SCHOOLS
               New York City Board of Education

NORMANDY MEDAL – 50^th ANNIVERSARY D-DAY
               Federation of French War Veterans

               CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION – 50^th ANNIVERSARY D-DAY
               Department of Defense

               CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION FOR SERVICE IN VIETNAM
            New York City Vietnamese/American Community Association

CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION – CONTRIBUTIONS TO LEGION
               New York County American Legion

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