PHOTOS: Fallen Vets Remembered in County Memorial Day Ceremony

Essex County officials paid tribute to war veterans past and present Wednesday with its annual wreath-laying ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park in Newark.

The tradition, said County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr., serves as a reminder that Memorial Day is a holiday that honors servicemen – and not just the unofficial start of summer.

"If it wasn't for our veterans and those who lost their lives, we wouldn't be able to do those things," said DiVincenzo of the upcoming abundance of Memorial Day barbecues and picnics.

Two wreaths adorned with patriotic red and white flowers were laid at Staff Sgt. Jorge Oliveira Plaza, last year. Oliveira, 33, was while serving his third tour of duty in the Army National Guard.

United States Air Force Officer Richard Alberto, who served with Oliveira in the National Guard, hailed the slain soldier Wednesday as a "true American hero" who loved his job as a longtime sheriff's officer.

On Saturday, the intersection of Niagara and Darcy streets in Newark will be named after Oliveira, who grew up in the city's East Ward, followed by the city's annual wreath-laying ceremony at Peter Francisco Park.

"Some veterans fear that their service to our nation will be forgotten. I doubt that," said Clarence Jackson, member of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 3 in Newark. "No freedom-loving American could forget them. They will be forever in our memory, forever in our hearts, and we will be forever grateful to them."