Rensselaer County officials and family members on Monday held an Honor Deceased Veteran ceremony recognizing Corporal Warren J. Winnie Sr., whose service in the Korean War and later community volunteerism were recounted in a formal biography reading and commemorated with proclamations and a plaque.

Kelly Hoffman, chair of the Rensselaer County Legislature, read a detailed biography of Winnie that traced his life from his birth on Feb. 17, 1931, through his enlistment at age 17 on May 3, 1948, service with the 7th Infantry Division in the Korean War, and postwar years in East Greenbush, where he volunteered as a firefighter and helped build local youth softball programs. "Today, we honor the life and legacy of Warren J. Winnie Sr., a devoted family man, veteran, and community servant," Hoffman said.

County Executive Steve McLaughlin praised Winnie's service and community work, calling the veteran's biography "packed" and thanking the family for allowing the county to honor him. "He really saw a lot of action over there in Korea," McLaughlin said, noting the hardships faced by those who served.

Representatives from the offices of Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and Congressman Paul Tonko presented congressional proclamations to the family and said they had requested that a flag be flown over the U.S. Capitol and then delivered to Winnie's family. Joshua Williams, representing Stefanik's office, said, "We have the highest population of veterans of any congressional district in New York State," and described the flag flight and congressional record proclamation the offices would provide.

New York State Senator Jake Ashby and New York State Assemblyman Scott Bendett offered remarks and state proclamations praising Winnie's service and civic contributions. The commander of the Watervliet Arsenal, identified in the transcript as Colonel Schultz, placed Winnie's wartime service in context, saying the Korean War "was an armistice" and describing the severe conditions servicemembers endured.

A plaque was presented to the family by Joe Simonek of the Rensselaer County Honor Deceased Veteran Committee; Tim Forbes, chairman of the committee, announced that attendees would take family photos and that the county would shortly raise a flag at the county flagpole in Winnie's memory. The committee also announced the next Honor Deceased Veteran ceremony scheduled for Monday, Jan. 13.

Organizers noted that some of Winnie's military personnel records were later lost in the July 12, 1973, fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis; the biography reading said family members and volunteers had tried to recover as much information as possible. The ceremony closed with a prayer and the retiring of the colors.

The event combined formal recognition from federal and state representatives with local tributes to Winnie's community service, including his work with youth softball and as a volunteer firefighter. Family members were present for the presentation and subsequent flag raising at the county flagpole.