Parade Grand Marshal Remembers Navy Career

Graduating from Governor Livingston Regional High School in 1967, Bob Farley of Mountainside did not know what he wanted to do, but was certain college would not be the right fit for him at that moment in time.

Looking at his options, Farley started seriously looking at the military, at a time when many in his generation were looking to get out of military service as war raged in Vietnam.

“I really wasn’t sure as far as college. My grades were not up to par for college,” he said. “At that time they had the draft. I figured if I might get drafted and they’ll put me where they want. If I enlist I can go where I want. I figured the Navy would be kind of interesting.”

Farley would go on to enlist in the Navy, serving six years before returning home to Mountainside and becoming active in the local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. With Westfield and Mountainside rotating the grand marshal’s post in the Westfield Memorial Day parade, Farley found himself at the

“For years, Westfield chose a member from Westfield,” Farley said of the grand marshal’s job. Mountainside has always been participating and a number of years ago, they decided to rotate it. This year it was our turn and they picked me.”

While he was given a chance to take the helm of the parade, which marched past hundreds of patriotic Westfielders lining East Broad Street on Monday morning, Farley did not know if he wanted to take it.

“I was really reluctant,” he said. “As commander of the post, I do the services at the monuments and Fairview. I did not know if I had time to do that.”

After being reassured that he could preside over the ceremonies downtown and at the cemetery, along with leading the parade through downtown and several northside neighborhoods, Farley jumped at the job.

A Mountainside resident since 1956, Farley focused his time in the Navy on being an aircraft mechanic. His military career started in Memphis, Tenn. for training before a move to Jacksonville, Fla. for three years working on planes.

“I wanted to work on planes,” he said of his time in the Navy. After going through the testing, I was qualified for that. They sent me to schools and that’s what I did, I worked on planes. I enjoyed it.”

Following his stay in Jacksonville, Farley moved to the Albany, Georgia before heading out to San Diego and San Diego, before setting sail on the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk to sail for Southeast Asia. During this time he was primarily working on aircraft frame repair and the hydraulic systems in the planes.

During his career, Farley would only take one extended cruise, to Vietnam in the early 1970s. During his time in Southeast Asia, he would never set foot in Vietnam, coming five miles away. Farley does remember fondly traveling in Asia.

“I got to see parts of the world I would not get to see otherwise,” Farley remembers of being in the Navy. “The Philippines and Hong Kong.”

During his time in Florida, Farley would end up flying a bit with the crew, heading out to fix planes in states around the country and seeing the work the crew would do while they trained for missions over Vietnam.

“I did the air refueling and aerial combat maneuvers, I got to watch that as an observer,” he said. “Even though the work was long and hard, it was very interesting.”

Returning home to New Jersey in 1973, Farley settled in Mountainside and started his college career, obtaining a criminal justice degree from Union County College in 1978. Farley has worked for the Mountainside Department of Public Works for the last 33 years, including a seven-year stint as the borough’s public works manager.

While focused professionally on maintaining and repairing the borough’s roads and sewers, Farley has been active in the community. He has spent 39 years as a volunteer firefighter in Mountainside, including serving as the borough’s fire chief for several years. He has been active in Mountainside VFW chapter since returning home from the military and has been the post commander for 20 years.

Farley has been a familiar face to Westfield Memorial Day followers, presiding over the opening ceremony at the war memorial plaza downtown and the closing ceremony atop the hill at Fairview Cemetery. Getting a chance to lead the parade between the two ceremonies was a chance of a lifetime for the longtime VFW leader.

“I consider it a real honor to have been picked,” he said. “I’ve been doing this parade since the 70s and thought it was a nice honor. I was really, really happy to have gotten picked.”