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No Greater Love

Register 43 Seats Remaining

No Greater Love - The Story of Michael Crescenz

Philly's Only Medal of Honor Recipient of the Vietnam War

2023-05-30 13:00:00 2023-05-30 14:30:00 America/New_York No Greater Love - The Story of Michael Crescenz Sea Isle City - Public Meeting Room

Tuesday, May 30
1:00pm - 2:30pm

Add to Calendar 2023-05-30 13:00:00 2023-05-30 14:30:00 America/New_York No Greater Love - The Story of Michael Crescenz Registration requested. Sea Isle City - Public Meeting Room

Sea Isle City

Public Meeting Room

Registration requested.

All events are tentatively scheduled and may change. Please see the CMCL Events Calendar on our website, follow us on social media, and subscribe to our weekly eNewsletter for any and all updates.


Join us for a special book talk - No Greater Love, the story of Michael Crescenz, Philadelphia's only Medal of Honor recipient of the Vietnam War. This talk will be given by Michael's brother Joe Crescenz and the book's co-author Kevin Ferris.

Michael Crescenz grew up in one of Philadelphia’s booming post-war Catholic neighborhoods, distinguishing himself early on as a leader, brother and friend who fearlessly rose to the defense of others in need. The second of six sons born to a World War II veteran, Michael was known for his big smile, athletic abilities, toughness and fierce competitive spirit. Growing up, Michael’s world revolved around his family, parish, local playgrounds, and the bustling Catholic schools he attended from first grade through high school graduation. All these influences shaped the man he would become – the one who felt a sense of duty to serve his country and enlisted in the U.S. Army to do his part during the Vietnam War.

He was in Vietnam barely two months when his unit, the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry, was sent into battle against deeply entrenched enemy forces on Nui Chom Mountain, the fortress in the clouds tucked away in the far northwest corner of South Vietnam near the borders with North Vietnam and Laos. Commanders knew they were in for a fight, but didn’t know the enemy had more than 250 machine gun bunkers deployed along the mountain’s slopes. On November 20, 1968, Alpha Company was ambushed on the wet jungle mountainside, the NVA taking down the two men up front and pinning down the rest with relentless fire.

Thinking first of the danger to those around him, Private First Class Michael J. Crescenz picked up an M60 machine gun and charged the enemy bunkers. He did not survive but his actions saved the lives of his fellow soldiers and allowed them to advance and ultimately prevail. For his valor and sacrifice, Michael was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, accepted by his father from President Nixon.

No Greater Love tells this story from the perspective of those who loved Michael Crescenz most, close friends, family, Michael’s commanding officer in Vietnam, retired Lieutenant General Sam Wetzel, and medic William “Doc” Stafford, the soldier closest to Michael when he was cut down by enemy fire and who believes to this day that he survived Nui Chom only because of the selfless actions of Private First Class Crescenz.

 

Kevin Ferris spent more than thirty years at the Philadelphia Inquirer, the last ten as a columnist Kevin Ferris is co-author, with Dava Guerin, of Unbreakable Bonds: The Mighty Moms and Wounded Warriors of Walter Reed and Vets and Pets: Wounded Warriors and the Animals that Help Them Heal. He spent 31 years as an editor and columnist with The Philadelphia Inquirer and his freelance work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Hill, The Weekly Standard and the Christian Science Monitor. He lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania.


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Sea Isle City

Phone: 609-263-7301

Hours

Sea Isle City

Mon, May 29 9:00AM to 8:00PM
Tue, May 30 9:00AM to 4:30PM
Wed, May 31 9:00AM to 8:00PM
Thu, Jun 01 9:00AM to 4:30PM
Fri, Jun 02 9:00AM to 4:30PM
Sat, Jun 03 9:00AM to 4:30PM
Sun, Jun 04 Closed

Upcoming events

Mon, May 29, All day
Cape May Court House

Tue, May 30, 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Sea Isle City - Public Meeting Room

Tue, May 30, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Wildwood Crest - 2nd Floor Events Room

Tue, May 30, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Cape May Court House - Storytime Room

Tue, May 30, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Cape May Court House - TLC Makerspace

Wed, May 31, 9:00am - 4:00pm
Cape May Court House - TLC One-on-Ones

Wed, May 31, 9:00am - 10:00am
CMCL Online - Zoom

Wed, May 31, 9:15am - 10:15am
Wildwood Crest - 2nd Floor Events Room

Canceled
Wed, May 31, 10:00am - 11:00am
Lower Township

Wed, May 31, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Sea Isle City - Public Meeting Room
Registration is now closed

Wed, May 31, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Sea Isle City - Children's Room

Wed, May 31, 10:30am - 11:30am
Cape May City - Children's Room

Canceled
Wed, May 31, 11:30am - 12:30pm
Lower Township

Wed, May 31, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Sea Isle City - Public Meeting Room

Wed, May 31, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Wildwood Crest - 2nd Floor Events Room

Wed, May 31, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Wildwood Crest - 1st Floor Events Room

Wed, May 31, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
CMCL Online - GoToMeeting
Registration is now closed

Thu, Jun 01, 9:30am - 10:30am
Stone Harbor - Events Room

Thu, Jun 01, 10:00am - 11:00am
Sea Isle City - Public Meeting Room

Thu, Jun 01, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Lower Township - Joseph Millman Room

Thu, Jun 01, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Cape May Court House

Thu, Jun 01, 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Stone Harbor - Kitchen Area

Canceled
Thu, Jun 01, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Upper Township

Thu, Jun 01, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Cape May Court House - TLC Makerspace

Canceled
Thu, Jun 01, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Lower Township

Thu, Jun 01, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Cape May Court House - Presentation Room

Thu, Jun 01, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
CMCL Online - Google Meet

Fri, Jun 02, All day
Cape May Court House - Storytime Room

Fri, Jun 02, All day
Lower Township - Public Meeting Room

Fri, Jun 02, All day
Upper Township - Events Room

Fri, Jun 02, 9:15am - 10:15am
Stone Harbor - Events Room

Canceled
Fri, Jun 02, 9:30am - 10:30am
Stone Harbor

Fri, Jun 02, 10:00am - 11:00am
Sea Isle City - Public Meeting Room

Fri, Jun 02, 10:00am - 10:45am
Sea Isle City - Children's Room

Fri, Jun 02, 11:00am - 1:00pm
Sea Isle City - Conference Room
Registration is now closed

Fri, Jun 02, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Wildwood Crest - 2nd Floor Events Room

Fri, Jun 02, 1:30pm - 2:30pm
Lower Township - Joseph Millman Room

Sat, Jun 03, All day
Cape May Court House - Storytime Room

Sat, Jun 03, All day
Lower Township - Public Meeting Room

Sat, Jun 03, All day
Upper Township - Events Room

Sat, Jun 03, 10:00am - 11:00am
Cape May Court House - Children's Room

Sat, Jun 03, 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Wildwood Crest - 2nd Floor Events Room

Sat, Jun 03, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
CMCL Outdoors - Bandstand, CMC Park & Zoo

Sun, Jun 04, All day
Cape May Court House - Storytime Room

Sun, Jun 04, All day
Lower Township - Public Meeting Room

Sun, Jun 04, All day
Upper Township - Events Room

Mon, Jun 05, 9:30am - 10:30am
Stone Harbor - Events Room

Mon, Jun 05, 10:00am - 10:30am
Lower Township - Joseph Millman Room

Mon, Jun 05, 12:00pm - 12:45pm
Wildwood Crest - 2nd Floor Events Room

Mon, Jun 05, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Stone Harbor - Events Room

Mon, Jun 05, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Wildwood Crest - 2nd Floor Events Room

Mon, Jun 05, 7:00pm - 7:45pm
Wildwood Crest - 2nd Floor Events Room