The Fourth of July is known for fireworks celebrations, but the meaning behind the holiday goes much deeper than that. Several St. Mary Parish veterans gave personal reflections on what it means to them. Independence Day, also known as the Fourth of July, commemorates the anniversary of the United States declaring its independence from Great Britain in 1776. Joe Governale, 94, of Patterson, served in the U.S. Army during World War II for 25 months in the south Pacific. He was a staff sergeant in charge of a section of a platoon. Governale shared his thoughts on what people should ...