A Wall of Honor inside the Armory Speakeasy in Key Largo holds the pictures of local men and women who have served in the military. Two brothers currently serving in the U.S. Marines together were recently added to the distinguished wall.
The Marines’ Hymn filled the speakeasy to kickstart a ceremony on March 27 for Sgt. Noah Hane and Lance Cpl. Andrew Hane. The brothers were joined by their parents, Monica and Michael, other family members, VFW Post 10211 members and speakeasy staff.
“Once a Marine, always a Marine,” said Dennis Ward, state attorney and VFW Post 10211 postmaster, to kickoff the ceremony.
John Donnelly, Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient, proceeded by offering a toast in honor of the Hane brothers.
“There’s nothing that I can say that could bring any more dignity and respect to anybody that I know having been to places that these men have been and are going to go,” Donnelly said. “It gives us much pride and appreciation and distinguishes the Armory Speakeasy and the VFW.”
Noah and Andrew watched as Janessa Silvestri, owner of the military-themed speakeasy, hung their pictures side-by-side on the wall. It was a special moment for the Hane family, whose sons received the go-ahead to head back to their Keys community from Camp Pendleton, California for the ceremony.
Noah headed off to boot camp shortly after graduating from Coral Shores High School in 2018. He worked through the ranks to a leadership position with the Third Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment — in which his brother Andrew also serves — at Camp Pendleton.
“I live on the first floor of the barracks and he (Andrew) lives in the room above me,” Noah said. “We get breakfast and go surfing together. I see him at work all the time, and we do our job and train and shoot.”
Andrew graduated from Coral Shores in 2023. He, too, shipped off to boot camp not long after high school. Andrew said he sees himself working through the ranks, learning his job with the goal one day of teaching new Marines how to be infantry.
The Hane brothers didn’t come from a service background. Both said they grew up loving the thought of serving their country in the military.
“The Marines do air, sea and water, and I love being on the water,” Noah said. “I just wanted to serve and learn skills and be there for a sense of belonging with other people.”
“(He) and I just took the same path, and it’s been destined since we were both little,” Andrew said.
Noah and Andrew say they’re honored to be on a wall with fellow servicemen and -women from the local community.
“It gives me a great sense of courage and honor to be on the wall with the rest of these people who have done a lot more than I have and sacrificed a lot more than I have,” Andrew said.
“To be honored with other members of the community who have also gone up there makes me feel closer to home,” Noah said. “People will see that my brother and I are here together, both in the Marine Corps and here on the wall. … It’s awesome.”
