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Memorial Day 2008
Thank you Commander, as a veteran of the United States Army 82nd Airborne Division and 2nd Infantry Division I am honored and humbled to be standing before you and with this distinguished group today to honor those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country’s freedom.
I want to thank the award winning Honor Guard from VFW Post 9460, the Stratford Police Honor Guard, The Stratford Fire Department Honor Guard, The Marine Corp League Honor Guard and the American Legion Honor Guard and members of the United States Army National Guard’s 1048th
Transportation Unit.
Also, joining us for the first time this year, I would like to welcome my brothers from the 82nd Airborne Division Association Greater Hartford Chapter Honor Guard for making the trip down here today and representing the Division troopers. To them I say “All the Way”.
I want to recognize those guests with us on the dais: State Senator DiBicella; Former National Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Ed Bayness; WFW Post 9460 Men’s Auxiliary President Wesley Worth and VFW Post 9460 Women’s Auxiliary President Rose Angelicola as well as the Post’s Chaplin. I would like to recognize those elected officials from the Town of Stratford here today as well as the Blue Star Mothers and Families of Stratford.
These elected and community leaders, like me, believe that we must take time out of our day to honor those that have fallen for us.
If I may, I would like to take a moment to talk about Memorial Day past and Memorial Day present.
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service.
Before there was an official Memorial Day organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War.
Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his
General Order No. 11
, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.
In 1915 Moina Michael wrote the poem poem:
“We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.”
Ms. Michael then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war.
Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans' organization to nationally sell poppies. Two years later their "Buddy" Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans.
Once again the men and women who wore the uniform and put their lives in harms way answered the call.
Today I am proud to stand here as a life member of VFW Post 9460 with the men and women of 940 and the men’s and women’s auxiliary. Please join me in thanking them for their service past and present.
Also with us today is members of the 1048th Transportation unit.
The 1048th has been in Stratford, at Armory Road since 2003. It's one of the newer Units in the State of Connecticut, but already has established a proud history.
In 2005, the Unit mobilized to support Logistic efforts during Hurricane Katrina.
In 2005 the Unit conducted a three-week mission in Baumholder, Germany, and Kaiserslautern, Germany to support active duty units in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
On June 2006, the Unit deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom under the 82nd Airborne Division's All-American Sustainment Brigade. The Unit returned in September
of 2007.
The Unit conducted the Convoy Security Mission across Iraq and Kuwait. The Unit conducted over 200 missions and logged hundreds of thousands of miles.
During the deployment,
2 Soldiers received Purple Hearts
18 Soldiers received Bronze Stars
10 received Meritorious Service Medals
25 Received Combat Action Badges
The Unit continues to support Logistic Missions across the Continental United States, traveling as far as South Dakota, Oklahoma and Missouri delivering a multitude of much needed military equipment.
Please join me in thanking the 1048th for their service as Citizen Soldiers.
Traditional observance of Memorial Day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.
To date in the Iraq war alone, 4,082 have died. 29 from our small state. We honor them today for their sacrifice.
American Revolution (1775–1783) |
Total servicemembers |
217,000 |
Battle deaths |
4,435 |
Nonmortal woundings |
6,188 |
War of 1812 (1812–1815) |
Total servicemembers |
286,730 |
Battle deaths |
2,260 |
Nonmortal woundings |
4,505 |
Indian Wars (approx. 1817–1898) |
Total servicemembers |
106,0001 |
Battle deaths |
1,0001 |
Mexican War (1846–1848) |
|
Total servicemembers |
78,718 |
Battle deaths |
1,733 |
Other deaths in service (nontheater) |
11,550 |
Nonmortal woundings |
4,152 |
Civil War (1861–1865) |
|
Total servicemembers (Union) |
2,213,363 |
Battle deaths (Union) |
140,414 |
Other deaths in service (nontheater) (Union) |
224,097 |
Nonmortal woundings (Union) |
281,881 |
Total servicemembers (Conf.) |
1,050,000 |
Battle deaths (Conf.) |
74,524 |
Other deaths in service (nontheater) (Conf.) |
59,2972 |
Nonmortal woundings (Conf.) |
unknown |
Spanish-American War (1898–1902) |
|
Total servicemembers |
306,760 |
Battle deaths |
385 |
Other deaths in service (nontheater) |
2,061 |
Nonmortal woundings |
1,662 |
World War I (1917–1918)3 |
Total servicemembers |
4,734,991 |
Battle deaths |
53,402 |
Other deaths in service (nontheater) |
63,114 |
Nonmortal woundings |
204,002 |
Living veterans |
fewer than 251 |
World War II (1940–1945)3 |
Total servicemembers |
16,112,566 |
Battle deaths |
291,557 |
Other deaths in service (nontheater) |
113,842 |
Nonmortal woundings |
671,846 |
Living veterans |
3,242,0001 |
Korean War (1950–1953) |
Total servicemembers |
5,720,000 |
Serving in-theater |
1,789,000 |
Battle deaths |
33,741 |
Other deaths in service (theater) |
2,833 |
Other deaths in service (nontheater) |
17,672 |
Nonmortal woundings |
103,284 |
Living veterans |
3,086,4001 |
Vietnam War (1964–1975) |
Total servicemembers |
8,744,000 |
Serving in-theater |
3,403,000 |
Battle deaths |
47,424 |
Other deaths in service (theater) |
10,785 |
Other deaths in service (nontheater) |
32,000 |
Nonmortal woundings |
153,303 |
Living veterans |
7,286,5001 |
Gulf War (1990–1991) |
Total servicemembers |
2,225,000 |
Serving in-theater |
665,476 |
Battle deaths |
147 |
Other deaths in service (theater) |
382 |
Other deaths in service (nontheater) |
1,565 |
Nonmortal woundings |
467 |
Living veterans |
1,852,0001 |
America's Wars Total |
Military service during war |
43,185,893 |
Battle deaths |
653,708 |
Other deaths in service (theater) |
14,560 |
Other deaths in service (nontheater) |
525,930 |
Nonmortal woundings |
1,447,281 |
Living war veterans |
17,835,0004 |
Living veterans |
23,976,000 |
Global War on Terror (as of Sept. 30, 2006)5 |
Total Servicemembers (Worldwide) |
1,384,968 |
Deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan |
165,000 |
Battle Deaths |
2,333 |
Other Deaths (In Theater) |
707 |
Non-mortal Woundings |
21,649 |
Living Veterans |
588,9236 |
Thank you for allowing me the honor of addressing you today.
May God bless you, the Town Of Stratford and the United States of America.
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