By Jack Krampitz
Last Thursday Seicheprey Post 2 American Legion held a Remembrance Day to honor the Connecticut veterans who were killed in action during the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. It has now been 82 years since the “day that will live in infamy.”
The ceremony included the remembrance of Connecticut veterans who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor, the POW/MIA table presentation and a request for help in collecting information about those from Bristol who were called up for duty after Pearl Harbor.
Post 2 Historian Neal Supranovich read the names of the 19 Connecticut residents who were killed in the attack.
Among the attendees at Thursday’s remembrance were four World War II Veterans, Joe Caminiti, Dick Fitz, Jim Cleveland and John Fensick.
As they gathered for the ceremony, they learned that due to all the funerals that the Post 2 Honor Guard had been attending as a Flag and Rifle Salute team, there was a shortage of ammo for a funeral that same day, in just an hour from then.
All four WW II veterans agreed that the ammo slated for the Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Rifle Salute should be given to the Honor Guard to be used for the Veteran at West Cemetary,
As Joe Caminiti said, not only for himself but the other three also, “I am no hero, the true heroes are in the ground.”
The ceremony began with Caminiti ringing the bell from the USS Kidd, a WW II ship on which many Bristol veterans served.
An empty table dedicated to POW/MIA’s was explained to the audience by CSM Ed Litherland and MSG Tim Gamache. Litherland began, “Today we have some honored guests who cannot be with us. So we remember them in this way. Please direct your attention to the small table which occupies a place of honor.”
Litherland explained and Gamache demonstrated that the table was set for one person, symbolizing the fact that members of our armed forces are missing from our lives. The place setting serves as a reminder for all of us to spare no effort to secure the release of any American prisoners from captivity and the return of the remains of those who died bravely serving this country.
Each item on the table symbolizes an important concept. For example, the candle on the table is a light of hope which lives in our hearts to illuminate the POW’s way of out from their oppressors home to a grateful nation. The chair is empty for these men and women are not here with us.
At the end of the program, Supranovich asked for assistance from the public in getting information about the men who served in C Company, 169th Infantry. C Company was an Army Reserve Unit out of the Armory here. They were federated by President Roosevelt in 1941 and did not return home till the war was over. They served in the Pacific for the duration of the conflict.
Anyone with information, should contact Neal Supranovich via email at neals1910@gmail.com.
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