“The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”
Thomas Paine, The Crisis
Observances were held at the National Iwo Jima Memorial on Monday, May 27th, the Memorial Day holiday, as part of this week’s activities to honor all men and women who served in the armed services and lost their lives in wars and conflicts throughout U.S. history.
On Thursday, May 30th, wreath-laying services will be held during the morning at New Britain’s monuments and the traditional Memorial Day Parade will kick off at 5 p.m.
- 8:00 am – General John Patterson Memorial on East/Allen Streets
- 8:30 am – Spanish American War Memorial at Willow Brook Park, 635 So. Main St.
- 8:45 am – Vietnam Memorial at Willow Brook Park, 635 South Main St.
- 9:15 am – Sherrod E. Skinner Memorial on Corbin Ave./Lincoln Street
- 9:45 am – Israel Putnam Stone at Walnut Hill Park
- 10:00 am – World War I Memorial Monument at Walnut Hill Park
- 10:30 am – General Casimir Pulaski Monument/General Tadeusz Kosciuszko Monument at Pulaski Park
- 11:00 am – Civil War, World War II, Korean and Vietnam Memorials at Central Park
- 11:30 am – 65th Infantry Regiment Park at Beaver Street, North Side (corner near LaSalle and Washington Streets and Farmington Avenue)
- 11:50 am – Belvidere Area World War II Memorial at Campbell Square, Stanley St/Hillcrest Ave.
- 12:15 pm – Captain Brian S. Letendre U.S.M.C. Memorial at Pendleton Road/Sunnyslope Drive
The National Iwo Jima Memorial was conceived and built by the Iwo Jima Survivors Association, led by Dr. George Gentile, a New Britain native and NB High School graduate who practiced dentistry in his native city.
According to the Iwo Jima Association: “On Feb 23, 1995 the monument was dedicated in memory of the 6,821 Americans who lost their lives on Iwo Jima. The names of the 100 Connecticut men who died are inscribed on the monument, and 100 flags are flown at the Park to commemorate their sacrifice.”
New Britain Alderman John McNamara 