In the latter part of August, the Connecticut Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, along with the Connecticut Commissioner of Veterans’ Affairs, came to Bristol as part of their State Tour to Honor Vietnam Veterans. With the help of the City of Bristol, two special ceremonies were held for Bristol’s heroes due to the number of Vietnam veterans who make their home in Bristol. The American Legion Post 2 honor guard posted the colors to begin both ceremonies. Many members of Post 2 were on hand that day to receive recognition for their service.

Each Vietnam veteran who attended was presented a certificate from the State of Connecticut for their service and a DoD Vietnam lapel pin. The state senator and a number of state representatives who cover the Bristol area were on hand to hand out the awards. Those unable to attend had their certificate either delivered in person or mailed to them in the weeks to come.

The ceremony was held at the newly rebuilt Rockwell Theater, inside the newly rebuilt Magnet School. In the 1920, Mr. Rockwell offered a parcel of land along a small river near the center of Bristol to build a park in honor and memory of those who fought in World War I. The city turned it down. To convince the city to take the offer, Rockwell made an offer they were unable to turn away: he built a state-of-the-art high school for Bristol in return for the city turning the land into a military memorial park. Thus he did, and the city took the land and made it a park. Today that land is known as Memorial Blvd. It stands in honor of all veterans from the Revolutionary War to the present day. The school has just been rebuilt and this was one of its first events in the new theater.

American Legion Post 2 has been part of updating Memorial Blvd. since its opening.