American Legion Post 2 held its annual Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Ceremony at the post. The World War II Legacy Foundation assisted with the ceremony.
It began with the Pledge of Allegiance followed by the singing of "God Bless America." The POW/MIA Table followed. Joe Caminiti, an Iwo Jima survivor, rang the USS Kidd bell in memory of all World War II veterans.
The Legacy Foundation showed a PowerPoint presentation about Ed Riccio, a Pearl Harbor survivor from the post who passed away a few years ago. Riccio was one of three who out of his unit that day survived the attack. All the others were killed in a bomb blast on his barracks. 19 others from Connecticut who were at Pearl Harbor when Riccio was stationed there, who were killed during the attack, were talked about.
The last speaker talked about the 230 from Bristol who were part of the National Guard, C Company 169th, Bristol's own. Months before Pearl Harbor they shipped out to train in Florida. While there the war started and they were activated, shipped off to war. Talked about some letters the military museum has from a member of this Guard unit, of his training and travels.
The speaker ended by talking about the book, Bristol in World War II. A book printed by the city of Bristol to remember what Bristol did during World War II for future generations.
D. Fitz and J Caminiti, both World War II veterans, were presented framed pictures by the Legacy Foundation. A copy of the pictures was to be placed on the Honor Wall at the foundation's soon to open museum.
Caminiti this past April was asked to attend the dedication of CT's Gold Star Family Memorial Monument by the grandson of Woody Williams, the last medal of Honor recipient from World War II who also fought on Iwo Jima. There he met a painter who began working on a painting of Joe. On the Dec. 7 ceremony, Joe was shown a picture of how far the painter has progressed on the painting.
Jim Clevelan, another World War II veteran, joined ranks along with Mr. Fitz and Mr. Caminiti in signing a special World War II helmet. The helmet contained only signatures of World War II veterans. It is part of the Legacy Traveling Military Museum. The helmet is used in a new program the World War II Legacy Foundation is forming to take to the schools to educate the students about our World War II veterans.
Post 2 is working with the Bristol Memorial Military Museum to create a display.