Stratford honors Korean- and Vietnam-era veterans with ceremony and personal testimonies

Lieutenant Governor Susan Bisawitz and local officials gathered at Stratford Town Hall to honor Korean- and Vietnam-era veterans, thank them for their service, and present individual citations and photos to attendees.

The ceremony opened with the presentation of colors by the Stratford Police Department Honor Guard and the United States Marine Corps League Detachment 1129, a pledge of allegiance led by Mayor David Chess, and the national anthem sung by Matthew Ferry. "Welcome home. God bless you," the presiding official said as the program paid tribute to veterans from both conflicts.

Why it matters: organizers and speakers framed the event as a formal recognition of veterans who did not always receive public acknowledgement on return from service. The program included personal testimony from local veterans, a moment of silence and the naming of six Stratford residents who died in Vietnam, and reminders of continuing efforts to support veterans' health and benefits.

Deputy Commissioner John Carrager of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs, who introduced himself as a "soldier for life," thanked the Lieutenant Governor for her support and emphasized veterans' continued advocacy. "Korea is often called the forgotten war," Carrager said, urging the community not to forget Korean-era service members and to honor their sacrifices. He praised Vietnam veterans for efforts that later helped secure better care and protections for subsequent generations of service members.

Mayor David Chess described Stratford as a community that "loves and takes care of our veterans," highlighting the Stratford Veterans Museum in Booth Memorial Park, which collects artifacts and oral histories and hosts school field trips. The mayor and several state legislators offered brief remarks thanking veterans and calling on younger generations to learn from their service.

Veterans shared personal accounts from Korea and Vietnam. Joe Sherman recalled being part of MP units near an ammunition dump during the Tet offensive and the difficult reception many veterans received upon returning home. Patrick Daly described being wounded in Saigon and spending weeks hospitalized, and Bill Durkin spoke about losing a brother in Vietnam. Several other veterans recounted training, combat experiences, and postwar community service.

The program included a moment of silence and the naming of six Stratford residents who lost their lives in Vietnam: Thomas John Bo, William Durkin Jr., George William Harris, Major Irwin Stewart Learner, Sergeant Walter Francis E. Mattis Jr., and Richard Edward Urban. Organizers cited statewide figures during remarks, noting Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that many Vietnam-era veterans die each day and listing the larger toll of both wars.

Organizers recognized dozens of veterans individually and invited dignitaries for photos; the program announced that photographs and citations from the ceremony would be posted on the Lieutenant Governor's Flickr page and encouraged veterans to contact event staff about any citation errors. The Stratford Veterans Museum was promoted as a local repository for veterans' photos and records.

The ceremony closed with a performance of "America the Beautiful," the retiring of the colors by the honor guard and the Marine Corps League, and final thanks from officials. Attendees were directed to the Lieutenant Governor's online photo gallery for citation images and urged to contact event staff for any corrections.

Sources: remarks, testimonials, and announcements made during the Stratford Town Hall ceremony as recorded in the event transcript.