Orange Wartime Veterans Honored at Ceremony

Brave. Selfless. Extraordinary. These are just three of the words used to describe 15 veterans who were honored for their service.

The honorees are:

• Richard Austin - Milford - Air Force
• Alphonse Boudreau - Milford - Air Force
• Allan Cegan - Milford - Air Force
• John Flanagan - Milford - Navy
• Daniel Howrath - Milford - Army
• William Laucks - West Haven - Navy
• Michael Lenahan (deceased) - Milford - Army
• John McCormick - West Haven - Navy
• Douglas Pearson - Orange - Navy and Army Reserves
• Phillip Pilletere, Jr. - Orange - Marines
• Michael Tretola- Milford - Marines
• Alec Voight - Milford - Army
• Raymond Ewell - Milford - Army
• Bruce Rumford - Milford - Marines
• Allen Cable, Sr. - Milford - Army

The following information is from a press release from the Connecticut General Assembly:

In a moving afternoon ceremony, several generations of wartime veterans were recognized Wednesday [July 17] in a ceremony presented by State Senator Gayle S. Slossberg (D-Milford).

The veterans were honored at the Milford Senior Center where they were presented with the Connecticut Veterans Wartime Service Medal.

"Today we honor the bravery and selfless service of an extraordinary group of individuals," said Slossberg. "These men answered the call to serve, braving the hazards of war to do the right thing for their country. We can never thank them enough for their immense sacrifice, but days like today remind us of the lasting debt we owe them. And we do this, recognizing the greatness of those who came before us, so that long after we are gone, their legacies will endure."

Slossberg joined Connecticut Department of Veterans’ Affairs Commissioner Linda Schwartz in awarding each veteran with the gold medallion, which hangs from a red, white and blue ribbon and is imprinted with the emblems of the five branches of the military.

"No matter when you served, whether in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan, you are all intrinsically bound because you know what it was like to leave your homes and go out and face the unknown—to put your life on the line and not know what was going to happen," said Schwartz. "This medal is a token of the esteem and appreciation of the people of our state, and we thank you for your bravery and sacrifice."

The ceremony featured patriotic songs performed by the Note-Ables, the Milford Senior Center’s band, and was attended by a number of public officials, including Milford Mayor Benjamin G. Blake and State Representative Kim Rose.

The Medal is awarded to Connecticut residents who have served during times of conflict, from World War I to the present. After World War II, the tradition of awarding state medals ceased, but in 2005 the General Assembly passed legislation to establish a medal for all Connecticut veterans with qualifying wartime military service.

Eligible veterans include those who served in a time of war and were either Connecticut residents at the time they were called to active duty or residents of the state on the date of the award. Medals are given posthumously for veterans who died on or after January 1, 2000.