Walk of Honor is Site of West Haven’s Veterans Day Tribute

Written by Michael P. Walsh

WEST HAVEN, CT — The city and the West Haven Veterans Council will hold a Veterans Day tribute at 10:45 a.m. Nov. 11 on the Veterans Walk of Honor in Bradley Point Park.

All veterans are invited to participate in the annual ceremony, which will feature a wreath-laying and remarks from Mayor Edward M. O’Brien and council President Dave Ricci.

O’Brien’s executive assistant, John W. Lewis, will serve as the master of ceremonies.

The event will begin with a presentation of the colors by the West Haven Police Color Guard and a flag-raising by the West Haven Fire Department Honor Guard, followed by the national anthem and “God Bless America” by Grace Kelly Nowak and opening and closing prayers by AMVETS Post 1 chaplain Francis Blanchette and Frederick Kaiser, chaplain of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9422, respectively.

It will also include a bell-ringing at 11 a.m. and taps played by former West Shore Fire Department Lt. Kevin McKeon.

Veterans Day, formerly Armistice Day, is celebrated on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, marking the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I in 1918.

To coincide with the solemn ceremony, the Veterans Council will launch the 10th phase of its popular Brick Campaign.

In November 2006, the council began the first of 10 campaigns selling bricks to memorialize vets on the 100-yard Walk of Honor between the William A. Soderman and Vietnam Veterans memorials.

The bricks, which cost $75, have charcoal lettering for personalized messages. About 2,500 bricks have been installed so far, including 135 for the ninth phase, which was dedicated May 28.

Applications will be available at the Veterans Day event and later in the mayor’s office at City Hall, 355 Main St. For details, call 203-937-3510.

Image via Shutterstock