The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Vets commander to be inducted into Hall of Fame
Larry Riley ‘knocked off feet’ by being chosen among inductees
MIDDLETOWN — A well-known Vietnam veteran who has won countless awards will be honored next week at the Capitol for his commitment to members of the armed services and advocating for their rightful benefits.
American Legion Post 75 Commander Larry Riley is one of nine Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame inductees, seven of whom are legionnaires. “A state award for doing something you love doing? That just knocked me off my feet,” he said.
“It blew me away” when he learned of the honor, Riley said. “People tell me, ‘You deserve it.’ But I don’t think I did all that much.” Still, Riley acknowledged, “It’s just amazing.”
Riley, who will be inducted Dec. 7, was the post’s first African-American leader. He was notified of his selection about a month ago. Tammy Marzik and his friend Karen Uberti, a member of the the city’s Jewish War Veterans, nominated him for the award.
The state hall of fame recognizes current or former state residents who have worn the uniform of the nation’s armed forces, performed their military duties and then continued to contribute to community, state and nation in an exemplary manner. These outstanding contributions may, for example, be in the areas of professional, civic, veterans’ advocacy, or political or contributions over the life of the nominee, according to the organization.
“Everybody that goes into the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame has a military background. Generally speaking, it’s what you did after the military and what your commitment is to the community, and times you’ve gone above and beyond your service,” said fellow Vietnam veteran Phil Cacciola, who spent 30 years in the service. “Larry has been a role model for young men and women of color. We went through an awful lot coming back during that time, and we know that it’s not the reception young men and women should be getting today.”
In 2017, Cacciola, former American Legion commander, was the first Middletown resident to be inducted. Like Riley, his mission is to ensure each veteran is treated fairly and receives their due benefits.
“It’s a tough time for young men and women coming back from the war zone with jobs, family, children, school, PTSD,” Cacciola said. “They need all the support they can get. I think Larry and the guys we are associated with really carry that forward.”
Riley was co-project leader in the development of the commemorative mural installed in City Hall, which recognizes the 50th anniversary of the country’s participation in the Vietnam War in late 2016.
Riley said he feels very fortunate to be part of a veteran-friendly community in Middletown and the surrounding area.
“It makes it easier for us to do our job, and my job is to make sure veterans find out about the benefits they have coming, and nobody coming home from these recent wars has to go through what we went through coming back from Vietnam,” he said.
Returning soldiers commonly endured ill will. Many were called “baby killers,” spit upon and treated with disrespect.
“The stigma and all the names they called us, it was just horrible. It was horrible to come back. We didn’t talk about the war at all, and that hurt us because we had no way of venting, no place to go (for support),” Riley said.
Riley worked security for the state of Connecticut, then took a job in Washington, D.C., working with the U.S. Secret Service as part of the Explosive Detector Team, according to his nominators.
Ken McLellan, curator of the Greater Middletown Military Museum, called Riley very deserving.
“It doesn’t matter what color your skin is or where you were raised,” McLellan said. “If you served in the military, you are a veteran and that’s what matters. That’s what I really admire about Larry. He’s all over the place. He’s involved in everything.”
Riley was instrumental in helping get the baseball game concession stand at Palmer Field up and running, he said. Proceeds from the sale of snacks allow the Legion to buy uniforms and equipment for the players.
“The players and their families don’t have to pony up money in order to play baseball. With his work, with the coaches, along with Phil Cacciola, they’ve been able to expand to four teams,” McLellan said.
Middletown is distinguished by having a Council of Veterans, which has representation from every one of the city’s many veterans organizations, including the American Legion Post 206, Catholic War Veterans Post 1166, Veterans of the Vietnam War of Middletown, Veterans of Foreign Wars posts 583 and 1840 and Daughters of American Veterans Chapter 7.
“It gives us a good starting point so we’re all on the same page,” Riley said.
It is also home to the Greater Middletown Military Museum, expected to open after 13 years of effort, in early spring.
The council runs the city’s Memorial Day parade, and members are caretakers for various American flags flying across Middletown, repairing and replacing them when necessary.
During the two weeks preceding and following Veterans Day this year, Riley and other veterans visited about seven schools, talking to youth about the flag.
“It was just amazing,” he said. “Each year, it seems like more schools are getting added to our program. It also helps out the kids. There are not that many veterans in families anymore.”
Members of these groups also make sure veterans whose cremains are unclaimed are buried in the state cemetery in Middletown. Some families find the process of appealing to probate court too laborious and are grateful for help from local veterans who want their fellow soldiers’ remains laid to rest.
“We want to make sure when they bring them up to the cemetery that we have a bunch of veterans up there to send them off to make sure they’re not buried alone without family and friends,” Riley said.
The ceremony will be held Dec. 7 at 5 p.m. at the Legislative Office Building Atrium in Hartford. The event is free and open to the public.