The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Parade honors the fallen
Names, photos new features this year
TORRINGTON — Toni Tavano, of New Hartford, brought her grandchildren Parker, 5, and Peyton, 4, to the Torrington Memorial Day Parade along Main Street on Monday.
“We come every year unless it’s raining,” Tavano said, standing near the Farmington River bridge, “and I know the parade is rain or shine.”
Watching the dozens of veterans’ organizations, civic groups, school bands and politicians walk by, Parker said he liked the music the best while Peyton preferred the local jump-ropers group.
“I like the music, too,” said Tavano. “The Torrington High School band is incredible.”
The 2018 Memorial Day parade was broken into five divisions this year, ranging from military units to civic organizations, youth groups, sports groups and local fire departments and emergency services.
Forming at South Main Street at the Torrington Shopping Center and winding back along Water Street, the Torrington Air Force JROTC Color Guard Unit led the parade, followed by the Torrington High School Marching Band; Torrington Veteran Services; the Civil War Color Guard; and other organizations.
A new theme of the parade consisted of youth groups holding up signs with veterans’ names and photos on them (this had been a new initiative by Mayor Elinor Carbone).
The next section of the parade included St. Peter’s School Drum Corp; the Torrington Police Department; local politicians; the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks No. 372; and the Torrington Lion’s Club. Rounding off the parade were the Torrington Middle School Band; the Torrington High School Cheerleaders; Boy Scouts Troop 23; and the Cub Scouts Pack 23; the Girl Scouts Troop 4001.
This was followed by sports groups, including Villari’s Martial Arts Center; the Forbes Flyers Jump Rope Team; and Friendly Hands Food Bank. Bringing up the rear were Torrington Fire Departments and the Harwinton Westside Volunteer Fire Department.
Following the parade, local politicians and veterans spoke at the ceremony attended by several hundred people at Coe Memorial Park.
Following an invocation by Roger Geiger, chaplain for the American Legion Post 38 and AMVETS Post 24 and the giving of awards to favorite floats, Honorary Marshal and World War II U.S. Army Combat Veteran William T. Grieco spoke to the crowed, remarking of the fellow veterans he had kept in longtime contact with: “All of them are gone.”
The 94-year-old Harwinton native recounted his experiences in the Army’s Anti-aircraft Artillery as a machine-gun crewman. He told about collaborating on a wartime memoir with a fellow serviceman who had gone to college. Grieco’s service took him to France, Germany, and Central Europe, along the way participating in the Battle of the Bulge.
“If you didn’t get shot, you were lucky,” he said. Grieco said that his regiment was never on the move during the day.
“You travelled at night and dug a foxhole,” he added.
Upon returning to Torrington, Grieco married and had two daughters and later grandsons who became U.S. Army veterans as well.
“I miss all the guys I served with,” he said.
Following a Memorial Day Proclamation from Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy read by state Rep. Brian Ohler, Torrington Mayor Elinor Carbone remarked, “I am always humbled by the veterans, active servicemen, and their families. It is a solemn day to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.”
Carbone later issued a mayoral proclamation to thank military personnel for this sacrifice: “Your dedication will never be forgotten. No one has stood more strongly for our freedoms.”
A roll call of 70 deceased veterans this year, accompanied by a bell toll was read by City Clerk Carol Anderson. The placing and saluting of Memorial Day wreaths by veterans’ and civic groups was performed next.
In a competition among Torrington schools, Torrington High School senior Jenna Lynne Lackey was awarded the First Prize Essay again this year, with her essay’s theme answering the question ‘‘Why am I proud to be an American?” The essay, published in the ceremony program, was a meditation on the meaning of Lackey’s daily recital of the Pledge of Allegiance at school.