Veterans Pay Respect On Memorial Day

Despite the festive cheers and excitement that ensued during Monday's parade, the mood eventually turned somber. Even with the temperatures and humidity rising, residents gathered in front of the Bloomfield Civic Center to hear the voices of local veterans. 

The parade's grand marshal, Joseph Crecca Jr. spoke about what Memorial Day means to him. "Memorial Day means different things to different people", he began. "To some it is just a long weekend, a time for a barbeque, a family outing or a sale at the downtown shopping mall. To others it's a time to fly the flag or take the kids downtown to see a parade".

To Crecca, Memorial Day is much more than that. For more than six years, Crecca as held captive as a prisoner of war in the North Vietnamese prison camp known as the Hanoi Hilton.

In his speech, Crecca described the harrowing day in which he and his co-pilot were forced to eject out of their F-4 phatom fighter plane after it was shot down by a Russian missile. Upon landing, Crecca was captured by the enemy. "It was a bad day, but I was the more fortunate one," said Crecca noting that his co-pilot Gordon Scott Wilson was killed.

In his closing remarks, Crecca reminded spectators "freedom is not free. We all pay a price for it, but many have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Today we are here to honor those brave souls that have sacrificed everything for us."

Mayor Raymond McCarthy spoke briefly and thanked Crecca for his service to the nation.

He also thanked Bloomfield residents for the impressive turnout, despite the stormy weather that had swept through the area in the early morning hours. "Today was probably one of the worst days we've had in a long time and it was an opportunity for everyone to roll over and go back to bed, but you came out," said the mayor.

McCarthy also took the opportunity read a proclamation on behalf of the council to recognize the 90th anniversary of Miles A. Suarez Post 711, which is involved in numerous charitable activities.

After the speeches were completed, Crecca, along with other veterans walked across to the town's war memorial, where he would take part in the symbolic laying of the wreath to the tune of Taps. With one final salute to the wreath the ceremony had ended, although it was clear that the memories of those lost on the battlefield were still very much alive.