Memorial Day Parade Committee seeks WWII Veterans

The Memorial Day Parade Committee has been meeting regularly for some time with the hope of making this year's memorial ceremony at the gazebo extra special.

Each year the committee chooses an honored veteran, parade grand marshal, Chief of Staff and keynote speaker to remind everyone just how important and special to all of us are these men and women who served our country in wartime.

The 2011 Honored Veteran was Dominick  L. “Mickey” Morazzini, 86, a World War II Navy Veteran who served from 1943-1946 as a Seaman First Class.

The 2012 Grand Marshal James White; Chief of Staff Vito DeVito who earned a Purple Heart while serving in the Third Army under General George S. Patton.

At their March 28 meeting the committee members talked about having not one, but several WWII veterans to honor and give them the recognition they deserve.

The committee, which includes war veterans, know that many WWII veterans are too modest to step into the spotlight for anything they did during the wars in which they fought. In the past two weeks the Greater New Haven area lost 14 men and women with ties to WWII, including Orange resident (2002 honored veteran) John Francis Butler, 88, who passed away on March 30

This is why the committee is asking that family members, children, grandchildren, siblings and friends encourage any WWII veteran in his or her family to attend the 2012 Memorial Day ceremony before the parade and to participate in the parade.

So, if you are a WWII Veteran, or know of one, call Karen at the Orange Town Hall at 203-891-4738 or kgoldberg@orange-ct.gov or Kevin Gilbert at 203-795-2417 or 203-795-4647 or kgilbert@weichertrp.com give the veteran's name, phone number, and tell if he or she has any special needs.

Parade Organizer Gilbert says he hopes to see a good response from this request.