By Michael P. Walsh
Special to the Voice
Dozens of veterans and their families from across Connecticut, joined by city and state leaders and members of West Haven’s Veterans Council and three fire departments, came out May 24 to help dedicate 72 bricks as part of Phase 17 of the Veterans Walk of Honor in Bradley Point Park.
The patriotic crowd, many wearing red, white and blue, gathered along the Walk of Honor on Long Island Sound as Mayor Dorinda Borer thanked veterans for their service and delivered poignant remarks dedicating the new bricks, along with two new memorials and a plaque.
This year’s phase included the dedication of a memorial to veterans of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan. The granite monument stands next to a memorial to Korean War veterans.
The phase also included the dedication of a memorial to nurses of the U.S. armed forces. The granite monument lays next to a memorial dedicating the Walk of Honor.
“These new monuments to wars and veterans now join an array of memorials and grave markers dedicated here to honor America’s sons and daughters,” said Borer, speaking in front of a black granite memorial in commemoration of World War II Army Pfc. William A. Soderman. “Our nation endures and prospers because of the devotion of our men and women in uniform, and the bricks and monuments are just a small token of our acknowledgment and appreciation for their service and their sacrifice.”
Borer saved the best for last, surprising and dedicating the plaque to retired city Human Resources Commissioner and longtime veterans advocate Beth A. Sabo, who is now a volunteer in the mayor’s office.
The gold half-inch, solid acrylic plaque is mounted on a metal post at the Walk of Honor’s main entrance and bears the inscription in black lettering: “This plaque is dedicated to Beth A. Sabo for her many years of service and dedication honoring our deserving veterans past and present.”
“Armed with institutional knowledge acquired over nearly a half-century, Beth has also been a pivotal organizer of this ceremony, in addition to coordinating the Brick Program and ceremony, our Veterans Day celebration, and so much more,” Borer said. “It’s Beth’s selfless commitment to public service and volunteerism that we thank you, Beth!”
The mayor continued, “I’d also like to thank President Dave Ricci for his steadfast leadership of the Veterans Council and all those that have worked with him for so many successful years.”
Borer said Sabo and Ricci were instrumental in bringing to fruition the sprawling Walk of Honor and the West Haven Veterans Museum & Learning Center at 30 Hood Terrace, the largest veterans museum in Connecticut.
The 9,000-square-foot museum, off Sawmill Road across from the West Haven train station, shows collections from the 102nd Infantry Regiment of the Connecticut Army National Guard and the New Haven Grays, a protective force formed after the War of 1812. A living history of America at war, it also displays relics from each conflict since the U.S. fought for independence, allowing visitors to walk a timeline around the camouflage-clad warehouse.
Rick Spreyer, the mayor’s chief of staff, served as the master of ceremonies.
The seaside ceremony also featured remarks by Ricci, a Marine Corps veteran who served in the Vietnam War. He is also the president of West Haven Vietnam Veterans Inc.
“Thank you very much for coming,” Ricci said. “God bless America, God bless West Haven, God bless the veterans!”
The late-afternoon program commenced with a procession of local and state officials and West Haven fire chiefs and officers and followed with a flag-raising by the West Haven Fire Department Honor Guard, composed of members of the West Haven Fire Department, the West Shore Fire Department and the City of West Haven Fire Department Allingtown.
Among the dignitaries were West Haven Rep. Bill Heffernan, 1st District Councilwoman Anne Heffernan, 2nd District Councilwoman Ruby Melton, Chairman Robert Bruneau of West Shore’s Board of Fire Commissioners, Commissioner Frederick Brown of Allingtown’s Board of Fire Commissioners, West Haven Municipal Veterans Rep. Rich Deso, the president of Surfside Veterans, and city Human Resources Commissioner John M. Carrano.
The half-hour event included the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by West Haven High School Concert Choir member Esmeralda Sisson, a prayer by Vertical Church Outreach Pastor Paul Bronson and the singing of “God Bless America,” also by Sisson.
The program concluded with a wreath-laying at the base of the William A. Soderman Memorial by West Haven Vietnam Veterans Vice President Al Beck Sr., an Army vet, and member Marty Richards, a Marine Corps vet, followed by taps played by Julian Montiel of the West Haven High Band.
After the ceremony, families lined the Walk of Honor to search for bricks they purchased in honor of loved ones, both living and deceased. Each $75 brick has a personalized message engraved in charcoal lettering.
In November 2006, the Veterans Council began the first of 17 campaigns selling bricks to memorialize vets on the 100-yard walkway between the Soderman and Vietnam Veterans memorials.
About 3,100 bricks have been installed to date, including 72 for Phase 17 and 47 for Phase 16, which was dedicated May 25, 2024.
Phase 1 of the Walk of Honor was dedicated in May 2007, along with the Korean War Memorial.
In May 2008, Phase 2 of the walkway and the Soderman memorial were dedicated.
Soderman received the Medal of Honor after he distinguished himself in December 1944 while defending an important road junction near Rocherath, Belgium.
On July 1, 1984, Bradley Point Park’s flagpole was dedicated in memory of Soderman, who died in 1980.
Also in 2008, 14 grave markers signifying every war in U.S. history and peacetime were dedicated. The markers are mounted on granite posts.
In addition to overseeing the construction of all phases of the walkway, which was built by City Point Construction Co. of West Haven, Sabo supervised the design and placement of the granite Korean War and Soderman memorials, which were made by Shelley Bros. Monuments of Guilford.
In May 2015, the dedication of Phase 8 included the dedication of a granite stone in memory of Veterans Council President Lorelee “Lori” Grenfell, who died in 2015 at age 60. The memorial was crafted by Giordano Bros. Monuments of West Haven.
Leave a Reply