On Memorial Day morning, a wreath laying ceremony took place on the newly renovated Allingtown Green.
The service honored the lives of Allingtown residents that died during war. It also honored all deceased members of the Allingtown Fire Department.
Prior to the Green renovations and the Covid-19 pandemic, the ceremony was an annual event that was held before the West Haven Memorial Day Parade for many decades. Monday’s ceremony marked the first time that the ceremony has been held since 2016. Around fifty attendees marched from the Allingtown Fire Headquarters on Admiral Street in a procession led by the New Haven County Firefighter’s Pipe Band to the Greet.
Deputy Chief Michael Esposito served as Master of Ceremonies. Retired West Shore Fire Department Lieutenant Kevin McKeon played taps on the bugle. Prayers were offered by the Reverend and Councilman Victor Borras, D-8, Chaplain of the West Haven (Center) Fire Department. President David Ricci, of the West Haven Veterans Council along with Firefighter Ian Shack of the Allingtown Volunteer Fire Association presented flowers at the veterans and firefighter monuments respectivly .
Attendees included, Council Chairman and retired City of West Haven, Allingtown Chief Peter Massaro, D-6, Councilwoman-at-Large Colleen O’Connor, R, and Gary Donovan, D, Councilwomen Kathy Tucker, D7 and Robbin Watt Hamilton, D-5, Allingtown Fire Commissioners Fred Brown and Kevin Corcoran, Center District Fire Commissioner and Allingtown Volunteer Chief John Carew, Allingtown Volunteer Firefighter and Planning & Zoning Commissioner Steven R. Mullins, former Mayor Edward O’Brien, City of West Haven, Allingtown A Shift career firefighters and others.