By Anne W. Semmes
Sentinel Correspondent
Some 30 or more Greenwich townies attended an early Veteran’s Day commemorative celebration last Saturday at the Cos Cob Post #10112 memorial site in Strickland Park. They came away with a better understanding of the contributions of the homefront during World War II, after an address by veteran Bill Cameron, who serves the Post as recruiting officer.
“When we celebrate Veterans Day we remember men and women who served and another group of veterans who may have been completely forgotten, those on the home front. Every man woman and child went to war, and they are all veterans!”
Cameron, who was born on the eve of Pearl Harbor, then later served in the Navy in the 1960’s as radio operator on a guided missile cruiser, recalled his families and his community’s efforts during WWII.
“My dad was a plasterer for a local contractor company and went to work in Bridgeport making aircraft engines for the Alcoa Aluminum Company,” he said. “When he drove home at night he had to tape over his headlights with only an inch slot for a headlight. My mom rolled bandages as a volunteer for the Red Cross. Kids would cut out crossword puzzles from newspapers and glue them into books to send to veterans in hospitals.”
Pointing to a Boy Scout, Kamil M. Salame attending the ceremony, Cameron noted, “Today Boy Scouts are putting flags on Memorial Day in Putnam Cemetery, but during World War II they were collecting scrap metal and tinfoil and old tires for the war. Boys in high school shop classes were making wooden scale models of enemy and allied aircraft, painted black for pilots in training, to help them to identify friendly and non-friendly aircraft.”
Listening up to Cameron were state Sen. Scott Frantz and state Rep. Livvy Floren, both taking time out of their busy reelection campaigns.
“Kids were collecting Statue of Liberty War Bond stamps, at 50 cents each to fill a book to get a war bond,” Cameron continued, “and I got my war bond.”
Cameron told of being woken by his parents on Aug. 14, 1945. “They carried me outside where our neighborhood association was celebrating—everyone was hugging each other. It was VJ Day and they had ended World War II. People on the home front stood side by side as heroes as they were all veterans.”
Cameron as speaker was stepping in for Post Commander Joe Gregory. “But Joe will be there at the Cos Cob School Celebration on Veteran’s Day,” said Cameron.
The Cos Cob School Veterans Day kicks off at 9:30 a.m. It’s now a tradition for the Cos Cob Post as many of the veterans are alumnae of the school. “During the ceremony they ask the vets to stand up,” said Tony Marzullo, a World War II veteran who serves as Service Order for the Post. “It’s almost a family gathering,” he said. “Kids will say, ‘Oh, there’s my grandfather.’ Kids write little notes to us saying, ‘Stay well and good luck in the next war.’”
