Himes Speaks at Bridgeport Memorial Day Parade

Bridgeport News, Tuesday, June 01, 2010

Army National Guard Col. Gerald Lukowski thanked Americans for standing behind the military during extended wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“We salute you for your unwavering support,” Lukowski, a Bridgeport native who has served 25 years in the armed services, said during Monday’s Memorial Day ceremony in Bridgeport.

He noted that 5,100 U.S. soldiers had died in the two conflicts, including 630 members of the National Guard. “Nine years and we’re still at war,” said Lukowski, who now helps oversee National Guard infrastructure projects in Connecticut as a combat engineer.

The 9/11 terrorist attacks were a reminder of what Memorial Day is really all about, Lukowski told the audience, with some having mistakenly believed it was about “parties and grills and the start of the summer season.”

The ceremony at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Seaside Park followed a parade down Park Avenue that included veterans, the Harding High School marching band, local elected officials, antique cars, a fire truck, police vehicles, and mounted police.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont was among the marchers.

Sonia Rodriguez watched the parade with her three young children and two of their friends. “They served for us, we should be there for them,” she said.

Rodriguez was hoping for a longer parade. “We love it, but wish it was longer,” she said. “We need more pride.”

As has been the case for many years in Bridgeport, spectators numbered only in the hundreds, not the thousands, along the one-mile parade route.

The weather was picture perfect for late May — sunny and warm.

“It’s a lovely day to enjoy our liberty and freedom at Seaside Park,” said Thomas L. Kanasky, a Marine veteran and Greater Bridgeport Veterans Council president.

U.S. Rep. Jim Himes said the hardest thing he has done during his 17 months in office was saying goodbye to 700 National Guard members heading to Afghanistan during a ceremony at the State Armory.

“They were looking proud and nervous and anxious,” Himes said. One of those soldiers at the armory, National Guard Staff Sgt. Edwin Rivera of Waterford, recently was killed.

Himes said while there is no way to truly thank someone for sacrificing their life to protect others, the nation must do more for those, like Rivera, “who raised their hands and said, ‘I will die for you.’”

Kanasky said nothing can prepare someone for being told a loved one has died while serving their country. “I don’t think anything prepares a nation to see their citizens in silver boxes with flags on them,” he said.

Mayor Bill Finch said those who paid the ultimate price protecting American must always be remembered. He said people are lucky to live in America, pointing out that millions of people around the world still want to come to the United States to start new lives because of the many opportunities.

“Here, we can put down roots in any community we want and make ourselves whatever we want, Finch said.

State Rep. Jack Hennessy of the North End, a veteran, thanked those in the crowd for “dedicating a part of your day to our warriors.”

The Stanley Powell Memorial Award was presented to Michael Bolash, a Marine Corps League chaplain. Bolash is a Marine veteran who worked at the Fairfield University print shop. He has served as a chaplain on a statewide basis as well as locally.

He said the six years he spent in the Marines were the best years of his life.

“If I could go down to the recruitment office and they would tell me I could be in again, I’d be on the train the following day,” said Bolash, who also said a combat veteran would be more deserving than him of the Powell Award.

This year, the laying of the memorial wreaths and playing of Taps was moved to the Mucci Memorial Plaza on McLevy Green downtown, where most of the city’s war memorials are located.