Milford honors Vietnam veterans; mayor reads names of 11 local service members

Milford City held a commemoration on Thursday to honor Vietnam-era service members, with Mayor Richard Smith reading the names of 11 local residents killed in the conflict and officials urging continued support for veterans.

"Please allow me with reverence and respect, to read the names of those Milford residents," Mayor Richard Smith said, listing William Bannon, Paul Braun, Richard Conklin, George Harris, Ralph Hitchcock, Jeffrey Maloney, Robert Nelson, Clifford Parsons, Henry Sarmiento, Thomas Tighe and Anthony Price. In a wider reflection, Smith cited the human cost of the war — "Over 58,000 young Americans were killed in Vietnam" — and called for restraint in future deployments: "We will not send our young men and women in the conflicts which we would not send our own sons and daughters into." (Mayor Richard Smith)

The gathering drew local and state officials. State Representative Kathy Kennedy thanked attendees and praised the turnout, saying the event offered a chance to remember veterans who "were forgotten by the Vietnam War." John Carriger, deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs, identified himself and offered a message on behalf of his generation: "On behalf of my generation of veterans, I say thank you." (John Carriger)

Several veterans gave first-person accounts of capture and captivity. One veteran described prolonged physical abuse and lasting trauma: "They broke me and they did break me," he said in recounting confinement and mistreatment. Others described improvised communication methods among prisoners and the bonds that helped them survive. Those accounts were presented as personal testimony at the event.

Organizers also included musical tributes. The Elwood's and guest musicians (introduced by organizers and performers) performed several pieces, including a dedication and sing-along intended as an expression of thanks to those who served.

The mayor framed remembrance as an ongoing obligation, saying gratitude should extend beyond annual ceremonies and require that policymakers ensure clear goals, timelines and exit strategies before military deployments. Event organizers invited attendees to a reception in the foyer after the program.

The program included readings of casualty figures and local names, elected officials' remarks, veterans' testimony about POW experiences, musical performances and a closing invocation from a chaplain. No formal resolutions or votes were recorded at the event.