An American Legion Iwo Jima/ World War II Veterans Reunion will be held Sunday, March 10, 2 p.m., at the Bristol Public Library. Doors open at 1 p.m. The event is open to the public.
Guest speaker will be artist Don Scott, Scott whose portraits of Bristol World War II veteran Joe Caminiti are housed in the Bristol Memorial Military Museum, Bristol Public Library and Museum at Camp Pendleton.
Scott’s latest portrait is one of the last Code Talkers. He will be bringing a few paintings he has done of other World War II Veterans. Among his next portraits are other WW II Veterans from Connecticut.
Among the veterans being honored is John Fensick, who landed troops on islands in the Pacific, where soldiers from Bristol operated. Fensick was reunited with two fellow veterans after having lost track of each other the years in this past December at American Legion Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. The three will share a Friendship Cake cutting and their photos will be on display.
Large home-made birthday cards will be presented to some of the WW II Veterans. The youngest WW II Veteran that will attend is 98. Bristol Veteran Joe Caminiti, who will be on hand, will be 100 this coming year.
In addition to comments from Neal Supranovich, American Legion Post 2 historian, the program will include a moment of silence for veterans, active-duty members and first responders.
The POW/MIA Table will be on display, and there will be a reading of the names of those members of the armed forces from Connecticut lost on Iwo Jima.
The World War II Legacy Foundation and the Bristol Memorial Military Museum will have World War II displays.
A flag will be on display at the event. It was raised in 2005 over the Island of Iwo Jima. It was presented to Joe Caminiti in 2005 aboard the USS Iwo Jima. He lent it to the Woody Williams Gold Star Family Memorial Monument Committee.
Once the committee broke ground the flag was returned to Caminiti and raised at the American Legion, Post 2 for 28 days to honor World War II veterans and fellow Iwo Jima Survivors.
When it was lowered, it was folded by the American Legion Honor Guard and presented to the Bristol Memorial Military Museum.
The day before the dedication of the Gold Star Family Monument in Berlin, Conn., Caminiti was presented a memorial Gold Star coin by the Grandson of Woody Williams on behalf of his grandfather, who was unable to attend. The coin will be on hand at the event.
Also, among the displays will be a letter from the commander of the USS Iwo Jima inviting Caminiti to a 2005 event, along with certificates presented to Caminiti the day he received the Flag No. 90 of 200.
The list of the names of C. Company 169th from Bristol who where Federated before Pearl Harbor and Activated when Pearl Harbor was attacked, will be presented to the Bristol Public Library History Room for curation and reference.
Editor’s Note: American Post 2 historian Neal Supranovich provided the information for this article.
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