Graniteville veterans remembered in VJ Day ceremony

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Graniteville pride, as well as its many traditions, surfaced Saturday during a memorial service that paid tribute to 11 brave late veterans and other important individuals who kept the Johnston village in touch with the many servicemen and women who went off to war.

There was pomp and circumstance, prayers, special readings, a moving placement of the wreath and flowers, all highlighted by reading of the names of Graniteville soldiers who were killed in action during World War II.

From the time Anthony “Tony” Carlino welcomed visitors until a Rhode Island National Guardsman played taps and Pastor David Butera delivered the memorial prayer, the Graniteville WWII Veterans Foundation presented another spine-tingling VJ Day celebration.

Saturday’s event, which was held at the impressive Graniteville Veterans Monuments off Putnam Pike, again surpassed expectations as it has since the Foundation began hosting the event 17 years ago.

“Today we honor our World War II veterans for the time and sacrifice they gave to fight against tyranny and to secure the liberty Justice we now enjoy,” Carlino told an audience that was filled with veterans who served all branches of the U.S. military. “We especially honor Bob Jackson – who passed away this year – along with Del Riley who founded the publication called “The Hot Sketches” which was also called “a little old village serviceman’s paper, embracing the old gang …”

Carlino, who has always made the Graniteville celebration as well as its people and Foundation members feel special, also paid tribute to Laura Charnley Panicucci, Marie L. Carlino Butera, Karen Lee Casale and Donald Catley – who make up the Graniteville Foundation’s Board of Trustees – for keeping the non-profit veterans group going strong.

Many people had a hand in making the day special. Take Sylvia Forest, for example, she also helped open the memorial service along with Pastor Butera, and people like Don Jackson and Judy Crosby and Casale who performed special readings of the deceased Graniteville veterans.

Saturday’s annual celebration, though, created some teary-eyed residents when Carlino-Butera performed the traditional reading of names of those World War II veterans from Graniteville who were killed in action.

Those soldiers were: Ralph “June” Bridges, John K. Burrows, Alfred A. Chartier, Raymond Draper, George Harrington Jr., William Hickey, Raymond J. Herther Jr., James Paterson, Joseph Roy Searle and William Thorpe Jr.

Once Carlino-Butera read the 11 names, Barbara Tessier and Charnley-Panicucci performed the placement of the wreath and flowers in front of the main Graniteville monument. Saturday’s ceremony was also backed by the music of the Thomas Rotondo Duo and presentation of the colors – and firing of arms – by members of the Rhode Island National Guard.

During his closing remarks, Carlino recanted from the book Graniteville Went to War noting the first chapter opens with these words: “Everyone’s life is a chain of memories. Some lines are very strong. When you summon back a memory of joy from the past, you can live it once or a dozen times.”

It’s been 17 years and counting that the Graniteville Veterans World War II Veterans Foundation has thanked veterans and their families and will keep their names alive forever.

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