John Redente smiled Sunday as he showed his wife, Sandy, his name on a bronze memorial plaque at the Woodbridge Avenue Honor Roll and War Memorial in Ansonia.
It’s been six months since he — or anyone — has seen the list of names honoring those who served in World War II and Vietnam, which appeared on two of the seven plaques at the memorial.
The plaques were stolen in December.
“It was like a stab in the heart,” Sandy Redente said Sunday. Redente served in the Marines during the Vietnam War.
But after months of raising money to buy new plaques, the Woodbridge Avenue Honor Roll and War Memorial Committee has installed two replacement plaques at the site.
Sunday, at the group’s annual Memorial Day Ceremony, they had reason to celebrate. The memorial was re-dedicated with the new plaques in place.
“I just couldn’t wait for this day to come,” said Nancy Evans, a member of the committee. “This is a very, very special day for us.”
Article continues after photo gallery from the event.
The memorial service is held each year to honor veterans for their service to the country. The Woodbridge Avenue neighborhood has held a service each year for the past 68 years.
They created the war memorial in 1942, as a simple flag with stars sewn on it, to honor those in the neighborhood serving overseas. It has grown to an impressive monument that stands out in the tightly-packed residential neighborhood.
Speakers and attendees at the memorial service Sunday said the restoration effort shows the community’s dedication to its service men and women, who sacrificed so much for the country.
“They (the thieves) thought they hurt us, but they didn’t,” Mayor James DellaVolpe said. “They made us stronger.”
No one has ever been caught for the theft of the plaques in Ansonia, and at other memorials in Derby and Shelton. Police believe the bronze was likely scrapped for cash.
Evans said the new plaques — and the remaining old plaques — have been secured onto the granite frames in a way that would be difficult to get off. She wouldn’t say exactly how.
“They’ll have a hell of a job trying to get it out if they tried now,” she said.
The committee is also considering adding more lights and a camera to the memorial.
They raised $7,000 for the replacement costs and for security measures. The Valley Community Foundation on Sunday added $5,000 to that collection with a donation from its own fund created after the thefts
The ceremony Sunday featured a blessing of the plaques by Deacon Victor Lembo, of St. Michael Church in Naugatuck.
Three veterans — Roberto Santos, Anthony Silva and Phil Tripp — also spoke about the importance of honoring veterans.
