Ed Musante gets tears in his eyes when he talks about the bronze war memorial plaque inscribed with the names of his father and seven uncles.
The plaque was stolen from the war memorial on Woodbridge Avenue and Vesselli Court sometime this week. It was one of six bronze or copper plaques stolen from various memorials in the Valley since late November.
“I’m just plain disgusted,” Musante said Friday, standing by the spot where the plaque used to be displayed. “Plain heartbroken.”
For people like Musante, the thefts in Ansonia, Derby and Shelton are personal.
The war memorials contain names of family members, friends and neighbors. They tell stories of Valley natives who risked — and sometimes lost — their lives to protect their country.
The Thefts
In Derby, thieves took three large bronze plaques that honored Medal of Honor recipient Private First Class Frank P. Witek.
Witek, a Derby native, died during a fierce battle on Guam in World War II.
In Shelton, a historical plaque honoring Commodore Isaac Hull, a commander during the War of 1812, was noticed missing on Nov. 22.
In Ansonia, two large bronze plaques with a list of Valley servicemen were noticed missing on Dec. 1.
“All these people served their country,” said 84-year-old U.S. Army Veteran Pete Giovacchino, who is one of about 400 Valley residents listed on the War Memorial in Ansonia. “I can’t see why anyone would pull something like this.”
A Neighborhood Memorial
Drive along Woodbridge Avenue in Ansonia, and you’ll notice rows of tightly packed homes on narrow streets.
Suddenly, at a sharp turn near Vesselli Court, a massive stone memorial comes into view at a small clearing at the intersection. Seven large bronze plaques are affixed to granite slabs. Hundreds of names are inscribed, listing the neighborhood men who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.
The two stolen plaques included some names of soldiers in World War II, and all the names of those who served in Vietnam.
The memorial was started in 1942 as a simple flag with stars sewn on it. The mostly Italian neighborhood made the servicemen’s flag to honor their neighbors serving overseas. One star represented each person serving in the war. Two gold stars represented two Valley men killed in action — Armando Vesselli and Joseph Malloy.
Mayor James Della Volpe’s father and uncles were among those neighbors. They grew up in the house across the street from the current day memorial.
Improvements
Over the years. the residents there slowly grew and improved the memorial.
By 1944, the flag had evolved into a wooden display board with the honor roll. The wooden honor roll was moved to the memorial’s current location in 1946.
By 1958, the neighbors decided to build a more permanent stone structure. In 2000, they started raising money — about $50,000 Giovacchino estimated — to purchase bronze plaques and expand the memorial.
Article continues after photo gallery.
Each year, the city Woodbridge Ave. Honor Roll and War Memorial Committee hosts a Memorial Day ceremony at the site. The high school band and chorus perform. Veterans from Ansonia and Seymour speak. And dozens of people eat a large meal in a neighbor’s driveway.
“I think it might be the only one in the state, or the country, that is in a neighborhood like that,” Della Volpe said. “There’s a lot of pride in that memorial. A lot of pride. A lot of sweat and effort went into it.”
Della Volpe was the person to notify police Thursday about the missing plaques. He said he saw them missing around 1 p.m.
“I’m extremely upset because my dad and his five brothers were on there,” Della Volpe said.
Reaction
Friday, as Giovacchino and Musante talked in front of the memorial, people slowed their cars to look at the empty slabs.
Fellow veteran Edward Witsman, whose name appears on the Korean War plaque, pulled up his car and got out.
He shook his head as he stared at the memorial.
“It’s very disturbing to think someone would come and do this,” Witsman said.
In Derby, one resident is offering a $500 reward. Other Ansonia veterans want to get together a reward, but Giovacchino said he wants to spend the money protecting the other six plaques at the site.
Giovacchino said he wants to apply for grant money to get an alarm and surveillance system installed at the site. Until then, he wants the city to help them get better lighting.
“I don’t want to fence it in and make it look like a jail,” Giovacchino said. “That defeats the purpose.”
Click the links below to read previous articles about the war memorial thefts.
Navy Reservist In Afghanistan Says Reward Should Be Offered
Can War Memorial Plundering Be Prevented?
