Marine Corps red satin jacket conferred on Iwo Jima veteran in ceremony at American Legion Hall

Joe Caminiti, World War II veteran and Iwo Jima Survivor, gets a hand with his new Marine Corps jacket at a special presentation Tuesday. | Post 2 photo

Posted By: David Fortier March 30, 2024

By Neal Supranovich and Al Urso

The conferral of an honorary Marine Corps jacket to a World War II veteran who survived the Battle of Iwo Jima, the presentation of a special book by that veteran to the local military museum and the reading of names of Bristol soldiers who were lost on Iwo Jima were part of program held at American Legion Post 2 on Tuesday.

Members of the Marine Corp League met at the flagpole in front of the American Legion Hall to present Joe Caminiti, Iwo Jima Survivor, with a Marine Corp jacket at noon.

Caminiti, in turn, presented a book presented to him by the ELK Lodge 1010 at a reunion of World War II veterans on March 10 at the Bristol Public Library to Mike Thomas and Carol Denehy of the Memorial Military Museum.

The book contains the names and story about the 100 Connecticut soldiers who died on Iwo Jima. Caminiti transferred some of bodies of these individuals from the front to the beach for their burial.

Clockwise, from upper left, honoree Joe Caminiti and John Lodovico, veterans drink after a toast to Caminiti, Mayor Jeffrey Caggiano joins veterans inside American Legion Hall, Caminiti in his new jacket after presenting Carol Denehy of the Memorial Military Museum with a book about 100 Connecticut soldiers who died on Iwo Jima. | Post 2 photos

Next, the group moved inside the hall where the names of four soldiers from Bristol were read aloud by members of the Memorial Military Museum. Among those gathered was Mayor Jeffrey Caggiano. Of the men whose names were read, Caminiti knew three.

The presentation of the jacket was initiated when members of the Marine Corps League, Hardware City Detachment, 781 from New Britain, was invited by the American Legion Post 2 of Bristol second to Iwo Jima/World War II Veterans Reunion at the Bristol Public Library on March 10.

Five World War II veterans were present, including Caminiti, a Marine. After meeting Caminiti, the Marine detachment wanted to do something for him.

Working with myself, Neal Supranovich, American Legion Post 2 historian, the detachment made arrangements to present Caminiti with a United States Marine red satin jacket. This jacket is part of the detachment’s undress blues worn by our members at ceremonies.

Members of the Marine Corps League Hardware City Detachment discussed participating in more events like this one, since there is not a Marine detachment in Bristol. An open invitation was issued by the detachment to Marines from Bristol to join.

There are five Bristol residents who belong to the detachment from New Britain, which also has members from Berlin, Newington, Plainville, and Southington as well as New Britain.

As part of the occasion, once inside the hall, a toast was made in memory of all those on Iwo Jima, followed by a Military toast in honor of Caminiti.

Conversation inside the hall also included discussions about military training and service covering World War II thru Vietnam, boot camp and how the experience changed over the year.

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