Photos from the 2019 New Haven Memorial Day Ceremonies at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park and the Great War Flagpole on the New Haven Green (Charles M. Pickett photos).
News & Events
2019 NEW HAVEN MEMORIAL DAY SUNDAY OBSERVANCES
For IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Charles M. Pickett
LISTING: NEW HAVEN: 1 p.m. Sunday, May 26, 2019, wreath-laying ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park on Long Wharf Drive; 3 p.m. wreath-laying ceremony at the World War Memorial Flagpole on the Green. At 5 p.m. is the annual Memorial Day Family Concert at Lyman Center for the Performing Arts at SCSU with Orchestra New England. Free tickets from tickets.southernct.edu or call the box office at 203-392-6154.
NEW HAVEN, CT — Commemorating the men and women who died while in American military service, the City of New Haven Memorial Day ceremonies and concert will include three traditional events on Sunday, May 26, 2019.At 1:00 p.m. Sunday, there will be a wreath-laying ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park on Long Wharf Drive. The speaker will be from the Naval Branch Health Clinic in Groton and Col. Kenneth Gertz (Ret.) will be the master of ceremonies. American Legion New Haven Post 210 Chaplain SSGT Britt Conroy (Fmr) will offer the Memorial Day prayer. The Naval Submarine Base New London ‘First & Finest’ will be the color guard.
At 3:00 p.m., there will be a second wreath laying ceremony at the World War Memorial Flagpole on the New Haven Green. Master Sgt. Clifford Potter (Ret.) will be the featured speaker with New Haven Mayor Toni N. Harp offering remarks. VFW New Haven Post 12150 Judge Advocate Sgt. Robert Reed (Fmr) will be the master of ceremonies and Ruth Rosa will be the soloist.
At 5:00 p.m., Orchestra New England (orchestranewengland.org) will headline the free and patriotic City of New Haven Memorial Day Family Concert at the John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts (501 Crescent St., New Haven) on the Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) campus. Get details and request tickets from the Lyman Box Office (tickets.southernct.edu/) or call 203-392-6154.
Unserviceable Flag Collection
The American Legion New Haven Post 210 will hold an unserviceable flag collection from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 25, 2019 at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park on Long Wharf Drive. Citizens may drop-off their faded American flags for free, which will be properly retired in a subsequent ceremony.
New Haven Legion Parade Award Winner
NEW HAVEN, CONN. — The American Legion New Haven Post 210 was awarded “Best Senior Military Unit” in the 2019 Greater New Haven St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 10, 2019.
The award was presented at the annual parade banquet. It was accepted by Legion Commander Charles M. Pickett and VFW New Haven Commander Derek Torrellas for the combined group which featured an American Legion Color Guard lead by CTARNG SPC Rochella Rondon-Smith, a Hillhouse High School JROTC alumni.
Timeline for Starting an American Legion Post
From the American Legion’s Post Adjutant’s Manual and the Application for Post of The American Legion (Temporary Charter).
- You need 15 eligible veterans in Connecticut to ask for a temporary charter application (you don’t need signatures)
- A tentative draft should be made of a post constitution before the organizational meeting
- The organizer should call the meeting to order, outline its purposes, and point out the following facts (30).
- Fill out Application for Post of The American Legion (Temporary Charter)
- Fill out Annual Post Data Report
- If there is an American Legion post in town, application must be presented to Department Executive Committee and read without action. Posts in same town must be notified of application and “granted an opportunity to present such evidence as they deem necessary to the Department Executive Committee in full session.”
- Organizational Meeting:
- Read bullet points on pg. 30
- The organizer should then call for nominations for a temporary chairman and secretary. Once elected, these officers will take charge of proceedings.
- The suggested constitution should be discussed and the approved form adopted.
- Temporary chair name a committee to consider a name for the post.
- A list should be compiled of those in attendance, including full name, name of the last organization with which they served, date of separation from military service and current local address.
- Name committee report.
- Nominations for following officers:
- Post Commander
- Post Vice Commander
- Post Adjutant
- Post Service Officer
- Post Finance Officer
- Post Historian
- Post Chaplain
- Post Sergeant-At-Arms
- Newly elected officers assume their duties
- New commander immediately name standing committees
- Membership committee (instructed to canvas for new members, blank applications)
- If no problems, then Department Executive Committee forwards application to National Headquarters.
- If no problems, then National Headquarters issues temporary charter.
- Can I apply for an EIN here and file an inclusion letter?
- Temporary charter must remain open for 90+ days but be closed within one year.
- Obtain DMS or headquarters post members list in area from department headquarters for targeted mailing
- When ready, post applies for permanent charter.
- When recieved, post should incorporate.
- Can I apply for an EIN here and file an inclusion letter?
- When incorporated, post should apply for a supplemental charter and a new EIN
- Send this EIN and inclusion letter (in packet) to National to be listed as a tax-exempt charter of The American Legion [sent on Sept. 30].
- Here is where I send my last EIN with an inclusion letter.
Centennial Celebration Dinner
The American Legion New Haven Post 210 and the Department of Connecticut celebrated the 100th anniversary of the forming of the Legion by signing the new post’s permanent charter.
Department Commander Tom Flowers and Adjutant Harry “Butch” Hansen signed the document at the conclusion of the sold-out dinner at Adriana’s in New Haven.