Monument Ceremony in Dedication to CT Veterans of 43d Infantry Division –State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown, CT

The 43d Infantry Division Veterans Association will hold its 65^th Annual Reunion on the weekend of August 12-14, 2011 in Rocky Hill, CT. 

The major goal for this year’s reunion is to have a monument erected in dedication to this amazing group of soldiers who performed untold deeds of valor and heroism in the past. Descendant units are still on the front lines in combat today. 

“When the subject of WWII and the Pacific Theatre comes up, most people have heard about Pearl Harbor, Midway, and Iwo Jima.  But few truly know about soldiers from here in Connecticut slugging it out in the thick jungles in the South Pacific, enduring hand to hand combat against the Japanese in unfamiliar places like Munda, Aitape and Luzon,” said David Thiede, National Secretary/Treasurer of the veterans association.  “A monument would be a most fitting tribute to these men who never sought heroism but gave a tremendous amount of brave service to our nation.”

At present, Connecticut is the only state of the four (Maine, Rhode Island and Vermont) that has no 43d Division memorial monument.   Many primary units of the 43d Infantry Division were from Connecticut, including the 43d Headquarters and Military Police from Hartford, the 169^th Infantry Regiment, the 102d Infantry Regiment, the 192d Field Artillery Regiment and many others.

With help of families of the 43dInfantry Division veterans and local veteran’s organizations, an amount of $16,000 has been raised to date for the monument.   But a remaining $8,000 is needed to finish the memorial brick walk.  (The date for the final delivery of the monument is late September 2011.)

The monument dedicated to the 43d will be erected at the State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown, CT on Bow Lane.  A memorial brick donation program is underway to help raise funds for a monument.    For more information about how to donate to this memorial monument, please visit http://www.43rd-idm.org.

About the 43d Infantry Division

The 43d Infantry Division was inducted into federal service in February, 1941 comprising National Guard units from Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island and Vermont.  The division participated in four campaigns:  Guadalcanal, Northern Solomons, New Guinea and Luzon. 

It is also the only division to serve in all theatres of the Pacific Campaign:  South Pacific, Southwest Pacific and the Philippines.

In 1950, the Division was once again federalized during the Korean War and was deployed to Germany to join the NATO forces in Western Europe.

About the 43d Infantry Veterans Association

The 43d Infantry Veterans Association, a non-profit organization comprising of over 1,200 members nationwide, was formed in 1945 and held its first reunion in Niantic, Connecticut in 1947.     Reunions have been held annually since then.   Past reunion attendees have come from California, Washington, Virginia, Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, and New York.  The veteran members now range in age from 70-90+ years old.

For more information, contact David Thiede at (860) 301-6381 or Dutch2001@aol.com.

Related information may be found at www.43rd-idm.org and www.43d-research.com