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MOFW was well represented on October 17 at the dedication of the new Woonsocket WWII Memorial and Eternal Flame. Hundreds attended the event, which was funded by the Heritage Harbor Foundation and sponsored by American Legion Fairmount Post 85.
Senator Jack Reed, Governor Dan McKee, WWII documentary producer Tim Gray and other dignitaries participated in a ceremony which honored area WWII veterans and and the local civilian workers who supported the soldiers overseas.
A handful of WWII veterans were on hand, and military funeral honors were presented posthumously to the families of four others.
The event included the dedication of a memorial stone in honor of Woonsocket fighter ace Major John Godfrey, and the induction of bomber crewman Jospeh Parylak into the RI Heritage Hall of Fame.
One of the event highlights was recognition of the role Woonsocket played in the creation of the “Ghost Army” of General George S. Patton, Jr. This ruse, involving inflatable rubber tanks and thousands of other pieces of decoy equipment, helped deceive the Germans as to the actual location of the D-Day landings in 1944.
Many of the rubber tanks were manufactured at the US Rubber plant in Woonsocket, and one of those decoys was on display. Rob Patton, great grandson of the general, was on hand to assist in the dedication of a stone honoring General Patton and the Ghost Army.
The program also featured military equipment displays, a tented World War II Museum and music by the U.S. Army 88th Brass Quintet and the U.S. Navy Band.
RIMOFW members with active roles included Jim D’Agostino, Dennis Morgan, Kasim Yarn, Rev. Philip Salois, Ron Barnes, Bert Guarnieri, Joe Guarnieri, and Frank Lennon.
