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We Need to Remember

Let us not forget those who have gone before us!

For several years I have put off writing this letter to the families and friends I know in Old Saybrook. As Memorial Day approaches, I wish to honor and thank those families who lived here in Old Saybrook during the time of World War II.

I believe the population in this town was at about 2,250 at this time. There were numerous families who gave their sons and daughters to the direct war effort. I am reminded of this whenever I enter the front doors of the Town Hall and look at the board with the names of our town veterans. I counted more than 250 names, many being familiar family names. In fact, I see many last names repeated. There were several who gave three or four children to the direct war effort.

I ask, “What was the cost to those families?” Those who were at war included factory workers, farmers, school teachers, etc, and were not here to perform the many service jobs needed to keep a small town operating.

Ask yourself, could your family survive today if one, two, three or four members went off to fight a war? Think of how many sons and daughters would make up 10 percent of Old Saybrook’s population of 10,500 today.

I encourage your readers to stop into the Town Hall and view the Veterans Board. Many of those who served went right from high school and some didn’t even wait and left before finishing school! We need to also remember those who stayed at home to help the war effort. Those persons still remain nameless today, but also provided valuable service to their town and country.

Thomas Stevenson

Old Saybrook