In celebration of Veterans’ Day, we would like to honor and thank some Four Beaches residents who are veterans.

Rick Perachio

“I joined the Connecticut National Guard and did my basic training at Ft. Dix, New Jersey. I was then off to Ft. Sam, San Antonio, Texas. for medic training. I served with the 242nd Engineer Battalion as a medic, based in Stratford, CT. The picture is at one of our 2 week summer encampments. I am first of 3.”

Kelly Fahey

“My career in the National Guard began on September 12, 1955. I enlisted with 3 other buddies. Our motivation was the horrific floods of 1955. In 1957 I was enlisted in the regular Army. I spent my basic 3 month training in Ft. Dix, New Jersey. Then I was transferred to Ft. Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina for advanced infantry training. At Ft. Jackson, I spent quite some time training as a cadre member.

After my Army stint was over, I returned home to my National Guard unit 1960. I then was transferred to the New Jersey National Guard to an armored infantry unit where I specialized in heavy weapons. I was released from the National Guard in 1962.

LaMar Kelly

“I served in the National Guard for six years during the Vietnam War. From 1963 through 1969, I was assigned to the 142nd Medical Company, based in New Haven at the Goffe Street Armory. Although I was a trained medic, my office skills prompted our company commander to make me the company clerk. We were a designated "Selective Reserve Force," meaning our unit was fully equipped and ready to deploy to Vietnam as a field hospital. During those six years we were responsible for administering physicals and specific vaccinations for National Guard and Army Reserve units from New England and upstate New York. Those units were subsequently deployed.”