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Company "L", 1st Infantry , Connecticut
Army National Guard (CTARNG)
Company "L", 1st Infantry , Connecticut
Army National Guard (CTARNG), prepares
to leave Willimantic on June 24, 1916. They had been
called to duty for the Mexican American Border
War. President Wilson activated National Guard troops to reinforce garrisons along the border.
On the morning of June 24th the Willimantic Fire
Bell gave a "two hours 'til assembly" alert.
People gathered at the Pleasant Street Armory.
With all church bells ringing, government
leaders,
the police force and Wheeler's American
Band escorted the troops to the train station.
Note the
troops and their gear. What we found
really interesting about the pic is the fact
that you can see the expressions on so many
faces. Look
toward the lower middle of the
photo, for example, and notice the soldier
shaking hands with another man. Then just below
and to the left of that (near the train) is a
couple talking to a soldier while a girl looks
on...perhaps his parents and sister. Our
soldiers from Willimantic were in Nogales for
only a short period of time. Company L
apparently didn't see any fighting but several
soldiers sent letters back home complaining
about the conditions they had to live in.
Company L returned to Willi before the year's
end and their return was a celebrated as their
departure with the ringing of church bells, the
fire bell, parades and, of course, speeches.
They were mustered out of Federal service on
October 24, 1916. |
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Company "L"
Company "L" marches to the train
station prior to leaving for the Mexical
Border..
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Company "L"
training at Mansfield Rhode Island
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Company "E"
leaves Willimantic for the Spanish-American War
1898
Captain Flynn and the 110 men of Company E
prepare to depart Willimantic for Niantic, the
first stop on their way to the Spanish-American
War. The Thread Co. and most businesses shut
down and the entire city was decorated with
flags for the occasion. Almost every society,
club and government body participated in a
parade to Union Station. From there, the Company
went for further training at Fort Meade. They
remained at Fort Meade for the duration of the
War and returned to Willimantic in March, 1899. |
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Memorial Park
Memorial Park was originally known as Windham
Field, and served for many years as the home of
the Willimantic Colts, the city's professional
baseball team. The stadium was removed in 1917,
and the field was landscaped to memorialize
those from Willimantic who died during World War
One.
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Co. "L" Plaque
- Memorial stone
in Memorial Park |
Memorial Park
plaque - Willimantic |
WWI - Korea
Plaque - Willimantic |
WWII Memorial
Plaque - Willimantic |
Plaque in
Windham Town Hall
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Plaque in
Windham Town Hall |
Memorial
Plaque
Windham Center |
Memorial
Plaque
Scotland |
Vietnam Era
Plaque
Scotland |
Lineage -1
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Lineage-2 |
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Company L, 1st
Inf. CTARNG
(CT Army National Guard)
It's 1898 and
Company "L" is lined up at the corner of High
and Valley Streets.
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Memorial Stone being placed at memorial ParkSee
also the Company Lineage in this gallery. This
Willimantic unit saw a great deal of action in
the Pacific during WWII and was awarded a
Presidential Unit Citation. (Memorial Stone
Photos courtesy of Ken McCall, Jr.) |
The first casualty during WWII was Sergeant
Bertrand G. Whitmore.
During the Korean War, the unit was stationed in Germany to replace the
troops who had been sent to Korea. |
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Spc. Dupont is on
the far left of the stone and SFC Tom Kelley
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This photo was taken at Memorial Park after the
1931Veterans of Foreign Wars encampment and
parade. Former Governor John Trumbull is
presenting Captain Harry Generous of the 43rd
Division, Aviation, CTARNG
with a trophy for the best flying record
of the year
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See also
the PARADES
gallery for welcome home parades |
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