Memorial Day Parade Is Today!

Montville’s Memorial Day services and Parade are scheduled to take place today, starting at Town Hall at noon, and finishing at Comstock Cemetery. Refreshments follow at the VFW Post on Raymond Hill Road.

Sgt. John C. Bonville will be the parade marshal, performing with the Connecticut National Guard 102nd Band.

Bonville, according to a press release, is a Montville native with 40 years of military service. Of those, 37 have been in the Connecticut National Guard. For 35 years, he has been with the 102nd band.

Two Gold Star mothers will be in the parade. Tan Patchem will be accompanied by her husband Paul, and Gladys Rivera will be accompanied by her husband Ceferino.

The parade marshal honor guard will include the Montville Memorial VFW Post 10060 color guard, the Montville American Legion Post 112, Disabled America Veterans, John R. Morse, Chapter 10, and the Mohegan Tribe.

In the protocol division will be:

• The U.S. Coast Guard Color Guard
• The Montville High School Marching Band
• The Mohegan Fire Company Ambulance
• Mayor Joe Jaskiewicz
• Montville Town Council members
• Connecticut state legislators
• The American Legion Post 4 Marching Color Guard,
• Montville American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 112 Colors
• Montville American Legion Poppy Queen & Court
• Montville Sons of the American Legion Post 112
• Red Wolf Broadcasting
• Mohegan Fire Company

The event starts at noon at Montville Town Hall. There will be a massing of colors, the American flag will be raised, and the Pledge of Allegiance will be said, both led by the parade marshal.

Steve Gulino of St. John’s Parish will deliver the invocation. Then, the Montville High School Chamber Choir will sing the “Star-Spangled Banner.”

Mayor Joe Jaskiewicz will speak, as will other legislators, and the Chamber Choir will sing the “Navy Hymn.”

Piper James Glover will play “Amazing Grace” during the laying of wreaths by Montville Memorial VFW Post Commander Irvin Reid, Montville American Legion Commander Ronald Nicholson, and Gold Star mothers Patchem and Rivera.

After the introduction of the parade marshal, and “Turtle Dove,” written by an Army veteran returning from World War I, and sung by the Chamber Choir, “Taps” will be played by Nay Chief Michael Murray, and the parade will commence.

The parade will start at 1 p.m., at the intersection of Route 32 and Raymond Hill Road and proceed down to the Comstock Cemetery.

Route 32 will be closedstarting at 12:45 p.m., until about 2:30 p.m., according to a press release, from Sarah Drive south to the junction of Connecticut State Route 163.

The detour route will be up Sarah Drive to Raymond Hill Road to Lynch Hill Road to Route 163 and back to Route 32.  The detour route will be manned with traffic controllers. Depot Road will be closed during the parade hours.

A memorial service will take place at Comstock Cemetery, with a benediction by Rev. David Roselund of the Montville Congregational Church.

Then, wreaths will be laid by the VFW Post and American Legion Post commanders.

The Montville High School Band Trumpets will finish the ceremony with “Echo Taps.”

Afterwards, everyone is invited to the VFW Post on Raymond Hill Road for free refreshments.

To read about the parade regulations, click .