World War II veteran finally gets his due at Fall River ceremony

The soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the country’s freedoms where honored on Friday by veterans, Gold Star families and officials during the National POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony at Government Center.

FALL RIVER — The soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the country’s freedoms where honored on Friday by veterans, Gold Star families and officials during the National POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony at Government Center.

Justin Lantini, president of the Vietnam Veterans’ of America, Chapter 207, said that 58,000 men and women were killed or missing in that war and that the names of 1,350 fallen Massachusetts military grace the walls of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C.

“To our Gold Star families, you are part of our community as were those that you loved who went to fight for our freedom. We must ensure that their lights stay lit until all return home. Therefore as a nation and a community we must do more,” said Lantini.

Congressman William Keating recognized the military men and women who went to war “signed a blank check payable with their lives.”

Keating said no other country remembers the people that served the way the United States honors it military.

“When it comes to missing in action, no other country responds the way we do,” Keating said, noting there is annual appropriations to the military to continue the work to recover those soldiers missing in action.

“Last year alone we returned 16 remains of soldiers from Vietnam and we will continue to do that,” Keating said.

Keating introduced World War II veteran Manny Carvalho who survived the deadliest attack at sea off the coast of Crete when the Germans bombed a British maritime ship 75 years ago.

A total of 1,115 U.S. soldiers perished.

Carvalho would spend five hours floating in the ocean until he was rescued.

He never got the medals he deserved until Friday when Keating presented him with the World War II Victory medal, the European, African and Eastern Campaign medal, the Asian-Pacific Campaign medal and the Honorable Service lapel.

Declining to make a speech, Carvalho said after the ceremony that the military said all his military records had been burned in the fire.

“After 75 years,” Carvalho said of finally receiving his medals.

Mayor Jasiel Correia II said remembering the POW/MIA must continue in future generations “to continues to know the stories, the sacrifices and the history of our veterans’ community.”

Fall River Veterans’ Agent Ray Hague said recognition of POW/MIA “means a lot to the veterans.”

“It lets them remember their comrades. A lot of these veterans know people who never made it back,” Hague said.

After Don Elbert of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 27, read a proclamation from President Donald Trump, the names of 26 local missing in action soldiers was read aloud.

To finalize the recognition of POW/MIA service men and women, those in attendance stepped outside Government Center.

Members of the Gold Star families and veterans released white doves into the sky.

Email Jo C. Goode at jgoode@heraldnews.com