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US Army

Beloved Former State Rep Known For Wearing Cowboy Hat At CT Capitol Building Dies Beloved Former State Rep Known For Wearing Cowboy Hat At CT Capitol Building Dies
Beloved Former State Rep Known For Wearing Cowboy Hat At CT Capitol Building Dies A former Connecticut state representative and Army veteran who was known for always wearing his cowboy hat and boots at the Capitol Building has died.  Stafford Springs resident John Mordasky died on Saturday, April 1 at the age of 97, according to his obituary.  Born and raised in Stafford, Mordasky, a Democrat, represented Connecticut's 52nd District for 22 years while simultaneously making sure he had the time to milk his cows twice a day, his obituary said.  During his political career, Mordasky served on Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committees, and also event…
Darien's William Jerome Bellis, 92, Will Be Remembered As Good-Natured, Loyal, Dependable Darien's William Jerome Bellis, 92, Will Be Remembered As Good-Natured, Loyal, Dependable
Darien's William Jerome Bellis, 92, Will Be Remembered As Good-Natured, Loyal, Dependable William Jerome Bellis (Bill), of Darien, passed away peacefully on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, at the age of 92 surrounded by his family. He bravely fought lung cancer for over a year. Bill was born on May 12, 1930, in New York, NY to the late William Bellis and Anne Gallagher Bellis. His parents were immigrants from Liverpool, England, and Donegal, Ireland, respectively. Bill graduated from Blessed Sacrament High School, in New Rochelle, where he played on the basketball and baseball teams. He went on to earn a BA in History from Iona College in 1953. He served in the US Army from 1953 to 1955…
'Our Hearts Are Heavy': CT Officer Dies Of Brain Cancer, Police Department Announces 'Our Hearts Are Heavy': CT Officer Dies Of Brain Cancer, Police Department Announces
'Our Hearts Are Heavy': CT Officer Dies Of Brain Cancer, Police Department Announces A Connecticut police department is mourning the loss of an officer who died of brain cancer. Officer Matt Silvestrini died peacefully while surrounded by family at his home on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 3, the Middletown Police Department in Middlesex County announced. "Officer Silvestrini dedicated his life to serving others," the announcement reads. "He was a decorated Veteran of the US Army (serving two tours in Iraq), he served the City of New Haven as a police officer before transferring to MPD in 2012. He was a member of the Emergency Response Team, Firearms Unit, and an instructor…
US Soldier From Connecticut Killed By Lightning Strike US Soldier From Connecticut Killed By Lightning Strike
US Soldier From Connecticut Killed By Lightning Strike A soldier who was killed by a lightning strike during a training mission has been identified as being a Connecticut resident. Tolland County resident Sgt.1st Class Michael D. Clark, of the town of Bolton, died on Wednesday, July 20, at Fort Gordon, in Augusta, Georgia. During the training exercise, Clark, age 41, was killed and nine others sustained injuries associated with the lightning strike, said the Department of US Army Reserves. Fort Gordon’s EMS responded to the scene immediately, and the soldiers were transported to Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center for medical care, offici…
Army Soldier From New England Dies At Age 27 Army Soldier From New England Dies At Age 27
Army Soldier From New England Dies At Age 27 One thing that stood out most about New England native Cameron Marshall was his passion not only for his interests, but for others.  He had a deep love for sports, cooking, his family and friends; but perhaps his greatest love was for his country.  Coming from a military family, the 27-year-old husband and father of two enlisted in the army shortly after graduating from St. Mary's High School in Westfield, Massachusetts in 2012. He first served in Korea and later came home to serve with the 18th Airborne Corps in Fort Bragg, NC and the Office of Court Administration at the Pentagon, accord…
US Army Veteran Leaves Fairfield County To Join Ukraine's Fight Against Russia US Army Veteran Leaves Fairfield County To Join Ukraine's Fight Against Russia
US Army Veteran Leaves Fairfield County To Join Ukraine's Fight Against Russia A US Army veteran has left his family in Connecticut behind to help fight the Russian forces invading Ukraine. Fairfield County resident James Vasquez, age 47, of Norwalk, is on the front lines and is telling a harrowing story via Twitter of the resolve and grit of the Ukrainian soldiers and people. In a post from just 20 hours ago, Vasquez tweeted: "Just went through six straight hours of combat. I have crazy video I’ll post later. 2 men were shot but will be ok. One fatality 😞" In return, Vasquez wrote that the Ukrainian forces had taken out numerous Russians as well as several Russian …
Connecticut Fire Department Mourning After Captain Dies Of Cancer Connecticut Fire Department Mourning After Captain Dies Of Cancer
Connecticut Fire Department Mourning After Captain Dies Of Cancer A Connecticut fire department is mourning the death of a fire captain who served the department for 27 years. Rocky Hill Fire Captain James Lamarre died after a months-long battle with cancer, the Hartford County department announced on Tuesday, March 8. The Rocky Hill Fire Department said Lamarre's cancer was work-related. Lamarre served many roles in his years with the fire department, including a career apparatus mechanic, officials said.  Lamarre was also a United States Army veteran and a chaplain for the Benino-Beck VFW Post 2138 in Rocky Hill.
Former Congressional Candidate Found Dead Former Congressional Candidate Found Dead
Former Congressional Candidate Found Dead A 41-year-old lifelong New Yorker died in an apparent suicide two weeks after he dropped out of his race for a United States House of Representatives seat in the Hudson Valley. Afghanistan war veteran Kyle Van De Water, age 41, was found dead in Dutchess County on Tuesday, Sept. 7, in Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery by City of Poughkeepsie police. Sources told the Mid-Hudson News his death was under investigation as a “likely suicide.” Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said on Twitter his heart was broken for Van De Water's family, including his four children.  “Kyle was a war hero who…
Matt Damon Endorses Candidate For Town Justice In Area Matt Damon Endorses Candidate For Town Justice In Area
Matt Damon Endorses Candidate For Town Justice In Area A famous actor has endorsed a candidate running for a post in New York. Matt Damon, known for his roles in movies such as Good Will Hunting and The Martian, recorded a video sharing his endorsement of Clark Petschek for Bedford Town Justice in Northern Westchester County. Petschek is running against Jodi Kimmel for the position. Damon, a native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a longtime friend of Petschek, since they were roommates at Harvard University.  "He's one of the most exceptional people I've met in my life," Damon said. "I've followed his life and career closely since c…
Yale Murder Suspect Nabbed In Alabama Yale Murder Suspect Nabbed In Alabama
Yale Murder Suspect Nabbed In Alabama United States Marshals have arrested a man believed to be responsible for the February shooting death of a Yale grad student in Connecticut.  Qinxuan Pan, age 29, an MIT researcher, was arrested on Friday, May 14, in Montgomery, Alabama, US Marshals said. They did not say where in Montgomery he was found.  Pan is the prime suspect in the shooting death of Kevin Jiang, age 26, who was shot to death on Lawrence Street between Nicoll and Nash streets in New Haven on Saturday, Feb. 6. Jiang was a second-year master’s student at the Yale School of the Environment and was set to graduate this y…
Douglas Vane, Longtime Police Sergeant In Fairfield County, Dies Douglas Vane, Longtime Police Sergeant In Fairfield County, Dies
Douglas Vane, Longtime Police Sergeant In Fairfield County, Dies A Westchester native who was a longtime police officer in Northern Fairfield County has died. He was 75. Retired Brookfield Police Department Sergeant Douglas Neil Vane, a native of Yonkers, died peacefully at Danbury Hospital on Thursday, Aug. 13.  After serving as an MP in the U.S. Army, Vane worked as a police officer for 35 years, served as Chief of the Candlewood Lake Patrol and served an additional 5 years as a special officer, according to the Brookfield Police Department.  He was active in the police union and the Police Benevolence Association and served as a patrol supe…
Vigil To Be Held For 'Teacher Of The Year' Killed In CT Motorcycle Crash Vigil To Be Held For 'Teacher Of The Year' Killed In CT Motorcycle Crash
Vigil To Be Held For 'Teacher Of The Year' Killed In CT Motorcycle Crash The Enfield community is gathering Sunday, Aug. 9, to hold a candlelight vigil for a local Teacher of the Year who died earlier this week in a motorcycle crash. Megan Arsenault, 37, is being mourned by the many people in the Enfield community whose lives she touched. “Meg Arsenault was an absolute cornerstone of our CLHS family and was taken way too soon,” said Jeff Larson, the high school’s principal. She was a music teacher at CREC Civic Leadership High School and a former U.S. *Army captain. She was the school’s Teacher of the Year, 2018-19. On Thursday, Aug. 6, at around 2:30 p.m., Ar…
Fraud Alert: You Are Not Being Drafted, US Army Says Fraud Alert: You Are Not Being Drafted, US Army Says
Fraud Alert: You Are Not Being Drafted, US Army Says The U.S. Army is still the place where one can “be all that you can be,” but no draft is coming to the country, despite a string of fraudulent messages that have been sent out nationwide by scammers. An alert was issued by the U.S. Army Recruiting Command this week warning of a series of fraudulent text messages that have been making the rounds informing some individuals that they’ve been selected for an upcoming military draft and will face fines or jail time if they don't comply. The Army said that they’ve received multiple calls and emails in recent weeks regarding the fake messages, and…
Greenwich Police Officer Dies Suddenly Greenwich Police Officer Dies Suddenly
Greenwich Police Officer Dies Suddenly A Greenwich police officer died suddenly Tuesday, Dec. 17, during a medical emergency, the department said. Justin Quagliani, 38, died around 5 a.m., after suffering a medical emergency at his Greenwich residence while off-duty, said the Greenwich Police Department. Police and Greenwich Emergency Medical Service personnel responded to his residence, attempted lifesaving efforts and then transported him to Greenwich Hospital where he was eventually declared dead, the department said.  A cause of death has not been determined, but there is no sign of foul play, they added…
ID Released For West Point Cadet Candidate Killed After Falling From Rock Ledge ID Released For West Point Cadet Candidate Killed After Falling From Rock Ledge
ID Released For West Point Cadet Candidate Killed After Falling From Rock Ledge The identity of the West Point cadet candidate who was killed in a cliff-diving accident has been released. The incident occurred at about 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31 in the Town of Hunter in Greene County, New York. Troopers responded to a 911 call of an unresponsive man at a routinely frequented cliff diving location known as Fawn’s Leap, off Route 23A. The man has now been ID'd as Benjamin K. Bochtler, 20, of Bellevue, Nebraska, who enlisted in the Army as a drone operator in 2016. An investigation revealed Bochtler was hanging onto a rock ledge, when a portion of the rock broke …
Nicholas LaDelfa, 31, Of Ridgefield, Served In Army Nicholas LaDelfa, 31, Of Ridgefield, Served In Army
Nicholas LaDelfa, 31, Of Ridgefield, Served In Army A Ridgefield man, 31, from Ridgefield who served in the Army and being remembered as having a "heart of gold" has died. Nicholas P. LaDelfa died Sunday, June 10 at Danbury Hospital. He was born Aug. 26, 1987 in Danbury to Pam LaDelfa and Ken Carpenter. LaDelfa attended Ridgefield schools and was a graduate of Ridgefield High School with the Class of 2005.  He enlisted in the U.S. Army upon graduation and served a 15-month tour in Iraq from 2007 to 2009. LaDelfa worked as a service technician at Professional Water Systems in Ridgefield. He lived life through simple pleasures; talking …
Business Owner Frederick Whipple Of Ridgefield, Staples HS Grad, Korean War Vet, Dies Business Owner Frederick Whipple Of Ridgefield, Staples HS Grad, Korean War Vet, Dies
Business Owner Frederick Whipple Of Ridgefield, Staples HS Grad, Korean War Vet, Dies A Ridgefield business owner and Korean War veteran who marched in the town's Memorial Day Parade and helped renovate American Legion Post 78 hall, has died. Frederick Hutchins Whipple died Monday, June 3 in Ridgefield. He was 90. Son of Kathlyn (Winton) and Joseph Reed Whipple, he was born on Sept. 13, 1928, and grew up with his seven siblings in Wilton. He attended Staples High School and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged at the rank of sergeant.  Whipple started his excavating business in 1954 under the name Fred H. Whipple. It later became …
One Dead, 22 Injuries Reported In West Point Personnel Carrier Crash One Dead, 22 Injuries Reported In West Point Personnel Carrier Crash
One Dead, 22 Injuries Reported In West Point Personnel Carrier Crash One cadet is reported dead and 20 cadets and two soldiers are wounded following a crash of a Light Medium Tactical Vehicle crash at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The crash, according to officials at West Point, took place around 6:45 a.m., Thursday, June 6, off Route 293 in the Camp Natural Bridge area. The injured have been transported to local hospitals. Details of the incident are under investigation. This continues to be a developing story. Check back to the Daily Voice for updates.
New Chief In Town: Christopher Lyddy Takes Command In Fairfield New Chief In Town: Christopher Lyddy Takes Command In Fairfield
New Chief In Town: Christopher Lyddy Takes Command In Fairfield Fairfield has a new police chief, the 10th in the town's history, with the promotion of Christopher Lyddy, who has been serving as acting chief since last October with the departure of former Chief Gary MacNamara. Lyddy's promotion was one of six in the department during a special ceremony Tuesday evening. A town of Fairfield native, Lyddy graduated from Fairfield Prep in 1978 and is a graduate of Bryant University with a bachelor degree in Criminal Justice in 1982.  He was hired by Fairfield Police Department in 1982, and since then has served in a variety of positions from …