Samuel Jacobellis is a member of the Greater Danbury Area Korean War Veterans Association, one of three such Korean War organizations in Connecticut. This year is especially poignant for Jacobellis and his fellow Korean War vets as America is observing 60 years since the end of that war. In 1952 at the age of 20, the lifelong Danbury resident was working in the auto parts business when he was drafted into the U.S. Army. Jacobellis served in Korea in 1952 to 1953 attached to the 176th Armored Field Artillery unit as a Chief of Section in an M2 tank. He fought in the Battles of Bunker Hill, Dagmar, White Horse and Pork Chop Hill. He earned numerous decorations, including the Bronze Star for valor and heroism in ground combat, and the Korean Service medal with four major campaign stars.
After the war ended, Jacobellis returned to Danbury and spent the next four decades in the auto parts business as a store manager and in sales. He retired from that industry in 1996. In addition to his involvement with the Korean War Veterans, he is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Danbury Council of Veterans, the Catholic War Veterans, and the Disabled American Veterans (DAV). Jacobellis attended St. Joseph School and Danbury High School. He and his wife, Kristine, have two children: daughter Susan lives in Boston; and his son Greg and wife Donna and their two children live in Danbury.
Special event features will include a Wreath-Laying Ceremony to remember veterans at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch at 11:30 a.m., one hour before the parade begins. At 1:30 p.m., parade marchers will stop in-place for a Moment of Silence in observance of service members who died while serving their country. Parade volunteers will hand out American flags to spectators, and sell 2013 commemorative parade lapel pins. They also will have “Thank You, Veterans” materials that people can hold high as the parade marches by.
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To register to march or get more information, visit www.ctveteransparade.org or call 860-986-7254.
