Politics & Government

Iwo Jima Survivor John Esposito Honored by Danbury's Veterans

John Esposito, a World War II veteran of the Pacific islands campaign with the U.S. Marine Corps, was honored Thursday by the Catholic War Veterans, Post 1042, by the American Legion Post 60, by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 149, by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, by Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, by members of the City Council and by a crowd of 100 people.

Esposito served on Danbury's Common Council for 28 years, and he was a U.S. Marine who went ashore on four Japanese Army held islands in the Pacific before being wounded on Iwo Jima. In addition to hearing kind words from Capt. Tom Saadi, a member of JAG, from U.S. Senator Blumenthal, Mayor Boughton and others, the crowd also heard Esposito speak.

"It was classic John Esposito. Not a word about himself," said Saadi, who served on the Common Council with Esposito.

Esposito spoke about the Pacific campaign, island by island, he spoke about other Danbury World War II veterans, but he didn't mention his battles, or his service to the city or his years as a volunteer firefighter.

"It's never about himself," Saadi said. Esposito was honored Thursday at the 68th Anniversary of World War II's end in a ceremony that took place at the Rose Garden on Memorial Drive, Rogers Park.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here