From a speech given on Veterans Day in 2014 by Lee Wilson, then Commander of VFW Post 3272:

Today, we remember the brave men and women of our country who fought and died for our freedom. More importantly, I want to remind you of the world events of 100 years ago, specifically what began on June 28, 1914, in Europe. Like many battles, the GREAT WAR was never thought to be as long or as bloody as it ended up being. By the time the United States entered what was known as World War I in 1917, 31 countries were already engaged in battle. Connecticut manufacturers provided the U.S. military with munitions, clothing, and other goods. Over 63,000 residents of the State of Connecticut served in WWI.

But what was Avon like when it entered the war in April 1917? According to the U.S. Census, the population was 1,400. Today it is 18,300. In 1917, 69 men from Avon took up the call to arms and joined the fight. That represented 5% of the population. If 5% of today’s population went to war, the number would be 914. How did this War impact the Town of Avon? In the book “Avon...an historical story” by M. Frances MacKie, she writes:

“The First Selectman of Avon during WWI was Joseph W. Alsop. A large and spirited parade was held on this road in 1917 to show support for those serving in the war. The large number of young men going off to war caused a severe labor market shortage in this area. When the U.S. entered the war, Waterville Road, located between Avon and Farmington, was under construction. Because funds were being diverted from civil projects and due to a labor shortage, construction of Waterville Road was halted until after the War ended. Students left school to fill the labor market gap. The superintendent of schools in 1917, Lewis S. Mills, commented, “Let us keep our children in school as a patriotic duty we owe our country because we wish to equip them for useful citizenship.” The Town of Avon Report of September 1917 to September 1918 gave the following account of the effect the war had on school programs: “Part of every child’s school day in Avon was devoted to war readings, songs, current war topics, and Red Cross volunteer work.”

Clearly, this was a town-wide effort that the citizens took pride in, and rightfully so.

Veterans Day was initially called Armistice Day, commemorating the end of World War I on November 11, 1918, at 11:00 a.m. By then, 9 million soldiers worldwide had died, and another 7 million civilians had lost their lives. Of the 69 men from Avon who went to War, all returned safely. Some had their stories shared in the local papers. For example, 15-year-old Howard Stillwell, an Avon boy scout (who joined when he was 14 years old with his parents’ consent) and who was the nephew of Thomas Edison, was on the ship “The Abraham Lincoln,” when it was torpedoed off the French coast, sinking in 27 minutes. He had to abandon ship and was forced to drift on a raft for five hours before being rescued.

Then there was Charles Bailey of the Civil Engineering Corps, who served for 19 months. He was the first man from Avon to sign up and the very last Avon man to return. Their names, along with their comrades, are etched on the Memorial here on the Town Green.

Please take the time to think about how they left this small town to enter what was, at the time, the world’s largest war  in modern times. We honor them and all those who came before and after for their service to our country.