Blue Star Banners Raised By Service Families

By Dottie Evans

There is a special flag called the Blue Star Banner being hung from the windows of families whose sons and daughters are serving the nation overseas. Since the war with Iraq began, the banner is showing up in more and more Connecticut windows and across the nation.

Made popular during World War II, the banners are being distributed by the American Legion, and the organization has reported that keeping up with the demand lately has been a challenge.

Locally, the Blue Star Banners are available from the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 308 Newtown headquarters at 18 Tinkers Field Lane off South Main Street. Anyone needing a banner should call the VFW at 426-9316.

Donald and Ann Monckton, parents of United States Army Specialist Richard Monckton, 26, are flying their banner inside the front door of their home overlooking Toddy Hill Road.

“These banners are for any servicemen or women who are protecting our freedom, not just in Iraq or Kuwait but anywhere,” Commander Monckton said Tuesday.

The 8-inch by 16-inch banner is white with a royal blue star in the middle and a thin red line around its border.

Commander Monckton, who served in the United States Marines during Desert Storm, said Tuesday that he does not fully credit recent news reports out of Baghdad stating that Saddam Hussein’s regime has fallen.

“This war is far from over,” he said. “Iraq is a big country with a lot of territory that is still pretty wild.”

Newtown Men And Women Currently Serving

The names and ranks of five Newtown residents in the military, along with their photographs, have been given by their families to Commander Donald Monckton, commander of the Veterans Of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 308.

Commander Monckton has asked that any families submitting photographs provide name and rank and a contact phone number so that the photographs can be returned.

 If other photographs are received, they may be reproduced for a subsequent article and further news about any young people involved in the military here or abroad is welcome. Please call the VFW at 426-9316 or The Bee at 426-3141.

Specialist Tahkeisha Butler, 26, of Sandy Hook, is serving in Kuwait with the 109th Transportation Company of the United States Army.

Prior to being deployed to Kuwait, she was stationed in Mannheim, Germany. She has been in military for two years and drives 18-wheel trucks for her unit.

Spc Butler attended Head O’ Meadow School and Newtown Middle School.

Her mother, Lillian Butler, has heard from her daughter recently and is glad to report that she is well.

“I am praying for a speedy and safe return for her as for all of those who are serving,” said Mrs Butler.

Sergeant Colin Doniger, 22, son of Paul and Nancy Doniger of Saddle Ridge Road, serves in the United States Army Military Police and is stationed in Stuttgart, Germany. He is a graduate of Newtown High School, Class of 1999.

“We just heard from him this [past] weekend,” said Mrs Doniger, adding that he had been deployed but she was not at liberty to disclose his location.

Sgt Doniger joined the army when he was turning 19, six months after he graduated from high school.

“He decided to go into the army first and then go to college afterward. He was home last summer for a few weeks on leave,” Mrs Doniger said.

Corporal Brett Ingenito turned 23 on April 1. He is stationed with the United States Marines in Basra, Iraq, and works in communications. He trained at Paris Island, S.C., having enlisted at the age of 19. He attended Newtown schools and was born here. His mother and father, Charmaine and Alphonse LaPierre, live at 1 Joan Drive.

Cpl Ingenito is married and his wife, Erin, and daughter, Brenna, 6, live in New Milford. He served one year in Japan and was recently posted at Camp LeJeune, N.C.

Cpl Ingenito will be ready for reenlistment in October.

His mother noted that he “loves being a marine. I asked him, ‘Is there any way you can get out of going?’ and he said ‘No’ and that he didn’t want to run away.”

“At least we do hear from him nearly every day, which is a help,” Mrs LaPierre said, adding that since he works in communications, keeping in touch is not so difficult.

Specialist Richard Monckton, 26, is an engineer with the United States Army 250th Engineers Company MGB (Medium Girder Bridges) and is currently stationed in Fort Eustis, Va., where he has been in training since the end of January awaiting activation orders.

His father, Don Monckton, said Tuesday that shipment of their equipment precedes deployment of the unit, and the equipment has already gone so it won’t be long now, “probably in May sometime.”

To ease the strain of waiting, Commander Monckton said he will “occasionally just drive down on a Saturday and come back on Sunday. His friends do the same. There are about 100 Connecticut boys down there,” he added.

Spc Monckton’s Connecticut National Guard Unit was originally based out of Milford, but was recently moved to Putnam on the eastern side of the state.

Spc Monckton attended Western Connecticut State University and worked part-time at Ashlar while attending college. He graduated from Newtown High School with the Class of 1995. As an Eagle Scout with Troop 770, his project was construction of an amphitheatre at the Cullens Memorial Park. Donald Monckton is scoutmaster for the troop.

Lance Corporal Douglas Snow, 23, is the son of Glenn and Susan Snow of Tomahawk Trail in Sandy Hook. He is with the 1st Marine Division, 7th Marine Regiment, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines and works with the weapons platoon. He is currently in Baghdad.

“He’s downtown,” said his mother, Susan Snow, who was watching television during a phone interview Wednesday with The Bee.

 “We’re totally terrified, but it is better than it was three days ago,” she said, adding that they worry most about the possible use of chemical weapons.

The Snows think they have a photograph of their son in a large group, “but you know how it is, we can’t be sure it is him.”

Their last letter from him was February 28.

Lance Cpl Snow enlisted two years ago out of San Diego. He is a 1998 graduate of Newtown High School. His father, Glenn Snow, was with the marines during the Vietnam war.

“We are so proud,” Mrs Snow said of their son.

The Snows spoke to Newtown Boy Scout Pack 70, Webelos Den 5 from Hawley School recently, and the pack sent a care package to Lance Cpl Snow. (See story in the education pages this week.)