Ellington Resident Elected To Connecticut Veterans Hall Of Fame

ELLINGTON, CT — U.S. Army veteran Ted Graziani of Ellington, who served in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive and later advocated for the rights of veterans and their families in more than a decade in the Connecticut General Assembly, is one of 12 new electees into the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame.

The recent announcement of the latest group of inductees by Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and state Department of Veteran Affairs Commissioner Thomas J. Saadi cited a dozen men and women "who have made significant contributions to their communities after leaving military service."

"For more than 15 years, the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame has recognized our veterans, who sacrificed everything as they served their country and continue to give back to their local communities," Bysiewicz said. "While each of these brave men and women come from different backgrounds, they all share the same characteristics – courage, strength, pride and selflessness."

In an exclusive interview with Patch, Graziani recalled the circumstances which led to him volunteering for the draft upon graduating from high school.

"In 1965, Ellington was considered a hamlet, we had cows across the street, and quite frankly, I didn't know what I wanted to do," he said. "My father and I were always arguing, and when I was 18, I registered with Selective Service and said I'd like to be drafted. My dad had served in the Army during World War II, at Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge, and received two Purple Hearts and two Bronze Stars. I always wanted to prove to myself I could do what he does."

Telling his father about his decision to enter the military was not difficult, but telling his mother was a different story. Graziani told his father to break the news to her.

"He said, 'Edith, Teddy has decided to enter the draft.' She ran off and cried for 10 or 15 minutes, then came back and said he had ordered me to do it. I told her no, it was my decision," he recalled.

Graziani was sworn into the service on Aug. 22, 1966, and almost immediately was sent to southeast Asia.

"It took 28 days to go over by boat," he said. "I started with the 539th Transportation Company in Phu Loi, about 20 miles north of Saigon, then transferred to the 610th Transportation Company in An Khe, then Da Nang."

He served during two major campaigns: the Tet Offensive, one of the most notorious periods of the war, from Jan. 30 to April 1, 1968, then during Phase IV of a counter offensive from April 2 to June 6 of that year, prior to being honorably discharged.

"I was proud of attaining the rank of E-5 (sergeant) in less than two years," he said. "I kept volunteering for duties, including extending my tour for two more months, in order to qualify for the "early out" discharge. When I got out, I was 20 years old."

Back home in Ellington, Graziani decided, "I wanted to give back." He got involved in the community, including helping with youth baseball and softball, then successfully ran for a seat on the Board of Selectmen in 1991. He was re-elected three times to that post, then was elected in 1999 to serve as state Representative for the 57th District, covering Ellington and East Windsor. He held that seat in the General Assembly until 2010.

He was a staunch advocate for veterans' affairs during his time in the legislature, including establishment of March 30 each year being designated as Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. He helped expand the Military Relief Fund, toughened penalties against those who discriminate against members of the armed forces and aided against a recommendation to close the U.S. Navy sub base in Groton.

Since leaving office, he has continued to remain active in veterans' affairs, working with the Department of Defense as chair of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) from 2012 to 2018, and currently holding the title of Chair Emeritus. He is also an honorary Lt. Colonel in the Connecticut Civil Air Patrol, and was elected to the Connecticut American Legion Hall of Fame in 2016.

Retired Maj. Gen. Thaddeus Martin, state adjutant general from 2005 to 2018, said, "What stands out here is Ted's well-documented record of service as a leader in his local community, as a state legislator and as the long-serving Veterans Committee chair. Taken in total, this body of service provided to community, state, nation and veterans across our state make him an ideal candidate for election to the Hall this year."

Graziani concluded, "I consider myself fortunate, and my journey wasn't by myself. My journey was filled with a bunch of people standing side by side with me, not behind me."

An induction ceremony will be scheduled for early to mid-summer. Each honoree will receive a commemorative medallion and certificate recognizing their induction.

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