Editor, The Cheshire Herald:
The Cheshire Veterans Council, on behalf of the Cheshire veterans community, hereby goes on record with our strongest support for the suggestion by Hayley Falk, Chair of Because of the Brave, to name the new elementary school in honor of Cheshire's Colonel Harvey Curtiss Barnum, USMC (ret.).
In her comments to the Town Council at their December 13, 2022 meeting, Hayley pointed to "Barney" as the perfect role model for young people. A native of Cheshire, Barney is a Medal of Honor recipient who served our country for more than three decades—first as a U.S. Marine and second as a member of the Department of Defense's Deputy Secretary of the Navy and then Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He is a life member of Cheshire's VFW Post 10052. He is a 1958 graduate of Cheshire High School, he was president of his senior class and his name is on the Cheshire High School Wall of Fame graduates.
Barney was recognized with the Medal of Honor because of his bravery and courage. Beneath those are his character, integrity, honor, patriotism and fidelity—qualities we would like instilled in the youth of Cheshire. What better way to promote these characteristics than to educate our students in a building bearing Barney’s name?
As Hayley stated in her comments to the Town Council, naming the school after Barney would be a perfect start in teaching our youth about real heroes and why freedom is not free. She also said the Navy named an Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer, The USS Harvey C Barnum Jr., after him. We believe it is time for the town to do the same and name a school after him.
Young people are 20% of the population but 100% of the future. Or as Barney himself has stated, the future of our country lies in the hands of our youth.
Donald Falk
Commander
American Legion Post 92
Jeff Falk
Commander
VFW Post 10052
Leslie Marinaro
Vice President,
Army Air Force Roundtable
of Connecticut
Note: This letter was sent to members of the Cheshire Town Council and Board of Education.