It was the 97th event that Ms. Bysiewicz, whose father served in World War II, has held across Connecticut over the last year and a half. She spent part of the ceremony walking through the auditorium and handing a wireless microphone to some of the veterans who wanted to share anecdotes about their experiences.
She said that she decided to hold the recognition ceremonies, in part, after learning that Connecticut was losing 40 World War II veterans a day and that there were 1,000 dying each day nationwide, as most of them are now in their 80s or early 90s.
Ms. Bysiewicz said she has found the World War II veterans to be "resilient, modest, and incredibly enthusiastic to serve their communities."
"It was either fight the war or we'd all be talking Japanese today," World War II veteran Mike Panetta, who served in the Marine Corps, said in an interview regarding the challenges that the United States faced as it entered the fighting in late 1941.
"It's the war that got us out of the [economic] depression," said Harry Cohen, a Woodbury resident who grew up in New Milford and who served in the Army under famed Army Gen. George Patton.
"The world would be a very different place today if they had not accomplished the mission that they accomplished," said Mr. McBreairty, who served in the Army during the Vietnam War and whose father served during World War II.
"The sad part of it is a lot of these guys should have been recognized a long time ago," said Gene Farrell of Brookfield, who served in the Army in the period immediately after World War II.
"It brings back a lot of memories about the people you met," Andrew Armstrong, who served in the Navy during World War II, said regarding the ceremony. "We still go back to reunions every year.
Mr. McBreairty said the World War II soldiers also were instrumental starting in the 1980s through veterans organizations in getting medical benefits for Vietnam-era veterans who suffered from Agent Orange.
State Rep. Clark Chapin, whose uncle, Charles Chapin, was among the veterans whose names he called to receive a certificate and pose for a photograph with New Milford Mayor Patricia Murphy and Ms. Bysiewicz, said that although there have been general ceremonies in Connecticut for veterans, he is pleased that Ms. Bysiewicz's events have focused on the World War II era.
He said that over the last decade that group has started to get more attention, partly as a result of "The Greatest Generation," the best-selling book by former NBC News anchor man Tom Brokaw that describes the accomplishments of the men and women that served in World War II.
Ms. Bysiewicz, who has served as the secretary of the state since 1999, praised Ms. Murphy and her staff for their "enthusiastic" response to her offer to hold a ceremony in New Milford and their efforts to contact the local veterans.
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