By Neal Supranovich, Post 2 historian
A special viewing of Joe Caminiti’s portrait will be held at the Bristol Public Library at noon today. Caminiti, one of the last surviving veterans of World War II and a Bristol native, will be on hand for the unveiling.
Caminiti is the subject of the portrait by artist, Don Scott, who has taken on the task of painting surviving WW II veterans. A print of that painting is the one hanging in the Bristol Public Library. Another print is on display at the Bristol Memorial Military Museum. A third print hangs in the U.S. Marine Corps Museum at Camp Pendleton.
The signed print was donated to the library, with a ceremony, back in February 2023. This will be the first time Caminiti has seen the portrait since then.
Caminiti remains active to this day. Every Saturday he drives his wife of 77 years and a relative to church where he has been a deacon for over 60 years. Every morning he travels to a local gym to work out.
Caminiti was a gunner on a Marine Trak during World War II. The Trak was part of a force which landed troops on many of the islands on the Pacific front, many times under fire. He is an Iwo Jima survivor who was on the island moving supplies and troops along with the wounded and dead from the front lines.
Caminiti witnessed both flag raising from the beach at the base of Mt. Suribachi, where he pulled guard duty between Mt. Suribachi and the airfield each night.
After leaving active duty at the end of World War II, he was recalled to active duty for 18 months to train new Marines during the Korean War.
Caminiti has participated in a number of Iwo Jima reunions across the nation with his former unit. While attending the National 61st Iwo Jima Survivor Reunion held at Norfolk Naval Base, Va., he was presented with a special edition American Flag, No. 90 of 200, by the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Iwo Jima. The flag flew over the deck of the USS Iwo Jima while in the waters of the island of Iwo Jima.
As part of the 2019 Bristol Mum Festival, Caminiti was named one of the City Hometown Heroes and was among those who signed a quilt in honor of all World War II veterans. That year all World War II veterans from Bristol were the festival’s HomeTown Hero. Each of the veterans signed the quilt in honor of those who never returned from the front. The quilt was presented to Bristol Health to hang in the new building downtown.
At the event. Caminiti presented that flag he received at the Iwo Jima reunion to the HomeTown Hero Committee. Agreements were made with the Ct. Gold Star Family Memorial Monument under the “Woody” Williams Foundation to borrow the flag until that monument was completed.
Afterwards, the flag flew for 28 days over City Hall and then over American Legion Post 2. Once lowered, it was folded by the American Legion Honor Guard and presented to the Bristol Memorial Military Museum later that month at the Legion Monthly Meeting. Today it is housed in the Military Museum.
Earlier In 2020, Caminiti attended the rededication of the Iwo Jima Monument in Newington/ New Britain as a special guest of the 75th Iwo Jima Survivor Association. At the time, he was interviewed. The interview was captured on film and footage from the was used in a video of Rear Admiral Todd made for the Marine Corp Chaplin YouTube site. In addition, footage will be used in the future for a presentation inside the U.S. Marine Corp. Museum.
For a number of years Caminiti has been ringing the ship bell from the USS Kid, named after the highest ranking naval officer killed at Pearl Harbor. The ringing of bell is part of the “Bells of Peace” ceremony held across the nation at 11 a.m. each Nov. 11 in honor of those who served in WW II. The ceremony is held at Post 2.
In September 2023 Joe was part of the Missing Man Table Ceremony at the World War II legacy Foundation End of World War II event in East Hartford. And he has also been honored by the family of Woody Williams, the last WW II veteran to receive the Medal of Honor.
The William’s family presented Caminiti with a commemorative coin at the dedication of the Iwo Jima Monument. Caminiti has since donated the coin to the Bristol Military Museum.
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