Volume 22, Number 42
www.berlincitizen.com
Thursday, December 6, 2018
Korean War vet gets replacement medals By Devin Leith-Yessian The Citizen
Months of planning came to fruition when Berlin resident and Korean War veteran Robert Rawlings walked into the hangar at the New England Air Museum in East Granby and found himself surrounded by neighbors and friends.
By Devin Leith-Yessian The Citizen
Local police hope steering drug users into rehabilitation rather than the criminal justice system can reduce the number of deaths related to opioids and heroin.
“He had mentioned to me years ago that he had lost all his medals … so I came up with the idea for his 90th birthday to have his medals replaced,” said David Lallier, Rawlings’ neighbor on Simms Road. With the help of U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Lallier and Rawlings’ wife, Thelma, were able to get replacements from the U.S. Department of Defense. “He’s a great guy, I think a lot of him,” Lallier said of the senator. “When you lose something like those medals, you might not think it’s significant, but it is.” The medals arrived a few months after Rawlings turned 90. The American Legion 103rd Airlift Wing and the New England Air Museum pitched in to put together a ceremony Tuesday, Nov. 27 complete with a visit to a hangar housing an F-86, the aircraft Rawl-
Plan: Send drug users to rehab
“We know we cannot arrest and prosecute our way out of this problem,” Police Chief John Klett said in a statement, adding the new initiative will give addicts “the opportunity to voluntarily seek assistance.” Robert Rawlings, of Berlin, stands in front of an Air Force F-86, the jet fighter model he flew in the Korean War. Rawlings was presented with replacement service medals at the New England Air Museum in East Granby on Tuesday, Nov. 27. Devin Leith-Yessian, The Citizen
ings flew for 92 combat mis- fighter (pilot), that was the sions as a lieutenant in the epitome of being a pilot.” Air Force’s 80th Fighter Next to the F-86 in the Squadron. hangar was a MiG-15, an A small crowd listened early Soviet jet fighter to Rawlings as he spoke that clashed with American about dive-bombing and aircraft above Korea. Six of strafing missions in one of Rawlings’ missions were inthe first jet fighters. tercepts, where they searched for North Korean “It brings back old memoor Chinese MiGs. ries, that’s for sure,” Rawlings said. “I miss the flying Among Rawlings’ medals a little bit … If you were a are the Distinguished Flying
Cross, awarded to soldiers “who shall have distinguished her/himself in actual combat,” according to the Air Force Personnel Center, and the Air Medal “for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievements.” dleithyessian@record-journal.com 203-317-2317 Twitter: @leith_yessian
Through a partnership with New Britain police, prosecutors, the Hospital of Central Connecticut, MidState Medical Center in Meriden and other local healthcare providers, officers can wave drug-related charges for those who agree to enter treatment. Prosecutors already have the ability to do this, but the initiative by New Britain and Berlin police would keep individuals caught with drugs out of the court system altogether. See Rehab, A13
Redcoats land early blows, top Sheehan in semifinals By Sean Krofssik Record-Journal staff
WALLINGFORD — The duo of Kevin Dunn and Alexander Halkias did it all for the No. 3 Berlin as the visiting Redcoats ousted No. 2 Shee-
han, 34-22, in the Class M No. 1 St. Joseph, also 11-1, in semifinals at John J. Riccitelli Saturday’s Class M state fiField on Monday night. nal. Sheehan’s season came to a close at 10-2 Dunn had five total touchdowns and Halkias had two Berlin led 21-6 at the half Monday night behind three scores and 213 total yards. touchdown passes from Berlin, now 11-1, will face
Dunn to three different targets. Dunn added a fumble recovery on the defensive end. The Redcoats opened the scoring with Giancarlo Tufano’s 18-yard touchdown
reception in the end zone on a throw by Dunn. Tufano boomed the extra point with 3:41 left in the first quarter as the Redcoats jumped on top 7-0. See Redcoats, A13