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Veterans salute at the ceremony commemorating the attack on Pearl Harbor 80 years ago. The annual remembrance of servicemen from Berkshire County who were at or near the attack is held at Pittsfield's South Street Memorial Park.
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Air Force veteran Robert Dassat receives a plaque after being honored as the Berkshire Veterans Coalition 2021 Veteran of the Year.
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Joseph DeFilippo plays the taps, the Christmas tree can be seen in the background.

Local Veterans Mark 80th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Attack

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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Pittsfield Veterans Service Officer John Herrera speaks at the ceremony on Tuesday morning. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Tuesday marks the 80th anniversary of the attack on the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu that sparked the nation's entrance into World War II.

About 80 servicemen from Berkshire County were stationed at or near Pearl Harbor when it was attacked on Dec. 7, 1941, including more than 40 from Dalton and Pittsfield.
 
Two of them were killed in action during the surprise strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy: Petty Officer 3rd Class Roman Sadlowski and Army Air Forces 1st Sgt. Edward Burns.  

The 18-year-old Sadlowski from Pittsfield was an electrician's mate when he died on the USS Oklahoma, which was struck by multiple Japanese torpedoes and sunk.  

Burns, also a Pittsfield native, was 24 years old when he was severely wounded in the attack and died several days later.  He was attached to a squadron that had arrived in Hawaii only two days prior to the attack and was the first soldier killed from his station at Wheeler Field in Oahu.
 
Local veterans gathered at the South Street Memorial Park on Tuesday to honor those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor.

Mayor Linda Tyer was not able to attend the ceremony but sent a communication for Veterans Service Officer John Herrera to read.

"Today on this 80th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, we along with our fellow Americans across the country solemnly remember the magnitude of that tragic and fateful day. We remember the many service members who lost their lives. We remember how it forever changed our country in unimaginable ways," Tyer wrote.

"And while we know that these memories aren't without pain, we recognize that it is through the remembering that we give lasting honor to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Let today and the anniversaries to follow stand as a powerful testament to their service and dedication of which time knows no bounds."

Herrera read an article from the History Channel that detailed the destruction.  

A total of 2,400 Americans were killed and 1,200 more wounded. Five of eight battleships, three destroyers, and seven other ships were sunk or severely damaged during the attack and more than 200 aircraft were destroyed.

He also announced that the Office of Veterans Services will be moving from City Hall to the first floor of the Council on Aging building at the Ralph J. Froio Senior Center.  The move will happen in the next month and a half.

Veteran George Moran read the speech that President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 8, 1941, just one day after the attack and veteran Ron Rousseau read the names of Dalton and Pittsfield residents who were killed or present at the naval base in Honolulu or the nearby airfield.

Taps was played by veterans Joseph DeFilippo and Skip Hoskeer and the Christmas tree was lit by veteran Robert "Doc" Miller.

Below are the names of county residents who were present or killed; those with an asterisk (*) next to their names are known to be deceased.

MICHAEL BARANUK
LOUIS D.BARNES*
JOSEPH BAROLI*
HAROLD BENCE*
GLADYS BENIEL
CHARLES BERRY*
JOHN J. BILODEAU
JOSEPIT BULWINKLE
EDWARD BURNS *
ROBERT C. BURT*
WOODFORDR CHAPMAN


JOHN CURLEY*
CHARLES CURONE
FRANCIS DEAMBROGIO*
JAMES W DRAIN
GEORGE F DROSEHN*
CHARLES FILKINS
EDWARD F.SHEA*
WILLIAMS FITCH
PHILLIP GALLANT*
ROGER HALL*
BENJAMIN HANDEREK
JAMES HOULDSWORTH
RONALD HUNTER*
GEORGE KILIGAS
JOSEPH KOZAK
JOHN W KROSS*
RICHARD D.LASSOR
ROBERT MICKLE
FRANCIS MOORE*
PAUL L.MORAN
THOMAS O'NEIL*
JOSEPH PHILLIPS
GEORGE PIKE
RAYMOND PRZPELSKI*
HUGH QUIRK*
LEO O.RONDEAU*
ROMAN SADLOWSKI *
LAURIELE I. ST. JACOUES
LOUIS J. SCULLY JR.
EDWARD SIWIK*
CHESTER STOCKLOSA
JOHN TEMPLE*
RAYMOND TRCZINKA*
FRANK WINNE
WILLIS WORTH

 


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MassDOT Project Will Affect Traffic Near BMC

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Prepare for traffic impacts around Berkshire Medical Center through May for a state Department of Transportation project to improve situations and intersections on North Street and First Street.

Because of this, traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel on First Street (U.S. Route 7) and North Street between Burbank Street and Abbott Street from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday through at least May 6.

BMC and Medical Arts Complex parking areas remain open and detours may be in place at certain times. The city will provide additional updates on changes to traffic patterns in the area as construction progresses.

The project has been a few years in the making, with a public hearing dating back to 2021. It aims to increase safety for all modes of transportation and improve intersection operation.

It consists of intersection widening and signalization improvements at First and Tyler streets, the conversion of North Street between Tyler and Stoddard Avenue to serve one-way southbound traffic only, intersection improvements at Charles Street and North Street, intersection improvements at Springside Avenue and North Street, and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of First Street, North Street, Stoddard Avenue, and the Berkshire Medical Center entrance.

Work also includes the construction of 5-foot bike lanes and 5-foot sidewalks with ADA-compliant curb ramps.  

Last year, the City Council approved multiple orders for the state project: five orders of takings for intersection and signal improvements at First Street and North Street. 

The total amount identified for permanent and temporary takings is $397,200, with $200,000 allocated by the council and the additional monies coming from carryover Chapter 90 funding. The state Transportation Improvement Plan is paying for the project and the city is responsible for 20 percent of the design cost and rights-of-way takings.

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