Flagpole to be Renamed for Fallen Marine Veteran in Public Ceremony

The YMCA camp flagpole will be dedicated to an Air Force major whose family has been involved in the summer camp for generations in a ceremony on Veteran's Day.

Staff from the Middlesex YMCA in Middletown will be joined by Portland First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield, Reggie Farrington from the American Legion Post in Portland and the major's family Monday at 10 a.m. to dedicate the flagpole to fallen veteran U.S. Marine Corps Major Gary R. Grant.

The major was very involved with the camp as a young man and his children and grandchildren have since attended Ingersoll, the summer day camp located on Jobs pond in a 77-acre wooded area off Route 66 in Portland. 

Staff have dedicated two flagpoles there to the major in the past, however these wood poles have deteriorated due to weathering.

Grant’s family is sponsoring this dedication in recognition of his service to the country. The major, who was born in Hartford and attended Springfield College, was a holder of the Distinguished Flying Cross and killed in the Philippines on Sept. 14, 1966, when he was ejected from his aircraft 44 miles north of Poro Point. 

He was cited for his display of aeronautical skill in trying to rescue a squad of fellow Marines who were trapped on a mountain near Chu Lai, Vietnam. Grant's continuous attacks on the enemy by shallow diving caused the enemy to withdraw and the Marines were able to withdraw from the trap, according to the YMCA.

The Adler family will be sharing remarks from Grant’s daughter during the ceremony. All are invited to attend.