Lorenzo Santamaria
Purple Heart Recipient | Guilford, Connecticut
Remarks when he was inducted into the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame in 2023 might tell you everything you need to know about Lorenzo Santamaria.
Santamaria was honored for his Marine Corps service during his deployment to Vietnam with the 1st Marine Division for 13 months of combat and was awarded the Purple Heart. His actions have been driven by a selfless sense of duty to his community and a genuine concern for others.
State Comptroller Sean Scanlon, a fellow Guilford resident, had nominated Santamaria for the honor, despite Santamaria’s reluctance to be recognized.
“He very clearly, on many occasions, says to many people who try to honor him in our community that he doesn't do this to be honored by politicians or by the VA,” Scanlon said during the ceremony. “He does it because this is what he believes is his mission in life, serving other people, from the time that he was in Vietnam to what he does every single day in our community in Guilford.”
Shortly after leaving the Marine Corps, Santamaria joined the Edward A. Norton VFW Post #7666 in 1971 and has remained a fixture in the community, serving as the post’s Commander since 1979. For more than four decades he has organized the local Memorial Day Parade along with ceremonies and services for Veterans Day, Pearl Harbor Day, 9/11, and other veteran-specific events. He has also initiated and coordinated color guard services across the state for military funerals and ceremonies.
As one example, Santamaria leads local efforts with Meals on Wheels to feed Veterans in need.
“When we came back from Vietnam, we all had our problems. We all had PTSD,” said Santamaria. “That’s how I dealt with that; helping other veterans. That’s how I made my way through life.”
Even after being inducted into the state’s Veterans Hall of Fame, Santamaria remained humble.
“You know, you always think there's more people that are deserving of it than yourself,” he said.
Harvey C. Barnum Jr.
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Reserve Affairs | Cheshire, Connecticut
Born in Cheshire, Connecticut, Harvey C. Barnum Jr. joined the Marine Corps’ Platoon Leaders Class program at age 18, while attending Saint Anselm College. Upon graduating from Saint Anselm in 1962, Barnum was commissioned as a Marine Reserve second lieutenant, the start of a remarkable 27-year career in the Marine Corps.
In 1963, Second Lieutenant Barnum deployed to Okinawa, Japan, with the 3rd Marine Division, and in 1964 accepted appointment to the Marine Corps, advancing to first lieutenant. He deployed to Vietnam in late 1965 and shortly after his arrival, took actions that would lead his to being awarded the Medal of Honor.
On December 18, 1965, Barnum took command of a rifle company after the commander had been killed in action. Barnum reorganized the company for defense and led a successful evacuation after destroying the enemy. These actions led to a Medal of Honor decoration for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.”
Barnum achieved the rank of colonel before his retirement from active duty in 1989, and he remained involved with military affairs with many distinguished appointments, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Reserve Affairs from July 2001 to January 2008 and Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy from January to September 2009.
Beyond his military service and government careers Barnum echoes the traits he exemplified as a Marine through service to nonprofit organizations and giving back. Among his many roles, he serves on the board for Segs4Vets, a nonprofit organization that provides Segways to veterans, and the Code for Support Foundation, which focuses on key health issues for veterans including suicide prevention and mental health.