Community Corner
Street in Medford Dedicated in Honor of Veteran Ryuzo Somma
Vietnam War Vet killed in action honored in street dedication ceremony.
Earlier this week, Greenport Avenue west of Rt. 112 in Medford was dedicated in honor of military veteran Staff Sergeant Ryuzo Somma.
Somma was drafted into the Army in 1966 and served his first tour in South Korea. While serving his second tour in Vietnam, Somma was killed in action on March 3, 1969.
Frank Somma spoke highly of his brother and the actions that he took to save his troops on the day he died.
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“I am memorializing his name on Greenport Avenue because he was killed in action in Vietnam while under military operations against hostile forces. With complete disregard to his own safety, he refused to take shelter and remained in his parapet to return fire until he was mortally wounded” said Frank Somma.
Brookhaven Town Councilman Tim Mazzei represented the Town at the unveiling.
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"We haven't really done this too many times in the Town of Brookhaven. It is a very special honor to bestow upon an individual; to have a street named after them. Quite frankly, we probably haven't done it enough and particularly we haven't done it enough for those who have served" Mazzei said.
Somma was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Heroism in Ground Combat and the Bronze Star for Meritorious Achievement in Ground Operations Against Hostile Forces for his actions.
