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Parade Stirs Pride In Veterans, Families

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By STEVE KORNACKI, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 11, 2007

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TOWN 'N COUNTRY - Santos "Sandy" Santoni, proudly wearing his American Legion Seminole Post 111 hat, watched the parade pass Saturday on Hanley Road. He heard "thank you" from many recognizing him as a veteran, and some marching by handed him beads.

Most of the 25,000 people at the 14th Annual Tampa Bay Veterans Day Parade, which lasted more than two hours, had no idea what Santoni, 88, went through in World War II.

He was a prisoner of war for a year and a half, captured by the Germans during fighting outside Rome after the beach invasion by more than 36,000 Allied troops at Anzio. His U.S. Army infantry outfit of 100 had been whittled to four when they surrendered.

"I thought I was going to die rather than be captured," Santoni said. "We were taken to what had been a movie studio in Rome and held as prisoners.

"We were not treated well and faced starvation. You could see the bones of my ribs. The Italian people would throw us bread over the fence and we ran after it like dogs."

He shook his head at the thought, while one of six bands in the parade passed by playing patriotic songs.

"I hope people believe what I say because sometimes I don't believe it myself," Santoni said.

He returned to Manhattan after the war to his wife, Carmen. They were married 54 years until she died 12 years ago.

"She never gave up hope even though I was listed as missing in action for five months," said Santoni, who played guitar in big band groups. "And I also kept the faith. We got together and prayed as prisoners. We stuck together like family, tried to escape. And we made it out finally when we were liberated.

"Seeing this parade today for us veterans means a lot. It is really terrific."

Parade Grand Marshal Col. Robert Thomas, commander of the MacDill Air Force Base and 6th Air Mobility Wing, said, "There are a lot of heroes in the community who people don't know about, and this is a day to push them out front. They are unbelievable, just like the Luckey family is."

The parade honored Army Sgt. Bryan Christian Luckey, 25, a Tampa Emmanuel Christian Academy graduate who was shot and killed by a sniper June 29, 2006, in Mosul, Iraq. His family sat on the parade review stand in front of Webb Middle School.

"It means a lot for my family," said his father, Patrick Luckey, also an Army veteran. "But it's not just my son we've lost. He's one of many, and we pray for them all. And we pray for those soldiers still out there and in harm's way."

A man with a microphone on the Krewe of Mambi float spotted the Luckeys and said, "Let's hear it for Sgt. Luckey and his family!" The crowd cheered and some of those marching with the float walked over to shake hands with Patrick Luckey and offer words of encouragement.

Bryan Christian Luckey Jr., 1, sucked on his teething ring while his mother, Catherine, grandparents and uncles took turns holding him. A small poster with a photo of his father in battle fatigues and holding his weapon was posted near the review stand.

The end of a description of his military contributions read: "His legacy moves on with his son whom he did not get the chance to meet. But he is looking down proudly from heaven."

Reporter Steve Kornacki can be reached at (813) 731-8170 or skornacki@tampatrib.com.

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