NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — It was a moment of reflection, remembrance and deep respect Thursday in Central Park, as the City of New Britain unveiled a new monument dedicated to Purple Heart recipients and veterans who were wounded or became ill during their service.

Among those gathered was Fernando Panico, a Vietnam veteran and three-time Purple Heart recipient, who was moved by the ceremony.

"I want to cry. Still do," Panico said.

The new monument is a tribute to the courage and sacrifice of service members like Panico — those who bore the physical and emotional scars of combat.

"I remember the first one I got," he recalled about receiving his first Purple Heart medal. "I stepped on a mine."

RELATED: Connecticut Merit Medal recipients reflect on Purple Heart Day

The dedication took pl

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