Anderson and his friends didn't want to stop. So a handful of veterans have taken up a final mission in the countryside along the Connecticut River. They're roaming East Haddam's cemeteries and restoring the thousands of weathered or fallen tombstones of the town's citizens, piece by piece. They call themselves the 'Cemetery Troopers.'
'We're saving the town money, if they had the money to repair stones,' Anderson said with a laugh. 'We feel like we're doing something worthwhile, anyway.'
Despite its small population, East Haddam - about a 30-minute drive southeast of Hartford - is one of Connecticut's largest towns by area. Its swelling cemeteries belie its history as a bustling industry town with riverside shipyards and cotton mills in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Maintaining them is a challenge. 'Over the years, there's been a lot of damage and deterioration to the tombstones,' Stofko said, emphasizing that the community spirit is crucial in preserving their history.
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