Feeding Hills resident shares 4th of July memory he’ll never forget

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – One local Veteran shared a great memory with 22News of what July 4th means to him. Him and two others celebrated their 67th anniversary of joining the U.S. Navy.

John Rioni of Feeding Hills shared a photo taken Thursday at the Eastern States Exposition. Here’s what he had to say:

“It was 67 years ago, that I and 100 other guys joined the U.S. Navy on July 4, 1957, at the Big E: Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Mass. After eight weeks of basic training, aka Boot Camp, we flew back to Westover AFB in Chicopee, and for the next ten days of the Big E, we provided Color Guard for the Governors.”

John Rioni

Thank you for your service John and to all the men that joined the U.S. Navy that day!

Local News

Oxbow Water Ski Team looks to delight crowd in Northampton

How slowing job growth is affecting local businesses

Springfield looking to secure, clean up Vibra Hospital property

Springfield to open cooling centers Sunday and Monday

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.