We're all thankful for something this holiday.
The Submarine Veterans Club in Groton is thankful for the brave men and women who sacrifice their lives for this country. Which is why they wanted to make sure they had a home cooked thanksgiving meal.
Almost 200 fried turkeys, 500 pounds of potatoes and 200 pounds of squash all made the menu. It’s needed when cooking for 1,300 people.
The Submarine Veterans Club, along with dozens of volunteers made sure sailors, other servicemen, almost all police departments in New London County, firefighters, paramedics and home bound veterans were fed this Thanksgiving.
Volunteers delivered about 700 meals in the morning, and then doled out another 100 in the afternoon, according to Base Commander Jeff Walsh with the Submarine Veterans Club.
The rest of the food was served family-style at the Sub Vets Club in Groton.
"I spent Thanksgiving in my barracks. And that was my first holiday away from home. So that's why I do this,” Walsh said.
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He described the scene as a sense of brotherhood and family.
"That's what the submarine force does. We take care of each other. You got to remember when you're underway on a submarine with 120 other folks, you become a family,” Ret. Master Chief Kevin Chrisman, U.S. Navy, who spent the day deep frying turkeys.
It’s Seaman Noah Kvochick's, U.S. Navy, first thanksgiving away from home. He’s from Ohio.
"Even if you're not in the fleet for five years, even if we just came in like we did, we're still part of their family and they welcome us to their table,” Kvochick said.
Seaman Anthony Brancato, U.S. Navy, has just one week left in the Navy. He’s thankful for moments like this – since he’s away from his family in Los Angeles.
"It's really kind of heartwarming to me because I missed three Thanksgivings. The first two I was out at sea, I was deployed,” he said.
Others are just thankful to be with family.
Mark Moser, 10, traveled from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to see his cousin.
"It means a lot to me because I get to reconnect with him because he's in the Navy, so I don't see him that much,” Moser said.
