Craig R. Dunna

Craig R. Dunna, 78, of Milford, a veteran of the horrific Battle of Ia Drang Valley in 1965, the first major fight between U.S. and North Vietnamese forces, died on May 27 at Yale New Haven Hospital after a years-long battle with cancer.

Craig was born in Bridgeport on March 8, 1945, to Frank and Alice Blair Dunna and graduated from Stratford High School, where he played football, in 1963. He soon, as he said, was “humping artillery shells” in the Ia Drang, a battle depicted in the 2002 Mel Gibson movie, “We Were Soldiers.” Like many of the 1st Cavalry Division soldiers he fought with, he was barely out of high school. Fifty-eight years later, he was still proudly telling its stories.

He is survived by his still-smitten wife of almost 55 years, Diana, for whose late father, Jimmy Schembari, he long worked at the Beach Dry Cleaners in Milford; his beloved sister, Laurie Dunna Lomartere of South Carolina; his coffee buddy mother-in-law, Mary of Milford; her son, Jim, and his wife, Christine Negroni of Old Greenwich; niece Marian Schembari, her husband, Elliot Speed, and daughter, June Schembari of Oregon; nephew Antonio Schembari and his wife, Dr. Jenae Linville of New York; nephew Samuel Schembari of Michigan; nephew Joseph Schembari of Michigan; a godson, Richard Cable of Orange; and more friends he made laugh than his widow could afford to list in a pay-by-the inch death notice. He was one good guy.

For years, Craig got Mary’s pool ready for her summer family gatherings. Today she wants to tearfully announce that everyone should leave their towels at home. The pool is now closed.

Per Craig’s wishes, all services will be private. Those wanting to make a donation in his memory may do so to the Ia Drang Scholarship, at 1st Cavalry Division Association, 302 N. Main St., Copperas Cove, Texas 76522.

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