LEOMINSTER — One man’s discovery of a soldier’s history brought him on an enlightening journey that led to unearthing an extraordinary story of bravery, patriotism, and eventually, the ultimate sacrifice. The telegram notifying Tim Delano’s family that he had been killed in action in Vietnam on Nov. 26, 1968.
(COURTESY YMCA CAMP TAKODAH) When YMCA Camp Takodah Historian Graeme Noseworthy came across Darwin J. “Tim” Delano’s name in the archives at the New Hampshire spot, he made it his mission to learn all he could about the young man who was killed in the Vietnam War in 1968. “He is the only Vietnam vet mentioned in our records that was killed in action in the war,” Noseworthy said.
“I was in the middle of another totally unrelated historical research project – believe it not, it was about the history of plumbing at our camp – when I came across a brief mention of Tim deep within the records. I was intrigued as I had never heard the name and there was no other mention of him. It all started from that moment.
” The longtime Leominster resident and others have spent the greater part of the past year pulling Delano’s story together, which he calls “a truly remarkable tale.” “It has taken a team effort working with his family, veterans who served in the same company, the National Archives, and beyond,” Noseworthy said of the large-scale endeavor, adding that they “have amassed a substantial library of photos and documents” pertaining to the.
