Car, Bibles Stolen From WWII Vet in Windsor

A WWII veteran and widower is asking for the thief who stole his car and Bible to bring them back.

Paul Cassarino is part of the "Greatest Generation.” At 22-years-old, he served in WWII with the 447th Bomb Group of the 8th Army Air Corps.

"I flew 30 bombing missions over Germany," said Cassarino.

Then in 1945, he says he married the most beautiful woman he's ever known. Phyllis took his breath away for the next 69 years.

"Dementia took over for her and eventually she just passed away without any pain. Just like she went to sleep," said Cassarino.

In the last three years he lost his wife and his daughter. Cassarino says he visits Phyllis' grave twice a day and reads her passages from their Bible.

"I tell her how beautiful she is. I love her. How I miss her. How I always miss her," said Cassarino.

While getting ready to visit his wife's grave two weeks ago, the 94-year-old says someone went into his open garage on Farmstead Lane in Windsor, found a set of spare keys on a hook, and took his car along with everything inside it.

"That car means everything to me," said Cassarino.

Since the veteran's car was stolen, his son drives him around, but Cassarino can't go to the cemetery as often as before. And the items that were inside the car, including three Bibles, mean a lot to him.

To try and get it all back, Cassarino wrote a letter to the person responsible:

"This is an open letter to the person who stole my 2001 Mercury Sable station wagon from my garage ....

"My car is my survival for transportation to empty trash at the landfill, to go to the grocery store, go to my church, and to go to the cemetery every day to visit, talk and read the Bible to my late wife. In my car were my Bibles that my wife and I read together and that I would take to the cemetery to read to her; my tools that I have had for over 50 years; my personal belongings and other memorabilia that is priceless to me. My English version daily reader of the Vulgate Bible New Testament was especially dear to her and me. I read it to her every day when we were together and took it every day to the cemetery to read to her."

"I appeal to you to return my car together with its contents of my walker, tools, glasses, sun glasses, umbrella and 3 bibles. Please."

Cassarino hopes his plea reaches the person who took them and that everything is brought back.

"Whoever you are, that was a very cruel thing that you've done," Cassarino said.

Cassarino's silver 2001 Mercury Sable station wagon had a license plate of 816 RHP.

He says he's having a particularly hard time finding a replacement for his Vulgate Bible.

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call Windsor police.

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