Meet US Marine Corps Veteran Tony Bancroft of Bradford Avenue
This Veterans Day (2024), Rye will be adding 126 names to the veterans monuments at City Hall. A new plaque naming Rye Veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan, Global War on Terror and the Cold War will be unveiled which will include the names of 50 Rye veterans. The existing WWII plaque in memory of those killed in action will be updated to include an additional 15 names. The Vietnam plaque will now include an additional 44 names. And the WWII and Korea plaques will be updated with an additional 11 names and 6 names respectively. You can review the complete list of names being added.
To honor this milestone, MyRye.com is working with American Legion Post 128 to introduce you to Rye veterans – many who will be honored on our memorials for the first time this fall. If you are a Rye veteran and would like to be profiled, please contact us or Post 128.
Today meet Bradford Avenue resident and US Marine Corps veteran Tony Bancroft.
Is your name already on the Rye memorials or is it being added this fall (2024)? Added this fall.
Rye Vet: Tony Bancroft
Where do you currently live in Rye? Bradford Avenue
MyRye.com: What branch of service were you in and what years and where did you serve?
Bancroft: USMC, 1998-2009 (Active Duty). 2009-Present (USMC Reserve)
How did you come to serve in the military?
Bancroft: Graduated from U.S. Naval Academy and was commissioned a 2nd Lt after graduation. My older brother graduated a year ahead of me at USNA and was also a Marine Pilot, flew Hueys. 6 back to back deployments (5 to IRAQ/Afghanistan). Father 1LT in Viet Nam 1967-1968. Uncle USNA Grad, Marine Officer Vietnam 1965. Great Uncle WWII Army Air Corps Bomber Pilot in South Pacific. Great Uncle WWI Army Ambulance Driver.
in 2008 at his wedding with his mom and brother. The wedding was at his wife’s family’s four season Blue Mountain Ski Resort in Georgian Bay Ontario Canada.)
at the 2006 Deployment Homecoming at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar flight line in San Diego, California with his parents and flight doctor.)
Tell us about your responsibilities when you were in the service.
Bancroft: Flew F/A-18 “Hornet”. Did a cruise on the USS Carl Vinson CVN-70. 100+ Carrier Landings. Instructor Pilot. 2nd Tour in Baghdad Iraq 2005. 3rd Deployment to Japan/Korea/WestPac.
How has your time serving in the US military influenced your views on service and the responsibility each of us has as a citizen?
Bancroft: Serving in the US Marine Corps was a privilege and highest honor. Deploying to foreign countries in support of the Global War on Terrorism taught me how precious our country is and how blessed we are to live in the United States.
Do you think military service or more general service (AmeriCorps VISTA, Peace Corps, programming modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps) should be required of young people?
Bancroft: I think all should strive and be honored to serve our country in some way and/or volunteer to support one another/those in need i.e. following the Golden Rule.
at the 2022 Navy Football Game in Annapolis, MD, with his daughter Anna.)
What are a couple of lessons you learned in the service?
Bancroft:
- A leader’s main job is to take care of his people. Officers eat last in the Marine Corps. Building a culture and “esprit de corps” is real and it matters.
- Attention to detail. Be on time. Do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, and the done right way.
- There are no short cuts in excellence. You have to do the work.
What is a story from your time in the service you enjoy telling friends and family?
Bancroft: The Marine Corps led me to the best thing that ever happened to me, meeting my beautiful wife, Andrea Canning. While deployed to Baghdad, Iraq in 2005, I met ABC news correspondent Martha Raddatz while she was traveling throughout the country working on news stories. Martha and I became friends. When I returned from deployment, she told me about her officemate at ABC News (Andrea), who she thought I should meet. I asked Andrea out on blind date, and the rest is history!
Thanks Tony!
