Roy Caldwood Honoured at HLSCC Tonight
Roy J. Caldwood, a 103-year-old World War II veteran and one of the last surviving members of the 92nd Infantry Division—known as the Buffalo Soldiers—will be publicly honoured this evening at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College. The event, hosted by his family with support from local organisations, will include tributes and reflections on his life and service.
Caldwood, a 103-year-old Virgin Islands native and one of the last surviving Buffalo Soldiers of World War II, will be publicly honoured this evening at 6:00 PM at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) Learning Resource Centre. Caldwood served in the 92nd Infantry Division of the United States Army during World War II.
The division was comprised entirely of African American soldiers and has come to be associated with the historic nickname "Buffalo Soldiers," a term originally used for 19th-century African-American cavalrymen. His story is preserved in national collections, including the National WWII Museum and the West Point Center for Oral History, and resonates culturally through references such as Bob Marley’s song "Buffalo Soldier." The evening is being organised by Mr.
Caldwood’s family with support from the Miss World BVI Committee, the Virgin Islands Studies Institute at HLSCC, and the Jost van Dyke Advancement Team. According to a press release from the Miss World BVI Committee, "This will be the first time he is being publicly honoured here at home, and we’re thankful to finally have this moment to show our appreciation." The committee said the programme will feature tributes and reflections on Caldwood’s life of "courage, discipline, and Virgin Islands pride." For residents of the British Virgin Islands, the event is a rare opportunity to connect with a living link to both local and global history.
Many from the Territory have served in U.S. and allied forces over generations; recognising veterans like Caldwood underscores the community’s longstanding contributions and the sacrifices made by Virgin Islanders abroad. The HLSCC venue, home to the Virgin Islands Studies Institute, provides a fitting setting for education and remembrance.
Organisers say attendees can expect a program of speeches, personal reflections and tributes to Caldwood’s service and life. While this evening’s gathering honours his military service, it also aims to celebrate his personal story and the wider legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers within American and Virgin Islands history.
Those planning to attend should arrive at the HLSCC Learning Resource Centre ahead of the 6:00 PM start time. Caldwood offers the BVI community a moment to salute a centenarian veteran whose life bridges wartime service and island pride, and to preserve those memories for future generations.
Primary source: VINO