Tables turned as hundreds took the opportunity Monday to remember the fallen and pay tribute to those who gave their lives defending our nation during the Memorial Day service at Garfield Square, Pottsville.
It was a distinguished veteran himself, however, who offered the crowd a show of respect.
“I salute you all, because you have all remembered,” retired Army Lt. Col. Ralph N. Butera, Pottsville, said.
Butera, a 29-year military veteran, delivered the keynote address during the ceremony. He shared the importance of never forgetting.
“Each one of these heroes approached death in their own special way. Do we really know what kind of bravery gripped these veterans in their final moments? I don’t think it was physical bravery, I think it was bravery of their moral being.
“Their lives became a down payment to give others the opportunity to achieve future accomplishments ... An unselfishness to trade the gift of life for their friends and family, for the things we believe in, the morals that make us human, the ideals that make us unique and the principals that make us Americans,” he said.
Leo F. Haley, commander of Catholic War Veterans Post 1051, introduced Butera and was master of ceremonies. Eddie Matz, 1st vice commander, AMVETS Post 180, Pottsville, served as grand marshal for the day’s parade. The event also highlighted the recently installed banners from The City of Pottsville Hometown Heroes 2016 Banner Program.
Two Pottsville World War II veterans, Ed Honicker and Ralph Falls, sat near the main stage at Garfield Square observing Monday’s service.
Honicker served stateside in the Air Force from 1943 to 1946. He appreciated the recently-hung banners in the city.
“I think they’re very nice and very appropriate,” he said.
Falls, a 1944-47 Navy veteran who served in the Pacific Theater, said two of the banners near Centre and Norwegian streets are for his step-grandsons, SMSGT Dennis F. Ward and MSGT Dustin M. Ward of the Air Force.
Falls said he’s attended the city’s Memorial Day parade for years.
“I just like sitting here, watching them all,” he said.
“There should be more people here, though,” Honicker added.
Joseph Sturges and his wife, Annie, came to the event from Largo, Florida. Sturges served in the Marine Corps from 1966 to 1969. He was in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969, including during the Tet Offensive. He also served in the Gulf War after joining the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 1991, with the 109th, 55th Brigade, Scranton. Sturges served with the Guard until 2008.
“This is the first time we’re in Pottsville for this service and it’s nice,” he said. Sturges also serves as chaplain and color guard for American Legion Post 125 in Gulfport, Florida. He attends veterans events, he said, at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center in Bay Pines, Florida.
The couple initially came to Schuylkill County to visit with the Tingley family and see their granddaughter, Chase Moyer, graduate Friday from Schuylkill Haven Area High School.
As Martin Gall-Madara watched the program along with his mother, Andrea Gall-Madera, the Pottsville Area High School junior he said he planned to join the military upon graduating.
“I want to be a Marine sniper,” said Martin, 16, of Pottsville, who’s a football wide receiver for the Tide. His father is the late Brian Madara.
He said two of his relatives on his father’s side served in the Navy and Coast Guard, and his mother’s grandfather served during the Spanish-American War.
“We didn’t have anyone serving in the Marines, so I wanted to do that,” he said.
“For my grandfather, this used to be one of his favorite things to do, to ride in the cars during the parade,” Andrea Gall-Madera said of the Spanish-American War veteran, William Lindenmuth, Pottsville.
Lindenmuth passed away in the 1970s, she said, and her family has continued to attend Memorial Day events throughout the years.
“We always like to support the service people,” she said.
Pottsville Mayor James T. Muldowney welcomed those gathered and thanked them for participating.
“Today we gather to remember those men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the United States of America. This same freedom that we enjoy in this great nation is because of the dedication of military personnel who died in our wars. On this Memorial Day, our community honors their memory and their service,” he said.
He also thanked the Pottsville Joint Veterans, city council, the bands, students and teachers for making the event “a truly a memorable experience.”
Commanders and representatives from veterans organizations came forward during a roll call for the area’s deceased veterans. John Hoban read the names for AMVETS Post 180, Haley for Catholic War Veterans Post 1051, Ronald Gawley for Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 129 and William Higgins for Veterans of the Vietnam War Post 29.
Matz also oversaw the placing of the wreath at the veterans’ memorial. After a rifle salute directed by Gawley, there was the playing of taps and a commemorative balloon release by the Humphrey-Dimmerling families. Deacon John “Jack” Quirk of St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church provided the invocation and benediction.
Several students from Pottsville Area High School and Nativity BVM High School assisted throughout the ceremony, offering patriotic readings and distributing programs.
Pottsville Area vocalist Anthony Wojciechowsky sang the national anthem and also read the poem “In Flanders Field.” Tyler Cooper, Nativity BVM High School, read President Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address.”
Students were called upon to read the names of the 124 service members recognized during the 2016 Hometown Heroes Banners dedication.
Those assisting were Kaitlyn Esemaya, Adrian Datte, Cecilia DiNicola, Rebecca McCloskey and Brett Rushannon from Nativity; and Abby Murton, Mitch Robinson, Brittany Buleza, Christian Whitman and Lucy Murray from Pottsville.
“It was quite a task, but I believe it came out perfectly,” Muldowney said of the banner effort.
In November, Muldowney announced the city was going to give its residents the chance to honor veterans with banners on lamp posts. The banners, that each cost $200, measure 24 inches wide by 48 inches high. They were designed and produced by Rileighs Outdoor Decor, Bethlehem.
In addition to the mayor, those serving on the banner committee are Councilman Joseph Devine, James Humphrey Jr., William Higgins and Robert Bedford with Pottsville Joint Veterans Council, Merideth Hannan, Rebecca Trefsger and City Administrator Thomas A. Palamar.
A special thanks was extended to the Pottsville Street Department and Mattera’s Inc. for hanging and maintaining the banners.
During the 10 a.m. parade through the city, spectators had a chance to see the banners, honor veterans, see several bands — Pottsville Area High School Marching Band, Nativity BVM High School Marching Band and Pottsville Third Brigade Ban; and see multiple fire departments, community leaders, Boy Scout Troop 615 and Winter Carnival royalty.