World War II vets to lead Veterans Day parade in Charleroi
Scott Beveridge/Observer-Reporter
The World War I honor roll in the Charleroi Borough Building
Alan Benyak
CHARLEROI – A group of World War II veterans will lead Washington County’s Veterans Day parade, which will be held Saturday in downtown Charleroi.
Organizers have found nine of them, all in their 90s, to honor at a luncheon and serve as a collective marshal of the parade, which begins at 2 p.m. at Second St. and McKean Ave., said Johanna Menia, one of the organizers.
“It will be nice to give them a little special attention,” Menia said.
Charleroi attorney Alan Benyak, who served in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps in the U.S. Army, will speak at the invitation-only luncheon at American Legion Post 22 in Charleroi.
“I’m going to speak about pausing our daily, busy lives to pay tribute to veterans, everyone who served our country,” Benyak said.
About 100 units are expected to appear in the march, which will begin setting up at 1 p.m. at the site of the former high school football stadium at the east end of Second Street.
The parade will follow McKean Avenue north, make a left at Ninth Street and then take Fallowfield Avenue back to Second Street.
The World War II veterans who will be honored are Armand Lorenzi, Allan Q. Jones, Nora Villella, Joseph Picinotti, Austin Murphy, George Eckert, Andrew Uram, James Tucutich and Howard Hughes.