Honoring the Fallen: Local American Legions, VFW posts host Memorial Day services
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Dennis Bailey, member of American Legion Post 175 Honor Guard, delivers remarks at Washington Cemetery Monday morning. Bailey said it was appropriate to gather around the Civil War monument because Memorial Day dates back to the Civil War.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
American Legion Post 175 Gold Star Mother May Brock, right, lays a wreath at the Civil War monument in Washington Cemetery Monday morning. Brock, 95, escorted by Margaret Hildebrand, lost her son Glenn Smith when he was just 19 and serving in the Army during the Korean War.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Margaret Hildebrand, president of auxiliary unit 175, and Gold Star Mother May Brock, right, pay respects after laying the wreath during a Memorial Day service in Washington Cemetery.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Shots ring in the air as American Legion Post 175 performs the 21 gun salute in Washington Cemetery Monday morning. The legion hosted a service around the Civil War monument before performing a wreath laying ceremony at the county courthouse.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
American Legion Post 175 Commander Ken Randolph concludes the Memorial Day service in Washington Ceremony before a large crowd. The ceremony included a keynote speech by honor guard member Dennis Bailey, a wreath laying by Gold Star Mother May Brock, a 21 gun salute and the playing of military Taps.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Gold Star Mother May Brock, left, and her escort, auxiliary unit 175 president Margaret Hildebrand, celebrate Memorial Day with locals and the American Legion Post 175 in Washington Cemetery. Brock was honored to lay the wreath at the base of the Civil War monument.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
The Washington County Courthouse needs a new courtroom because the Court of Common Please expanded to seven judges in 2019.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
A small crowd joins the Slovan Veterans of Foreign Wars, Burgettstown American Legion and Boy Scout Troop 1396 for a Memorial Day service outside the legion Monday morning. The Sloval VFW hosted services throughout the area, beginning with a ceremony at Chestnut Ridge Cemetery.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 927 joined the American Legion Post 175 outside the Washington County Courthouse Monday morning for a Memorial Day ceremony, complete with a 21 gun salute and playing of military taps. Edwina Komen, past department president of the American Legion Auxiliary of PA; Linda Scott; Louise Neison, VFW senior vice president and Bonnie Barlow, auxiliary president, had the honor of laying the wreaths.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
A wreath laying ceremony outside the Burgettstown American Legion was followed by a 21 gun salute and live playing of military Taps Monday morning, as part of Memorial Day services hosted jointly by the legion and Slovan Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Following a wreath laying, the Slovan VFW performs a gun salute outside the Burgettstown American Legion. The service concluded a morning of Memorial Day ceremonies throughout the area.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Following a wreath laying, the Slovan VFW performs a gun salute outside the Burgettstown American Legion. The service concluded a morning of Memorial Day ceremonies throughout the area.
Katherine Mansfield
William Gavazzi, junior vice president of Slovan Veterans of Foreign Wars, plays the military Taps following a 21 gun salute outside the Burgettstown American Legion Monday morning. A small crowd stood, hands over hearts, as Gavazzi’s song carried on a hot summer breeze.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Members of the public joined the Slovan Veterans of Foreign Wars, Boy Scout Troop 1396 and the Burgettstown American Legion for a Memorial Day service outside the legion Monday morning. The Slovan VFW hosted several services throughout the area, finishing at the beautifully-decorated legion.
The sound of military Taps hung on the air Monday morning as American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts held ceremonies throughout Washington and Greene counties in honor of the fallen.
“Western PA has a rich and proud military heritage,” said Dennis Bailey, a member of Post 175’s Honor Guard, before a crowd gathered around the Civil War monument in Washington Cemetery. “(Memorial Day) has always been a time to honor and remember fallen heroes. It is our duty, it is our responsibility, never to forget these brave men and women of the U.S. military.”
Bailey said Memorial Day dates back to the Civil War. Services like those held around southwestern Pennsylvania pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend America’s freedoms, he said.
Following Bailey’s remarks, May Brock, 95, of Washington, laid a wreath at the monument’s base.
“People should come to honor veterans. It’s a shame that they forget … our sons and daughters we lost,” said Brock, a Gold Star Mother whose son, Glenn Smith, was killed during the Korean War. Smith was 19.
From the cemetery, Post 175 and a small crowd caravanned to the Washington County Courthouse, where post commander Ken Randolph presided over a solemn wreath-laying by members of the legion and of VFW Post 972. A second gun salute rang through downtown’s empty streets.
“As a final sign of respect,” Randolph said, “we would like to honor all veterans of all wars.”
The Slovan VFW honored veterans of all wars Monday, leading Memorial Day ceremonies at several sites beginning with a service at Chestnut Ridge Cemetery. The morning ended at the Burgettstown American Legion, where folks gathered across the street from the decorated legion to watch a wreath laying, a gun salute and listen to a live rendition of military Taps by VFW junior vice president William Gavazzi.
“I come from a veterans family,” Sue Bender, of Burgettstown, said with pride. “My husband, two sons and grandson. We went to every (ceremony) this year.”
Bender’s husband passed 11 years ago; she was joined at Memorial Day services by her partner, Ronald Maltony, and his brother Robert, a 92-year-old Korean Army veteran.
“These services honor all the people that didn’t make it. I wish they were here,” Robert Maltony, a member of the Burgettstown American Legion, said. His granddaughter, Alycia Maltony, and her father also attended all ceremonies hosted by the Slovan VFW.
“I’m in the auxiliary because of him,” Alycia Maltony said, pointing to her grandpa.
Alycia said the crowds gathered Monday were some of the largest she has seen in the past five years.
“We were talking to people. People mentioned because of the pandemic and because of the current atmosphere, they were inspired to get out and show appreciation.”