News

February 24, 2008

20 years of honoring area Vietnam vets

Ceremony at the Luzerne County Vietnam Veterans Memorial drew a crowd.

JANINE UNGVARSKY Times Leader Correspondent

WILKES-BARRE – Eleven thousand residents of Luzerne County served in the military during the Vietnam War era. On Saturday night, about 60 people braved the cold and ankle deep snow to remember them.

“This evening, we’re here to remember those who served and those who gave their all,” said Vietnam veteran Neno Sartini, who served as master of ceremonies for a service to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Luzerne County Vietnam Veterans Memorial. “We served our country, we served our country, we served our fellow man.

In a small clearing shoveled on the south lawn of the county courthouse, Sartini and fellow veterans stood in front of the monument – an eight and a half foot tall soldier brandishing a broken knife topping a stone base inscribed with the names of 83 county residents who were killed or are classified as prisoners of war or missing in action. “We’re here tonight to tell them we haven’t forgotten,” Sartini said, noting it was especially important not to forget the six who haven’t come home. “We still have POWs and MIAs,” Sartini said. “We have to account for all of them.”

The group was addressed by U.S. Congressman Paul Kanjorski and Pa. state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, 121st District, as well as Vietnam veteran and memorial committee chairman Robert Tomasetti. The ceremony included the laying of a red, white and blue wreath and an arrangement of red and yellow carnations with black ribbons saying “P.O.W.” and “M.I.A.” Hanover Township resident Mike Truszkowski, who volunteers his services as a bugler throughout the area, played taps.

Even as they prayed for their own fallen comrades, Sartini and Tomasetti both took time to urge those present not to forget those in the military today. “There is a war going on. Regardless of how you feel about the war, we have to remember, those are our brothers,” Sartini said. “We are taught in the military to take care of each other.”

As the crowd gathered, veterans wearing hats and jackets displaying their service units exchanged handshakes, hugs and back thumps, sharing the camaraderie of brothers in arms. But some took time for a silent moment by the statue, placing lit candles or running bare fingers over one of the 83 names etched in the cold stone base. One man removed his hat, knelt next to the statue and bowed his head. He touched the base gently over one name. “Richard Cummings. I grew up with him. We were playmates as kids. We were friends all the way up to the military,” said Trucksville resident and veteran Lee Baker after his private moment by the memorial. “He didn’t last a month in country. Every time I come down here, I say a prayer.

ON THE WEB

IN MEMORY

Go to www.timesleader.com for more photos

The following 83 names are inscribed on the Luzerne County Vietnam Veterans Memorial, representing those county residents who died, were captured or are missing as a result of the Vietnam War:

George B. Ayers

Richard C. Balukonis

Francis D. Battista

Leonard T. Bish

Joseph J. Borish

Robert K. Brice

Michael P. Brown

William E. Brunn

Ronald J.Chapman

Joseph J. Chisko

Michael J. Clifford

Sterling K. Coates

John F. Conlon, III

Donald E. Crane

Richard M. Cummings

Raymond M. Dasilva Jr.

Edward A. Dickson*

John T. Dixon

Charles E. Dyke

John J. Edwards

Richard Evancho*

Edward P. Ference

Glenn T. Fey

Donald G. Fisher*

Dale R. Forsythe

Frank A. Glowiak

Harry K. Harris, Jr.

Patrick Herron

Stanley B. Hojnowski

Robert W. Homschek

Charles G. Hughes

William R. Kause

George J. Kendra

Thomas W. Kloran

John R. Kreidler

John V. Kuchta

David Lee

Nate F. Lee

William F. LeGrande

John E. Lunch

Alfred McCullough

Lawrence J. McRae

Boyd E. Morrow

Maurice W. Mosher

Walter M. Novak

Gary L. Owens

Chester D. Paull

Robert R. Perrins

Edison R. Phillips

Raymond N. Plesh

Michael Preslipski, Jr.

Michael J. Purcell

Peter S. Reinhart

Larry M. Rodgers

Louis V. Romanelli

Daniel R. Romanko

Richard M. Rovinsky

Zane L. Rupert

Bernard F. Rupinski*

Richard R. Rynkiewicz

Wayne G. Schwartz

Donald W. Sentman

Raymond J. Shiko

Frank J. Shovlin

Joseph M. Sinkewicz

Leonard F. Skoniecki Jr.

Edmund Skunda

Ralph E. Smith

Robert N. Smith*

Edward J. Stankevich

Thomas D. Steele

John E. Straub

Charles N. Treddinnick

Ronald M. Urbanski

Francis J. Valkos

Daniel S. Walko

Daniel A. Witko

Thomas A. Williams

Wayne B. Wolfkeil*

Gerald Woods

Thomas H. Zaremba

Francis Zavacki

*denotes POW, MIA

Tweet	Follow @TLnews