Porreca remembered for devotion to music and fellow veterans
Pete Porreca, a musician who played for five U.S. presidents as well as hundreds of area weddings and funerals for fellow veterans to whom he was dedicated, was a man devoted to music.
“Music was his life,” said Paula Murray, youngest daughter of the Uniontown man who died at home on April 16 at age 92.
Porreca, who was born Feb. 4, 1924, in Wilpen, one of four children of the late Adriano and Ida Porreca, taught himself to play the trumpet.
“My grandfather wanted all the children to play music. He bought my uncle (the late Renaldo Porreca) a trumpet and my dad a violin. But my dad wanted to play the trumpet so he’d steal my uncle’s and blow it into a pillow so no one would hear,” Murray said.
Eventually, Porreca took lessons in school and played in the band at Redstone Township High School from which he graduated in 1941.
Porreca was working in the coal mines when he was drafted into World War II, serving the Army as a member of the 702nd Tank Destroyer Battalion in Europe where he was in the Battle of the Bulge, the last major Nazi offense against the Allies and one of the deadliest battles Americans ever fought.
“He was 17 when he was drafted and he was a bugler,” said Murray, noting her father played morning call and taps for the troops. “He fought under Patton. My father had a lead foot. He said it was because he drove the tanks.”
After the war, Porreca continued to make a mark on his community as a life member of VFW Post 47 in Uniontown where he served many terms as commander.
“I want to say it was 22 terms — we lost count,” said Murray. “When [the post] closed, his health started declining. He went to the VFW every morning at seven o’clock.”
Porreca was dedicated to veterans as much as he was to music. He was also a life member of the American Legion and a member of AMVETS.
“He played taps at hundreds of funerals. And every Memorial Day, he did services — at Oak Grove Cemetery in Uniontown, the Doughboy (the World War I statute at Uniontown’s Five Corners and Sylvan Heights (in North Union Township),” Murray said. “I don’t know if it was because my grandfather was in World War I or his own time in the service, but two days after he came home from the war, he joined the VFW.”
Porreca served as president of the VFW National Band for more than 50 years, playing for five U.S. presidents at national conventions.
“It was the biggest honor for him,” said Murray.
Porreca was also involved in local orchestras, playing at hundreds of weddings.
“He loved the Big Band sound,” noted Murray, referring to music of the 1930s and 1940s made famous by bands such as Glenn Miller and the Dorsey brothers.
Porreca played Big Band music as a member of the Joe Silvio Orchestra and as owner of Barry Blue Orchestra. He also played polka music as owner of the Melody Aces band.
Porreca was also secretary/treasurer of the Uniontown Musicians Union Local 596 since 1963 and was presented with a plaque from the American Federation of Musicians last year for his years of service.
Murray said her father practiced the trumpet everyday.
“Even when we were on vacation — he played in the hotel with a pillow over it,” she said. “Holidays, vacations, it didn’t matter.”
Murray noted that Porreca was also devoted to his family, including his wife, Leona May (Stafford) Porreca, their combined 11 children, 34 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
He shared his love of music with them, getting out his trumpet to play for Christmas and all birthdays. He taught Murray to play and she said “He was so proud” to see her son Aaron Clister join the Air Force and play in the Air Force Band.
Porreca worked 19 years for the H.C. Frick and County Home mines before retiring from E.W. Bowman where he served as president of the United Steelworkers for 24 years.
Murray said, “He took three trips every year for conventions. In August, it was the VFW. In June, the Musicians. And in September, it was the Steelworkers.”
In his last years, Porreca’s health declined but he still enjoyed talking about the war and music, Murray said.
And, according to his wishes, Porreca was buried with his trumpet. His fellow veterans provided him with full military rites and honors, including two buglers to play taps.