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‘We Can Do It:’ Fayette County’s stories on display with WWII traveling exhibit

By Frances Borsodi Zajac fzajac@heraldstandard.Com 6 min read
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Christine Buckelew, president of the Fayette County Historical Society, leafs through a display of letters sent to James A. Gault, principal at German Township High School, from his students who were serving in World War II as part of a new exhibition called "We Can Do It!'' being presented by Fayette County Historical Society in partnership with the Heinz History Center at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township. The historical society created a show of Fayette County stories as a companion for the traveling exhibition about Western Pennsylvania's impact on World War II.

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Fayette County Historical Society is partnering with Heinz History Center to present a traveling exhibition about Western Pennsylvania's impact on World War II called "We Can Do It!'' that is running from noon to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday through May 20 and by special appointment at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township. The historical society created a companion show that tells Fayette County stories.

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Frances Borsodi Zajac|Herald-Standard

Josie Stewart, 5, and Joyce Stewart pay honor to Rosie the Riveter, an iconic World War II image, as they sit in a recreated 1940s living room as part of a new exhibition called “We Can Do It!’’ being presented by Fayette County Historical Society in partnership with Heinz History Center at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township. The historical society created a show of Fayette County stories as a companion for the traveling exhibition about Western Pennsylvania’s impact on World War II.

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Uniontown native General George C. Marshall, who served the nation as Army Chief of Staff during World War II, is portrayed through a lifelike figure as part of a new exhibition called "We Can Do It!'' being presented by Fayette County Historical Society in partnership with the Heinz History Center at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township. The historical society created a show of Fayette County stories as a companion for the traveling exhibition about Western Pennsylvania's impact on World War II.

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Vince Karolewics, a member of the board of directors for the Fayette County Historical Society, looks over memorabilia about Lisa Lott Pollak Burger, who came to Uniontown at age 14 after escaping Nazi-Occupied Austria. The display is as part of a new exhibition called "We Can Do It!'' being presented by Fayette County Historical Society in partnership with the Heinz History Center at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township. The historical society created a show of Fayette County stories as a companion for the traveling exhibition about Western Pennsylvania's impact on World War II.

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This issue of The Evening Standard, a forerunner to the Herald-Standard, announces "Victory'' at the end of fighting in Europe during World War II as part of a new exhibition called "We Can Do It!'' being presented by Fayette County Historical Society in partnership with the Heinz History Center at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township. The historical society created a show of Fayette County stories as a companion for the traveling exhibition about Western Pennsylvania's impact on World War II.

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Coal mining artifacts help explain the importance of this industry during World War II as part of a new exhibition called "We Can Do It!'' being presented by Fayette County Historical Society in partnership with the Heinz History Center at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township. The historical society created a show of Fayette County stories as a companion for the traveling exhibition about Western Pennsylvania's impact on World War II.

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This pair of sunglasses is one of several products the former Houze Glass of Point Marion made for the Navy during World War II, shown as part of a new exhibition called "We Can Do It!'' being presented by Fayette County Historical Society in partnership with the Heinz History Center at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township. The historical society created a show of Fayette County stories as a companion for the traveling exhibition about Western Pennsylvania's impact on World War II.

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Christine Buckelew, president of the Fayette County Historical Society, shows off a piece of art made from ammunition shells by World War II soldiers as part of a new exhibition called "We Can Do It!'' being presented by Fayette County Historical Society in partnership with the Heinz History Center at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township. The historical society created a show of Fayette County stories as a companion for the traveling exhibition about Western Pennsylvania's impact on World War II.

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Vince Karolewics, board member of the Fayette County Historical Society, shows off a helmet with markings of AMVETS Post 103 from Hopwood as part of a new exhibition called "We Can Do It!'' being presented by Fayette County Historical Society in partnership with the Heinz History Center at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township. The historical society created a show of Fayette County stories as a companion for the traveling exhibition about Western Pennsylvania's impact on World War II.

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Victory Gardens were one way local residents showed support during World War II. This display is part of a new exhibition called "We Can Do It!'' being presented by Fayette County Historical Society in partnership with the Heinz History Center at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township. The historical society created a show of Fayette County stories as a companion for the traveling exhibition about Western Pennsylvania's impact on World War II.

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This uniform, worn by Andrew Kapila of New Salem, is part of a new exhibition called "We Can Do It!'' being presented by Fayette County Historical Society in partnership with the Heinz History Center at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township. The historical society created a show of Fayette County stories as a companion for the traveling exhibition about Western Pennsylvania's impact on World War II.

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This poster that features Joseph Vicites, of Uniontown, who served during World War II and went on to become national commander-in-chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars is one of many about local residents as part of a new exhibition called "We Can Do It!'' being presented by Fayette County Historical Society in partnership with the Heinz History Center at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township. The historical society created a show of Fayette County stories as a companion for the traveling exhibition about Western Pennsylvania's impact on World War II.

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These medals, a Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal, were awarded to 1st Lt. Joseph Conrad Krysak, who was born in New Geneva and later moved to Masontown. Krysak served with the Army Air Corps and later the Air Force. He was stationed in the Pacific during World War II. These and other medals are part of a new exhibition called "We Can Do It!'' being presented by Fayette County Historical Society in partnership with the Heinz History Center at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township. The historical society created a show of Fayette County stories as a companion for the traveling exhibition about Western Pennsylvania's impact on World War II.

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This camp scene, composed of World War II artifacts, was created by Dennis Balas, Mary Tickner, Tom and Chris Buckelew, Vince Karolewics and Newton Berdine, members and friends of the Fayette County Historical Society as part of a new exhibition called "We Can Do It!'' being presented by Fayette County Historical Society in partnership with the Heinz History Center at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township. The historical society created a show of Fayette County stories as a companion for the traveling exhibition about Western Pennsylvania's impact on World War II.

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The Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township is the site for a new exhibition called "We Can Do It!'' being presented by Fayette County Historical Society in partnership with the Heinz History Center. The historical society created a show of Fayette County stories as a companion for the traveling exhibition about Western Pennsylvania's impact on World War II.

General George C. Marshall is perhaps the most famous of Fayette County natives.

Born in Uniontown, Marshall became U.S. Army Chief of Staff on Sept. 1, 1939, the day Germany invaded Poland to start World War II. He is still admired for his leadership during the war and later received the Nobel Peace Prize for creating the Marshall Plan as Secretary of State to revitalize Europe’s post-war economy.

His is one of many Fayette County stories told in a new exhibition about World War II.

The Fayette County Historical Society is partnering with Pittsburgh’s Heinz History Center to present a traveling exhibition called “We Can Do It!” that showcases Western Pennsylvania’s impact on World War II. While Fayette County is part of this exhibition, the historical society created a companion show that tells more Fayette County stories.

The exhibition is open noon to 4 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday through May 20 and by special arrangement at the Abel Colley Tavern, 7083 National Pike, Route 40, in Menallen Township. Admission is $5, adults; $3, students; and free to children 12 and younger. The historical society is making the exhibit free to school field trips.

First shown 2015-16 at the Pittsburgh museum and now on tour throughout the region, “We Can Do It!” is displayed on the tavern’s first floor and offers an opportunity to learn about the development of the Jeep, Rosie, the Riveter and local Tuskegee Airmen.

The exhibit features lifelike figures, including Marshall in contemplation at his desk.

Marshall’s story is also told on the tavern’s second floor with the exhibit of Fayette County’s war connections.

“We were asked by the Heinz History Center to tell the story of the war front, home front and industry,” explained Christine Buckelew, historical society president.

She noted, “There’s so much to see here. People who have seen it say I need to come back.”

The display begins with a scene from a typical 1940s living room that includes a sofa decorated with doilies, tables featuring photographs of men and women in uniform as well as President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and a radio that shows how Americans received the latest news and entertainment.

Visitors then step into the main room, which contains uniforms, medals, letters and artifacts from local industry. They include pieces from the former Houze Glass of Point Marion, which manufactured products for the Navy, as well as coal mining equipment, a reminder of how local industry supported the war effort.

Most interesting are the many posters, researched by Buckelew and designed by historical society member Joyce Stewart, that highlight local residents.

Some of the stories include:

Alfred L. Wilson, of Fairchance, served as a medic in the 328th Infantry Regiment and died in France in November 1944 while saving others injured in battle. Wilson was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Michael Roskovich of Fayette City, a daredevil who was a member of the 423rd Bomber Squadron, 306 Bomber Group, became the first in the European Theater to complete his required missions, finishing with 32. He died in an accidental plane crash over Scotland and was interred at the Cambridge-American Cemetery in London. His medals included the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart.

Henry Dantzler of German Township saw action in three battles, including the Battle of the Bulge, with the 1168 Engineer Dump Truck Company attached to the 1142 Engineers Combat Group. He was a member of the Red Ball Express, a famed truck convoy system, that became part of the Monuments Men who recovered stolen art and artifacts. Dantzler also transported prisoners from concentration camps to hospitals and hauled Germans to the camps to dig mass graves for murdered prisoners.

Joseph Vicites, of Uniontown, was assigned to an anti-aircraft unit attached to the 84th Division in Europe. After the war, Vicites continued to serve as commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 47 in Uniontown and commander-in-chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.

Grace Ditto was a Uniontown native living in Chicago when she joined the Army Nurse Corps and was sent to Europe. Ditto was on leave from an Army hospital near Cherbourg in April 1945 when the staff car she and two other nurses were riding in was struck by bullets. Ditto died in an Army hospital.

Florence “Shutsy” Reynolds of Connellsville became the first Fayette County woman to earn a pilot’s license. She served as a Women Airforce Service Pilot and later with the Air Force Reserves.

Joseph Conrad Krysak, who was born in New Geneva and later moved to Masontown, served with the Army Air Corps and then the Air Force. He was stationed in the Pacific during World War II and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal.

Edgar and Robert Nygren, brothers from of Dunbar Township, served in the Army Air Corps and died in 1942 in a plane crash in Nevada that also killed actress Carole Lombard, who had been on a war bond drive. Her husband, actor Clark Gable, wrote to the Nygrens’ father.

The show contains many other stories of servicemen and servicewomen, as well as some unexpected connections:

Lisa Lott Pollak Burger, escaped to America at age 14 after the Nazis occupied her native Austria and life became dangerous for Jews. Burger graduated Uniontown High School, married and raised a family. She was a teacher and an active member of the Jewish Community Center and Tree of Life Synagogue.

St. Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish priest who died at Auschwitz after volunteering to take the place of Francis Gajowniczek, one of 10 Polish soldiers singled out to die in reprisal for the escape of a prisoner. After Kolbe was canonized in 1982, St. Thomas Roman Catholic Church in Footedale, now part of St. Francis of Assisi Parish of Western Fayette County, erected a shrine in his honor under the guidance of its pastor, the Rev. Sebastian Pajdik, a survivor of the Nazi occupation of Poland. Gajowniczek , who spent years giving witness to Kolbe, made a pilgrimage to the Footedale shrine in 1984.

Other pieces include information on Victory Gardens, art made by soldiers, flags and a May 1945 edition of The Evening Standard, forerunner to the Herald-Standard, proclaiming the end of the War in Europe.

“We Can Do It!” is sponsored by The Eberly Foundation, Erie Insurance and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

The historical society noted local groups also honoring WWII with exhibits and activities, include Fayette County Cultural Trust’s Connellsville Canteen, Melega Art Museum in Brownsville, Phoenix Arts Center in Uniontown, Smock Historical Society, Uniontown Art Club, Uniontown Public Library and East End United Community Center in Uniontown.

Visit www.fayettehistoricalsociety.org for more information.

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