Waynesburg bids farewell to Kosovo-bound Company C members
WAYNESBURG-As American flags whipped in the late winter wind on Tuesday, Greene County said so long and thanks to the 100 members of Company C, who leave for boot camp on Thursday. At least 300 people attended the farewell ceremony held on the courthouse steps before the men of Company C, who stood in formation on Main Street.
Company C 1/110th Infantry Mechanized will head out this week for Fort Stewart, Ga., and is expected to be deployed in June to Kosovo to join NATO peacekeeping efforts there.
Of the 100 men in the unit, 60 are from Greene County. The unit mans and maintains the Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV).
Commanding officer Capt. Troy Admunson noted yesterday that the Waynesburg unit’s last overseas deployment was during the Korean War. He thanked the Waynesburg Area Chamber of Commerce for sponsoring the ceremony and expressed appreciation to community members for their support of Company C, adding, “It really does our hearts a lot of good and helps us set in our mind what were here to do.”
Commissioner Dave Coder pointed out that the Veterans’ Affairs Office is available to help soldiers and their families. Regarding the deployment to Kosovo, Coder said, “You’re there for us, and we’ll be here for you.”
Susan Stoy, representing state Rep. H. William DeWeese (D-Waynesburg), presented the unit with a photo of Company C, which she said will be temporarily on display at First Federal Bank before it is permanently housed at the Waynesburg armory.
Sharon Thomas brought greetings from state Sen. Barry Stout (D-Bentleyville), noting that his duties in Harrisburg kept him from attending yesterday’s ceremony.
However, she said Stout is convinced that “what is happening in Harrisburg today takes a backseat to what is happening in Waynesburg today….If it weren’t for all you men and women who wear uniforms, people couldn’t brag about living in the freest democracy in the world.”
Mark Critz of U.S. Sen. John Murtha’s office, quoted a speech given by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1941, entitled, “What is an American?”
“An American loves justice,” Critz said. “An American believes in the dignity of man. An American will fight for freedom.”
The Rev. Dr. Richard Visser offered an invocation, asking God to protect the “peacekeepers” of Company C and to “be near to their dear ones, young and old.
“We know that separation is part of the call of our nation to preserve our freedoms and bring freedom to others.”
The Pennsylvania 140th Volunteers, American Legion members, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars presented the color guard.
Also participating yesterday was the Bella Voce Children’s Choir, under the direction of Angela Smith, who sang the National Anthem. Tome Custer sang “America the Beautiful.”
The ceremony ended with a rendition of “God Bless the U.S.A” sung by Bobby Cowell, whose voice rang out as an enormous flag whipped in front of him.
The chamber had asked all downtown business operators to decorate their storefronts. The sunny day enhanced many points of red, white, and blue in the windows, which could be seen all over town.