Tribute to new WWII Honor Roll held in Crucible
CRUCIBLE – About 200 people gathered in this Greene County village on a rainy Tuesday to remember their own with a one-of-a-kind tribute, the new Crucible World War II Honor Roll, featuring the names of 295 men and women. With Don Sapic as memorial committee chairman, as well as the support of the town and several elected officials, Crucible is now the site of the first-ever memorial wall featuring Memory Medallions.
The black granite wall includes more than 90 of the medallions, which are coin-sized microchips with downloadable information about each veteran.
The wall replaces what keynote speaker Thomas Shumaker, past commander of the American Legion’s 25th District, called “an eyesore.” The former memorial had deteriorated so badly that a neighbor had removed the honor roll list and was storing it in his garage, Shumaker said. It had even been stuck by lightning.
Heroes deserve better, Shumaker said: “We should consider those names as they appear on this granite wall as heroes.”
Yet patriotism is “not hereditary,” he said; it must be taught.
“We should never forget the contributions of our veterans, because the blood of patriots purchased the freedoms we enjoy,” he said.
State Rep. Bill DeWeese (D-Waynesburg) also spoke briefly, noting that the war was won by “10,000 little villages like Crucible that rose up and said they would fight for their freedoms.”
The wall serves as more than just a reminder, DeWeese said: “This bedazzled memorial will be a community builder. It is emblematic and tangible evidence of the grit…of so many that went before in World War II.”
Zane Mitchell, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars 24th District said the men and women listed on the wall “are worthy of a greater recognition than words or remarks. Their sacrifices and deeds shall be written in history for generations to come.”
The Memory Medallion’s inventor, Glenn Toothman III, also was in attendance. In an earlier interview, Toothman had said that he believes the Crucible Wall is the beginning of what he believes will become a trend.
“We are facilitating tribute walls across the nation,” Toothman said. “We would hope to inspire that type of opportunity… for families to build this service profile to their loved ones.”
Having the very first tribute wall located in Greene County was important to Toothman.
“I wanted to allow Crucible to be the first one out there,” he said. “It is meaningful for me to have Greene County to be the first place to implement the veterans wall.”
At one point during the hourlong ceremony, a group of about 25 grizzled WWII vets led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Umbrellas outnumbered the American flags among the crowd. However, people stayed put for the entire program, patiently waiting for the names to be read even when the drizzle became a downpour at one point.
The first name reader was Crucible resident Janice Arameish, who noted that the wall was very special to her, as 11 of her relatives’ names were inscribed on it.
The pealing of a single bell at the nearby St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church echoed each name as it was called out. The list includes 12 who were killed or listed as missing in action.
After the ceremony, representatives from Memory Medallion Inc. demonstrated the technology for the dozens of people who came up to run their fingers across the names on the wall.
Louie Palone’s name is on that wall, along with six of his cousins. He watched, fascinated, as the wand was placed over the medallion and the photo and biography appeared on the tiny handheld screen.
Though he was smiling broadly, Palone seemed embarrassed by all the fuss. His son Vince offered to speak in his behalf.
“My dad served in the Third Infantry Division in southern France as a machine gunner,” Vince Palone said proudly. “We think this wall is a very good thing.”