Guardsmen to speak at 9/11 ceremony in Connellsville
CONNELLSVILLE – Two local Pennsylvania Army National Guardsmen will be the keynote speakers Monday as Connellsville marks the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. National Guard Capt. Tom Guthrie and Staff Sgt. Scot Sage, both with the Connellsville Township based Co. B, 1st Battalion, 103rd Armor unit, are veterans of the war in Iraq.
The unit deployed 63 soldiers in 2004 to the northern part of Salah Ad Din Province where the soldiers performed patrol, convoy and other security operations for a year.
Guthrie served as scout platoon leader while in Iraq and now is the company commander. Sage, a truck commander in Iraq, now is a training officer for the unit. Both men have been awarded the Combat Action Badge.
The Public Broadcast System and the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C., recognized Sage in May for his bravery while serving in Iraq.
On April 7, 2005, five armored Humvees carrying the unit were about to enter the base camp near Ash Sharqat, Iraq, when a car bomb exploded and caused severe damage to a vehicle being driven by Spec. Tim Boots, a member of the 1/103rd.
Sage and other unit soldiers removed Boot, Staff Sgt. Jason Leisey, Spec. Kevin Claycomb and Staff Sgt. Mark A. Bowman from the burning vehicle and emptied eight fire extinguishers and 300 bottles of water to put out the fire.
Sage, who served as the unit’s combat lifesaver, suffered minor cuts and smoke inhalation during the incident.
“It is an honor to have these two soldiers participate in this program,” said Don Burkholder, president of the Connellsville Veterans Commission. “They and their unit have sacrificed their lives to keep us safe.”
Also scheduled to take part in the 10 a.m. memorial service is the Connellsville Area High School Mighty Falcon Marching Band; the Rev. Mark Juengel, pastor of the Connellsville Presbyterian Church; the Rev. Craig Forsythe, pastor of the Wesley United Methodist Church; and area veteran organizations, along with city police, fire and ambulance services.