Brownsville veterans’ memorial dedicated
Holly Hendershot
Veteran Robert Koval, a member of the Brownsville Area Military Honor Roll Committee, and the Rev. Aleda Menchy stand near the centerpiece of the memorial unveiled Saturday in the borough. Menchy offered a prayer during the memorial’s dedication.
Holly Hendershot
About 300 bricks honoring current and former military members surround the monuments that make up Brownsville’s veterans’ memorial.
The Brownsville Area Military Honor Roll Committee dedicated a memorial honoring local veterans in Snowden Square Park, Brownsville on Saturday.
As part of the memorial, a monument stands in the park with a quote from President Harry S. Truman: “Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices.”
The memorial, comprised of five monuments, commemorates the men and women from the Brownsville area who were killed or went missing in action during their service. The center one is a tribute to the military branches, while the others list the names of veterans who were killed or went missing in action during World War I, World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War.
In addition, about 300 engraved bricks surround the monuments with the names of U.S. veterans and current service members. In the center of the memorial fittingly stands the American flag.
Denny Falsetto, chairman of the committee, said the project has been five years in the making, with every member of the committee playing their part in the various fundraising events and hard work that went into the memorial.
During the dedication, committee members and others in the community who were involved spoke about the memorial and those it honors. Brownsville Mayor Ross Swords presented the committee with a certificate of recognition.
“I commend everybody involved in making sure that we never forget the people who served and protected our freedoms,” Fayette County Commissioner Scott Dunn said.
Eadi Zetty, secretary of the committee, said they originally estimated they would need about $36,000 to accomplish the memorial project. In addition to all the fundraising they did, such as hosting dinners and dances, she said they had labor donated from businesses that do excavation work.
State Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Jefferson, attended the event, saying she was happy the work in the community paid off.
“Now, everyone in this community can think of all of the folks who paid the ultimate sacrifice as they gather at this park,” Snyder said.
Zetty said the project was not without its challenges, one of the biggest being the amount of research to find all the names of those from the Brownsville area who died or went missing during military service. She said it took countless hours searching through military records and cross-referencing that with old yearbooks she received from the Brownsville Area Revitalization Corporation.
“Some veteran’s records were difficult to find,” she said. “We advertised, asking the public to contact us and let us know if they had family members that were killed or missing in action.”
The memorial encompasses not just those who served from Brownsville, but all service members from the Brownsville school district, including some of the surrounding communities, such as Republic, Hiller, Grindstone and West Brownsville.
Zetty said the committee is continuing to accept orders for bricks with the names of service members. Those wishing to order a brick for the memorial can contact Falsetto by emailing lfalsetto@yahoo.com or calling 724-366-2113.
Robert Koval, committee member and veteran, said there were eight memorials in Brownsville at one time, though they no longer exist. He said he feels proud that he could serve on the committee to create this one.
“I’m proud to be part of this,” he said. “It means we’re honoring all our veterans and our fallen veterans.”