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Perryopolis VFW to honor recipients of French Legion of Honor

By Holly Hendershot hhendershot@heraldstandard.Com 3 min read
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Holly Hendershot | Herald-Standard

In this photo from February, WWII veteran William Rostich, 96, of New Salem, left, poses with his French Legion of Honor medal next to Air Force veteran Frank Steck, of Smock who helped him apply for the award.

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Photo courtesy of Samuel Tribollet - French Embassy in the U.S.

Brig. Gen. Jean-Pierre Montegu, defense attache at the French Embassy in Washington, D.C., pins the Legion of Honor medal on Mike Timko, of Perryopolis in a ceremony in 2017. Timko received France’s highest military honor for his service as an American soldier during World War II in France where he was twice wounded by enemy fire.

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Mark Soroka

In this file photo, U.S. Army veterans James Smalley (front row, left) and Eldo DiVirgilio (front row, right) were honored by state Sen. Pat Stefano (back row, left) and French Honorary Consul Jean-Dominique Le Garrec in 2018, for helping to liberate France during World War II.

The Perryopolis VFW will honor three area WWII veterans who are recipients of the French Legion of Honor during two ceremonies on Sunday.

The first ceremony will honor deceased Perryopolis VFW charter members Eldo DiVirgilio and Mike Timko at the post, 100 VFW St., at 5:30 p.m. The Honorary Consul of France, Monsieur Jean-Dominique Le Garrec, will present plaques in their honor. All three men received medals commemorating the award previously.

Afterward, at 7 p.m., William Rostich, of New Salem, another recipient of the award, will be recognized in a second ceremony at the Uniontown Mall flagpole.

All three men served in the efforts to liberate France during WWII.

DiVirgilio was deployed to France in 1944, where he used his mapmaking skills to help the 69th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army avoid an ambush during a German counteroffensive.

Timko was in the 5th Division, which was transferred to France in July 1944, just a few weeks after the D-Day Division. Timko participated in operations in Eastern France and the liberation of the city of Metz.

Rostich, now 96, was part of the Seabees 111th U.S. Naval Construction Battalion and operated a pontoon boat with supplies headed to the beaches of Normandy in France on June 7, 1944. He spent more than four months on Omaha Beach.

Frank Steck, of Smock, a veteran retired from the Department of Veterans Affairs, said the event is especially significant now, as both DiVirgilio and Timko died this year.

“It’s an honor to the community to have two members from a small community like Perryopolis and from such a small Veterans of Foreign Wars post to be honored with receiving the highest honor provided from the French government,” Steck said. “A tremendous honor for the post and the community.”

At the events, Steck will be introducing the Honorary Consul of France and Rostich. Other speakers include Robert Doria, commander of Fayette County’s American Legion committee, and Norman Zimmerman, commander of American Legion Post No. 752 in Perryopolis.

Shirley DiVirgilio, of Perryopolis, said she is very proud that her husband will be commemorated. She described her husband of almost 40 years as a person with great humor and a thoughtful, easygoing personality.

“He was always proud of his time in the service,” she said.

Mike Timko Jr., of Canonsburg, son of veteran Mike Timko, said his father was always very active with the VFW and was “extremely giving of his time.” His favorite thing about his father were the stories that he would tell. Timko said his father was proud of everything he had accomplished.

“I’m so proud of him,” he said. “I’m proud they are honoring him because he is my hero.”

Timko’s daughters loved to work in the garden with their grandfather and listen to his stories before he passed. He was married for 65 years to Joan Timko, who also died this year.

Rostich said being in the war changed him and gave him a new perspective and appreciation for life. Now he has the award as a reminder and honor.

“It means an awful lot to me. I’m very proud that I was awarded something like this,” Rostich said. “I was very proud to serve my country and do my part. I never regret it.”

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