Crowds line the sidewalks and flow onto Market Street as the 2019 Memorial Day Parade was held yesterday. It was the thirteenth year for the parade and included nearly 50 units.
Both Kittanning and Ford City had special events highlighting the 2019 Memorial Day Weekend.
On Sunday night, the Ford City Lions Club sponsored a Memorial Eve ceremony in the Ford City Memorial Park. Lions Club Vice-President Robert Paroli said the Sunday evening event has been held for the last 69 years.
“It is truly an honor and privilege to carry on the tradition of paying homage to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to insure our freedom,” he said.
The keynote speaker was Retired Lt. Col. David Round of Cadogan. A graduate of Ford City High School, Round retired from the Air Force after 23 years of being a navigator and bombardier on B-52 bombers. He encouraged residents to take time on Memorial Day and visit area cemeteries as was the custom in years gone by.
“We may not remember the words of today’s service, but we will remember what was done here today. And we will remember the 1,146 brave warriors from Armstrong County that were killed in action and countless others that served and fought our country’s battles for over the past 265 years,” Round said.
The Armstrong Festival Choir harmonized their voices in two selections: “The Lord’s Prayer” and “Peace”.
The following morning, the 13th annual Memorial Day Parade was held in Kittanning. Nearly 50 units thrilled thousands of young and old bystanders with candy, lollipops, and waves to the crowd.
The parade processed down Market Street, south of South Jefferson Street, west of Jacob Street and concluded at Kittanning Riverfront Park where a ceremony began after several selections were played by the Kittanning Firemen’s Band.
Musket fire was heard up and down the Allegheny River during the rifle salute at the Memorial Day Ceremony held yesterday in the amphitheater at Kittanning Riverfront Park. The annual ceremony is conducted by the the John T. Crawford Camp 43 of the Sons of the Union Veterans.
The John T. Crawford Camp 43 of the Sons of the Union Veterans Vice-President Richard Essenwein emceed the event. Award-winning Armstrong High School student Isabella Valasek sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and received applause for her acapella rendition of “God Bless America”. The Reverend Joshua Webb, pastor of the Simpson Bible Church, offered the Invocation and Benediction.
The keynote address was by Dr. John Shaner. He told a personal story of his antics with Charlie Hutchison. Second Lieutenant Hutchison was killed in action in the Dominican Republic in 1965. He was in command of a small element of his platoon, maneuvering to eliminate a snipe position that was firing upon then. He and his men were pinned down by a rebel automatic weapons cross fire. In an attempt to move his men to a more covered position, Lt. Hutchison provided cover fire, with little regard for his own safety. While this movement was taking place, one of Lt. Hutchison’s men was wounded, and fell in an area exposed to enemy fire. Lt. Hutchison then directed his other men to recover the wounded man while he remained in his exposed position to provide cover fire. After they recovered the man, Lt. Hutchison attempted to move to a more covered position. During this movement, he was mortally wounded.
Both ceremonies and the parade were broadcast on WTYM AM 1380 and FM 103.7, Family-Life TV, and via their live internet feed.
The Kittanning Firemen’s Band performed several songs at Kittanning Riverfront Park just before the Memorial Day ceremony began.