News

Veterans Day events planned in Lycoming County

Veterans Day week throughout Lycoming County will be a day to honor everyone who has served in the United States military.

Unlike Memorial Day, which sets aside a day for those who serve, living and those killed in service and who are deceased, Veterans Day, specifically, falls on Nov. 11 every year -- this year a Wednesday.

It started as Armistice Day, marking the end of World War I. The armistice or cease of fighting took effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th calendar month in 1918.

After World War II and the Korea War, it was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all veterans of all wars.

Veterans Day Parade

Please join the veterans of Lycoming County for the Lycoming County Veterans Day Parade, which is especially remarkable this year as America celebrates its 250th anniversary, and will be held in the Borough of Hughesville.

The Lycoming County Veterans Day Parade Committee notes this year is dedicated to independence, freedom and democracy and the parade will be on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 2 to 3 p.m. The parade formation time is 12:30 p.m. at the Lycoming County Fairgrounds Gate 3.

The parade procession begins and follows a path through the borough's many neighborhoods, enabling spectators to pull up a chair or stand and salute the veterans as they pass by.

The parade divisions will form at the fairgrounds and from there head a short distance to Broadway, to Main Street and through the heart of the business district, turn left on Walnut Street and head to Railroad Street, ending at the Hughesville Volunteer Fire Department, where a meal will be served to veterans after the parade.

Parade organizers say there were already 85 entries a week ago and expect several more to jump on leading up to the parade, with a potential for over 100 entries.

Several high school bands are preparing to be in attendance and perform, but there are scheduling conflicts with some while others are going to be marching, according to the organizers.

The American Legion Post 35 Honor Guard will lead off the parade.

To ease the burden on individual municipalities, the committee designed the parade to travel to a different location each year.

Like no other

The Lycoming County Veterans Parade is the only one of its kind in the area. Its mission is to honor and celebrate the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much to serve this nation.

The committee strives to create an atmosphere of respect, appreciation, and camaraderie among the veterans and their families.

It organizes events to recognize and thank veterans for their service and to spread awareness about the importance of supporting our nation's heroes.

Among the veterans support organizations for the parade include: American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Blue Star Mothers, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Lycoming County Helping Our Warriors, Team Red, White and Blue (RWB), American Red Cross, 40/8, Williamsport PA Base USSV, Inc., Lycoming County Hometown Heroes, Marine Corps League, KWV, Lycoming County Veterans Affairs and Prisoners Of War-Missing In Action (POW-MIA).

All branches of the military are honored.

U.S. Navy Capt. Ret. William C. Sherwood, a Williamsport native, was a Vietnam War-era veteran and a 30-year Navy veteran. Born Oct. 11, 1936, he is the son of Mr. and Mrs. William L. and Flora B. Sherwood. He attended public schools in Williamsport graduating from Williamsport Senior High School in 1954.

During his youth, Sherwood was active in Little League. He attended Lycoming College, from which he received a bachelor of science degree in 1958. While attending college, he worked at Cohick Meat Packing in Salladasburg and later the Weis Market on River Avenue in the meat department.

His military career took him to locations such as Guam, Norfolk, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. He served honorably for 30 years, with a final assignment at the Naval Supply Center, Cheatham Annex in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Sherwood's personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, with two gold stars in lieu of second and third awards, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

Parade Ambassador, Ret. U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Eugene Otterbein, of Picture Rocks, had a 20-year career in the Air Force.

Among his many exploits and assignments were those to the Panama Canal and maintaining communication for military missions in Central America and to Chile to support NASA's communication with the Gemini 10 spacecraft. He remains active with Picture Rocks Veterans Memorial Park, a park dedicated to honoring local veterans and any veteran of the United States.

Montoursville Borough

Carol Savoy of Savoy Contract Furniture and Savoy Realty has been sponsoring the Veterans Day ceremony at Montoursville Cemetery for 16 years.

The ceremony is on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. with hundreds typically attending and as many expected this year, especially in honor of America's 250th birthday.

Savoy's husband was a World War II Navy veteran, and when he passed away in 2010 Savoy decided to do something to honor all veterans in the community.

"So that was the beginning of the Veterans Day Ceremony, held at the Veterans Memorial Wall in the Montoursville Cemetery," said Mike Wall, U.S. Navy Veteran (Viet-Nam era) and Montoursville Veterans Day coordinator

The ceremony has grown over the years and has included the participation of the Montoursville American Legion, a contingent of state troopers, a color guard with a 21 gun salute and a bugler who performs Taps.

As a tradition, the third grade students from Lyter Elementary School sing several patriotic songs directly to the veterans, many sitting beneath the tent and on chairs provided near warming devices.

Additionally, Arno Vosk plays the bagpipes and in what has become a tradition, Alivia Tagliaferri, author of the book, "Beyond The Wall," which is focuses on themes such as post-traumatic stress disorder among veterans, has spoken and organizes a group of Montoursville Senior High School students to interview veterans and recount in speeches the highlights of their interviews.

Guest speakers have included a lieutenant colonel from the War College, and this year's guest speaker is a decorated United States Air Force Academy graduate and helicopter pilot.

This year, too, the ceremony will be held in the brand new Veterans Pavilion on the site.

Veterans Breakfast

State Rep. Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport cordially invites those veterans in Lycoming County to the annual veterans breakfast for those who have served and sacrificed for our country. It takes place Friday, Nov. 13, from 8-10 a.m. at American Legion Post 1 in Williamsport.

Guest speaker will be SGM (Ret.) Kevin Bittenbender of the United States Army. He retired from the Army after 34 years of service that included deployments to Afghanistan where he was exposed to burn pits that lead to the amputation of his left leg. Bittenbender is a Bronze Star and Legion of Merit recipient. He currently serves as the director of Military Affairs for the Pocono Raceway.

The breakfast is free. Reservations aren't required but they are encouraged. RSVP by calling Flick's district office at 570-321-1270.