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The Williamsport Sun-Gazette commemorated a tragic anniversary last Thursday.
Seventy-nine years earlier, a German torpedo bomber sank the SS Paul Hamilton, a cargo ship delivering supplies and servicemen to the front lines of World War II. The attack -- the worst attack on U.S. Liberty class ships in WWII -- claimed the lives of 580 Americans, including Lycoming County's George Garrett Stover.
George Stover enlisted in the Army Air Corps, leaving his wife and toddler son to serve the Allied cause. He -- like so many brave Americans -- was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to serve his country and the cause of freedom.
We are grateful for the work of the Stories Behind the Stars program, which chronicles the stories of America's heroes in WWII and provided us the information on Stover and on the terrible attack on the SS Paul Hamilton.
We are grateful for the hard work of our region's volunteers, who tirelessly preserve and honor the memories of men like George Stover. The Veterans Park on Wahoo Drive is a touching tribute to their sacrifices. We encourage anyone who hasn't visited it, or who hasn't visited it recently, to do so and to reflect on the sense of service and patriotism reflected in its monuments.
And of course, we remain grateful for the service of Stover and other veterans. We hope all our readers can express their appreciation for our veterans and contemplate how our region and nation can better attempt to repay the debt we all owe our veterans.
Remembering their service is an important step -- but it is only a first step. We hope we can recommit ourselves and our nation to truly respecting their willingness to bear such a monumental burden.