Nesquehoning Legion honors ultimate sacrifice
Members of the Nesquehoning United Veterans Organization stand at attention during a brief ceremony at a veterans memorial in Nesquehoning. AMY MILLER/TIMES NEWS
Vietnam veteran Frank Kattner stands at attention before the gun salute at one of the veterans memorials in Nesquehoning.
Zane Strohl, son of Korin and Sgt. 1st Class Craig Strohl, who was the main speaker for the Nesquehoning Memorial Day ceremony, picks up spent shells following a gun salute.
One of the many memorials set up in the cemetery across the street from the Nesquehoning VFW to remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.
It takes a special person to commit their life to serve this country and put themselves in harm’s way.
Some make it home, while others make the ultimate sacrifice.
On Monday, the Nesquehoning VFW Post 8008, Ladies Auxiliary and American Legion, family members and friends gathered to honor their fallen brethren during a parade and service in the borough.
The event kicked off with a parade before ending at the VFW Post 8008 home for the main service.
The main speaker, Sgt. 1st Class Craig Strohl, U.S. Army Green Beret, who served five tours during the war on terrorism, spoke about the cost freedom takes to gain and keep.
He spoke about a friend, Master Sgt. Nicholas Sheperty, who recently died in the line of duty during a training accident.
“People take their freedom for granted and sometimes forget the sacrifices of the U.S. military,” he said.
“The calling to serve and fight was branded in his soul, just like all who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this country. It’s not something you learn or are trained to do. You are born a warrior.”
Strohl went on to remind those in attendance that Memorial Day is not a day for celebration, but a day of remembrance and should be a way to honor those who died for their country.
“If you want to know the real meaning of Memorial Day, visit Arlington or any cemetery and stand at the grave of a lost soldier and thank them for their life and thank them for the freedoms they died fighting for,” he said.
Other speakers of the day included Frank Bokan, who spoke about the Military Order of the Purple Heart; Edward Coll of American Legion Post 172; state Rep. Doyle Heffley; and retired Army Col. Chris Lukasevich, who passed out small Army men as tokens of remembrance and challenged those to share these figurines with another person as a way to remember those who died.
Theodore Dacey, chaplain of the VFW, read the roll call of the 30 veterans who passed away since last Memorial Day.
On Sunday, the Nesquehoning UVO also participated in a prayer and gun salute at the outlying cemeteries in the borough.
