This Veterans Day By Jack Coll

THIS VETERANS DAY
I Wonder How Many Residents Will Remember
By Jack Coll

On this Veterans Day I wonder how many residents will remember the names of Stephen Jaworski, George Lucey, Philip Coyne, or William Bradley. I wonder how many residents living in this borough today remember four brothers who served in World War Two, Edward, George Frederick and Julio Munoz, all brothers of Mrs. Albert Montemayor who lived on East Hector Street for many years. And I wonder on this Veterans Day who might remember Joe Horn and his six brothers who all served in the military. Besides Joe the Horn brothers included Elmer, Francis, George, Robert, Harrison, and Samuel who was killed in action in 1945.
Conshohocken Post No. 1074 Veterans of Foreign Wars will remember all of Conshohocken’s comrades during Veterans Day services that begin at 8:00 A. M. at the Post Home located at Fifth Avenue and Wells Street.
Conshohocken Post No. 1074 Veterans of Foreign Wars was founded on February 2, 1933 with sixty one Charter Members. Its members must have served on foreign soil, in time of war, to be active in its work. The very first meeting was held in the Mary Wood Park House, a rapid increase in membership required larger headquarters so the meeting was moved to the Rate Building on East Elm Street.
The reason for the rapid growth of Conshohocken’s VFW was because during World War One the borough of Conshohocken sent more men and women off to war than any other community in the country per capita. The federal government recognized Conshohocken’s contributions and ordered a merchant marine ship built and named “The SS Conshohocken.” The SS Conshohocken was launched on January 31, 1920 from the Sun Ship Yard and was christened by Mrs. Geoffrey Creyke, wife of the assistant to the vice-president of the Emergency Fleet Corporation.
The SS Conshohocken was an eleven-thousand-ton cargo carrier and was the last of the series of ships built under the supervision of the Emergency Fleet Corporation and the twenty-third ship to be launched at the yards of the Sunbuilding Company in Chester, Pennsylvania.
A few of Conshohocken’s residents who served during World War One included Robert Bell, Louis Bickings, Harry Dembowski, Daniel Donovan, Francis DeMario, Harry Wertz, John Wood, Samuel Gordon Smyth, Frank Hitner, George Hastings, James Kock, George Rodenbaugh, and Ada Sturgis just to name a few of the hundreds from Conshohocken who served this country in World War One.
The Conshohocken VFW Post 1074 grew much larger following World War Two. In Conshohocken one out of every seven residents served in the military during the war, more than 1500 residents were called to serve from 1941-1946. In West Conshohocken one out of every six residents served in the military during World War Two. Some long-time residents might recall the famed Conshohocken Battery “C” who marched from their headquarters on Maple Street on a cold January day in 1941 headed to the train station. The Battery “C” unit marched up to Fayette Street led by the Conshohocken High School Band led by Drum Majorette Betty Colburn, the Unit marched down Fayette Street to the cheers of thousands of residents. All four schools were packed on the sidewalks along the route, factories closed so the workers could cheer-on the men as Fire Company and factory whistles blew. The Unit served in North Africa, Italy, Southern France, Germany and Austria before heading home nearly five years later, six soldiers of Battery “C” gave their life to the war effort.
I wonder who might remember resident’s names that served during that war including Charles “Bud” Streeper, Franklin B. “Fritz” Thomas, Joseph Rossi, Dominick Piermani, Andrew Lannutti, Samuel Hiltner Jr., George Webber, John Kreasky, Richard Ridington, William Patrick McCann, Marvin Greenbaum, Ethel Buler, William Jordan, William Bate, Alphonse Zalik, Michael Barbato, Dominick Bianco, Joseph Dilullo, Peter DePaolo, and Joseph Frederick just to name a few of the hundreds of residents who served in World War Two.
Veterans Day is an official United States holiday which honors people who have served in armed service also known as veterans. It is a federal holiday that is observed on November 11. It coincides with other holidays such as Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, which are celebrated in other parts of the world and also marks the anniversary of the end of World War One. Major hostilities of World War One were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11h month of 1918, with the German signing of the Armistice.
Our local Veterans and VFW Post 1074 have continued to honor our veterans both active and retired for more than 80 years in Conshohocken. I can still see veterans like Gerry McTamney, Bill Bradley, Joe Graham, Rock Carey, George Bickings, Michael McGuire, Joe Bowe, William Kelly, John DeRusso, Vern Smith, George Sutton, Dick Beale, Fred Lukens, Johnny Stutchinski, Hector Noble, Benny Leflar, Caldwell McClure, and many others as they would march down Fayette Street on their way to the Second Avenue Monument, to perform services honoring their comrades before hundreds and in earlier days thousands of residents.
In recent years the VFW performs their military services to an audience of maybe a dozen or two dozen residents. Perhaps we could all take a few minutes, and show-up at one of the services to give thanks and praise honoring our storied Conshohocken military and thank them for their service.
See-ya there.