FAIRVIEW TWP. — Mountain Top has joined the many communities that have honored its local military veterans through the organization of a Hometown Heroes banner project.
A dedication ceremony for the project, in which 117 men and women have so far been recognized, was held Sunday afternoon at Christ United Methodist Church.
The project is sponsored by American Legion Post 781, Mountain Top Historical Society and Mountain Top Rotary Club. The banners can be found on main roads around the area.
Opening remarks were given by Christine Solliday — who, with Cathy Malkemes, spearheaded the project. They also read the names aloud in church.
Guest speaker at the event was Luzerne County Judge Richard M. Hughes III, whose father, Richard M. Hughes II, is among those honored with a banner. Hughes spoke about his father’s World War II service during his remarks.
The tribute banners honor people who served between 1907 and the present, Hughes noted.
An opening prayer was given by JP Bohanan, Alyssa Golden sang “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and Post 781 Vice Commander Al Finn performed “Taps.”
Patriotic-themed cake and other refreshments were served after the ceremony.
The full list of honorees follows.
The honorees
Mariann Aigeldinger, U.S. Army Reserve
Robert C. Ambrose, U.S. Navy
William Aton, U.S. Marine Corps
Olin Balliet, U.S. Army
John J. Biros, U.S. Navy
Clarence Ray Blackford, U.S. Navy
Barry Boone, U.S. Navy
William M. Breen, U.S. Army
Chester Lee “Chet” Buff Sr., U.S. Army
William Columbo, U.S. Marine Corps
James Cornelius, U.S. Army
Cpl. Thomas S. Cox, U.S. Army
John M. Dalton Jr., U.S. Army
Allen F. Daubert, U.S. Army
Stanley Dempkoski, U.S. Navy
Joseph Dempkosky, U.S. Army
Pasquale DeRosa, U.S. Marine Corps
Donald Dickinson, U.S. Army
Robert T. Derwin, U.S. Army
Daniel English, U.S. Army 82nd Airborne-paratrooper
Al Finn, U.S. Army
Gabriel Fornitt, U.S. Navy
Joseph Michael Gallagher, U.S. Army
Walter E. Godshall, U.S. Navy
Sam Goyne, U.S. Air Force
Thomas M. Granoski, U.S. Navy
Tanya Gregory, U.S. Army
Michael Hanlon, U.S. Marine Corps
Joseph G. Hartmann Jr., U.S. Army Air Corps 81st Fighter Group
Lt. Col. James Harvey III, Tuskegee Airmen Air Corps
Michael Heffinger, U.S. Marine Corps
Shad Heffinger, U.S. Army
John M. Henry, U.S. Navy
Charles Hollock, U.S. Army
David Michael Hollock, U.S. Air Force
Emil “Irish” Holock, U.S. Army
Eric C. Hollock, U.S. Army Reserves
George Hollock, U.S. Army Reserves
John Hollock, U.S. Army Air Corps
John J. Hollock, U.S. Air Force
Joseph Hollock, U.S. Army
Kevin James Hollock, U.S. Army
Mark Hollock, U.S. Air Force
Metro Hollock, U.S. Army
Michael Hollock, U.S. Army
Nicholas Hollock, U.S. Navy
Nicholas “Sam” Hollock, U.S. Navy
Theodore Hollock, U.S. Army
William Hopersberger, U.S. Air Force
Joseph Louis Horn, U.S. Navy
William H. Hudock, U.S. Navy
Richard M. Hughes II, U.S. Army
Charles Kahley, U.S. Army Cavalry
George Kirn, U.S. Army
David B. Kline, U.S. Army Reserves
Andrew C. Kollar, U.S. Army
Paul Robert Hopersberger, U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division
Joseph Kosmack, U.S. Army
August J. Kreuzer, U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division
Jacob Krommes, U.S. Navy
Justin Krommes, U.S. Army
Michael Kutzmonick, U.S. Army
Sgt. Ryan Lake, U.S. Army
Gene Lehman, U.S. Air Force
Richard T. Lewis, U.S. Air Force
Howard Linbuchler, U.S. Air Force
James McGeever, U.S. Army Air Corps
Edward F. McGinnis Jr., U.S. Army Air Corps
Dennis McNaughton, U.S. Marine Corps
Kristen McNaughton, U.S. Army National Guard
Robert J. Metzger, U.S. Army
William Metzger, U.S. Army/U.S. Air Force
David L. Morris, U.S. Army
James J. Murphy Jr., U.S. Navy
Gary L. Myers, U.S. Army
Donald S. Myers Sr., U.S. Army
Robert B. Myers Sr., U.S. Army
Rev. Edward P. Nolan, U.S. Air Force
Henry William Nork Jr., U.S. Navy
Edward J. Palsha, U.S. Navy
William T. Pavlick, U.S. Army
Thelma Perkins, U.S. Women’s Army Corps
Paul A. Peters, U.S. Army
Leo Petroski, U.S. Army
Jerome Peznowski, U.S. Air Force
John Michael Reilly, U.S. Army
John F. Richmond, U.S. Army
Lonnie Rinehimer, U.S. Army
Martin Ritsick, U.S. Navy
Edwin Rose, U.S. Navy
Paul Sakowski, U.S. Army
Raymond Samolis, U.S. Army
Jeffrey Robert Siegfried, U.S. Army
Edmund Sieminski, U.S. Army
Thomas A. Simms, U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division
George A. Skiro, U.S. Air Force
Major Alexander M. Slussear, U.S. Army Infantry
Todd A. Solliday, U.S. Navy
William Thomas Strauss Jr., U.S. Navy
Kenneth L. Strittmatter Sr., U.S. Air Force
Robert Strittmatter, U.S. Army
Andrew Teslicko, U.S. Navy
Jay A. Thomas, U.S. Navy Seabees, steel worker constructionman
Jay Allen Thomas, U.S. Marine Corps
Charles D. Thomas, U.S. Navy
John A. Thomas, U.S. Marines
Frank E. Vandermark Jr., U.S. Air Force
Frank E. Vandermark Sr., U.S. Army
George J. Venesky, U.S. Army
John N. Wambold, U.S. Navy
Sgt. Anthony J. Wasko Jr., U.S. Army
Taylor J. Weigand, U.S. Army/U.S. Army Reserves
Robert Wildes, U.S. Army/U.S. Air Force
Robert J. Wolfe, U.S. Navy
Joseph V. Yale, U.S. Army
Christian Andrew Yurkanin, U.S. Navy
