Korean veterans honored in Greene County
Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter
People visit the Korean War Traveling Memorial Sunday afternoon at the Greene County fairgrounds.
By Katie Anderson/Staff writer/kanderson@observer-reporter.com
Keith and Alberta Wise, of Morris Township, attend his 100th birthday party at the Greene County fairgrounds Sunday afternoon.
Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter
Greene County veterans salute while taps is played during a ceremony to honor Korean War veterans Sunday afternoon at the county fairgrounds.
Veterans events
Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter
Veterans salute in a crowd of hundreds who attended a ceremony to honor Korean War veterans Sunday afternoon at Greene County Fairgrounds.
Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter
Keith Wise, 100, of Morris Township, stood next to his wife Alberta, while other veterans shook hands with him Sunday afternoon at the Greene County fairgrounds.
“The Forgotten War” was remembered by hundreds in Greene County Sunday afternoon, during a special ceremony to honor veterans.
Sunday was the last day the Korean War Traveling Memorial was set up in the grass at the Greene County Fairgrounds. It arrived Friday via motorcycle escort and will be taken down this morning. The 22 statues of helmeted soldiers in raincoats were visited by many over the weekend, according to one of the organizers, Rick Black, with Waynesburg VFW.
He said the traveling memorial is a replica of the one in Washington D.C., and has attracted people from all over Southwestern Pennsylvania. The keynote speaker, former Greene County Judge Terry Grimes, a U.S. Army veteran, said he saw the memorial in D.C.
“The first time I saw it, it was the most eerie feeling,” he said. “It was very emotional, at least it was for me.”
Grimes thanked all the Korean War veterans in the room, and the ones that never made it home.
“They will never forget what they went through or what their comrades went through,” he said.
Black and John “Buzz” Walters put Sunday’s event together. They had a live band, a 21-gun salute, the reading of names of men who died in Korea and taps was played.
Of the hundreds in the building, many of them were veterans, including Keith Wise, of Morris Township, who will turn 100 today. He celebrated at the fairgrounds Sunday with family, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Wise and his wife, Alberta, were greeted by all and received several birthday cards. He also received multiple flags that were flown at the state capital.
Wise’s younger son Wayne spoke about his father’s service in the 7th Armored Division in the U.S. Army and going overseas to fight in some of the most famous battles of World War II, like the Battle of the Bulge. He also talked about his father’s dedication to his wife and family.
“Dad, thank you for loving my mother and thank you for setting a great example for Warren and I,” he said.