Harrison's 'Honor Roll' memorial in need of major repairs

John C. Wojik.

Joseph M. Klingensmith.

Ernest W. Smith.

They are among the hundreds of Harrison residents who served their nation in World War II, members of the Greatest Generation.

Their names were enshrined on the township's Honor Roll, a mammoth sandstone memorial at Freeport and Springhill roads. But their names are among many that now are fading, a letter at a time, some becoming nearly unrecognizable.

Township commissioners are talking about renovating the 73-year-old monument, but it could be an expensive undertaking. A close-up inspection reveals many problems.

In addition to fading names, the monument is coming apart in chunks. There are stains and cracks, some clean through structure. Some of the glass is cracked, as are some of the panels upon which the names were painted, originally in gold leaf.

Cracks in the panels go through some of the names.

Some of the glass is so hazed the names behind it barely are visible, while others show signs of condensation and water penetration. There's evidence of insects and spiders getting inside, and moss growing inside it.

"It has been let go for many years," commissioners President Bill Heasley said.

According to Tarentum Times, a publication of history and genealogy of the Allegheny Valley, the memorial was a project of the "Mothers and Wives of Servicemen of Harrison Township."

The memorial cost "over $5,000." The group raised money "by bazaars, suppers, lawn fetes, soup sales, raffles, card parties, etc. and by donations from township citizens."

It was dedicated on Oct. 29, 1945, and turned over to the township on May 24, 1965, along with the group's "treasury" of $400.

It's been rededicated twice — first in May 1966, and most recently in May 1990.

Commissioner Bill Poston, an Air Force veteran, wants to have contractors to look over the monument and give the township an idea of what fixing it will take.

"The main thing you have to do, first of all, is to make the main part of the monument weather proof," he said. "The sandstone and caulking has to be addressed first."

Poston said he wants to reach out to elected officials in other communities to see how they took care of their memorials, and get references of those who could handle the job.

The work "is going to have to be done by people who know what they're doing," he said.

Late last year, the township had an electrician redo the lighting at the monument, including on the flag, allowing for its proper display even at night.

It looks nice lit up at night, Heasley said. But up close, "It needs a lot of work."

"It's going to be a monumental task and it's probably going to be a monumental price," Heasley said.

With the monument in need of major repairs, replacing it with a new one that could cost less may have to be considered, Heasley said.

Heasley said he's most concerned about the names of the veterans. "We don't want to desecrate any of those names," he said.

The township will ask veterans groups if they're interested in participating and able to contribute toward the monument's restoration. It's also open to ideas from the public, Heasley said.

"We definitely want to do something," he said. "How we secure funding for it, I'm not sure."

Once repaired, Poston said he'd like to see some improvements made, such as parking spaces and benches. He'd also like to improve and decorate the monument's blank back side.

No events or observances are held at the memorial any more, Poston said. There's been talk of moving it, but Poston thinks that's a bad idea.

The current location is in the center of town. "That's where it should be," he said.

Poston said repairing the monument is a sign of respect to the people whose names are upon it.

"It would be nice to pull up to that red light and see something that's really attractive," Poston said. "We owe everything to those guys. Everything."

Brian C. Rittmeyer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-226-4701, brittmeyer@tribweb.com or on Twitter @BCRittmeyer.