2013 Bridge Dedication
TRAFFORD VETERANS MEMORIAL BRIDGE DEDICATION
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2013
COMMENTS BY REYNOLD A. PEDUZZI, MAYOR
Photo by Jeffrey McLaughlin
NINTY FOUR YEARS AGO, 1919 TO BE EXACT, THE LEADERSHIP AND CITIZENS OF TRAFFORD PLACED A FOUR FOOT BY FOUR FOOT GRANITE MEMORIAL IN THE PARK ON THE HILL ABOVE FIFTH STREET BETWEEN DUQUESNE AVENUE AND EDGEWOOD AVENUE.
ON THIS GRANITE MEMORIAL IS A BRONZE PLAQUE LISTING THE NAMES OF ONE HUNDRED TWENTY MEN FROM TRAFFORD WHO SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES DURING WORLD WAR ONE.
TWENTY YARDS IN FRONT OF THE MEMORIAL A 54 FOOT HIGH FLAGPOLE WAS INSTALLED TO FLY THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES. IF YOU WERE TO STAND DIRECTLY BEHIND THE FLAGPOLE AND LOOK DOWN AT THE BRIDGE YOU WOULD NOTICE THAT THE POLE IS IN A DIRECT LINE WITH THE CENTER LINE OF THE BRIDGE.
TRAFFORD'S FIRST BRIDGE WAS BUILT IN 1902. THAT BRIDGE WAS REPLACED IN 1964 AND TODAY WE DEDICATE A NEW BRIDGE. THE FLAGPOLE AND FLAG ARE STILL IN LINE WITH THE CENTERLINE OF THE NEW BRIDGE.
IN THE 104 YEAR HISTORY OF TRAFFORD, HUNDREDS OF TRAFFORD RESIDENTS HAVE SERVED IN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. SOME DURING PERIODS OF CONFLICT AND SOME DURING PERIODS OF PEACE. THEY ALL HAD ONE THING IN COMMON, THEY ALL CROSSED THE TRAFFORD BRIDGE AS THEY LEFT THEIR CIVILIAN LIFE TO BEGIN THEIR MILITARY LIFE.
MANY RETURNED AND RESUMED A NORMAL LIFE, 38 MEN NEVER RETURNED ALIVE. THEY WERE KILLED IN THE SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY AND ARE BURIED IN US MILITARY CEMETARIES THROUGH OUT THE WORLD.
SOME OF TRAFFORD HEROS THAT DID NOT RETURN:
HOMER EARL WHO LIVED IN CAVITTSVILLE WAS KILLED IN WORLD WAR ONE AND BURIED IN FRANCE. THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT SENT HIS MOTHER AND MANY OTHER MOTHERS OF SOLDIERS KILLED IN WORLD WAR ONE TO FRANCE TO VISIT THEIR GRAVE SITES.
NICK SUBASIC WHO LIVE ON DUQUESNE AVENUE WENT DOWN WITH HIS SHIP IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC.
CHUCK VARSAFSKY WHO LIVED ON SIXTH STREET WAS LOST OVER GERMANY WHEN THE B25 BOMBER HE CREWED WAS SHOT DOWN AND CRASHED.
JOHN CORLE WHO LIVED ON BRICKYARD ROAD IN BLACKBURN WAS LAST SEEN IN THE OCEAN OFF THE COAST OF VIETNAM.
ON JUNE 10, 2010, SERGENT FIRST CLASS ROBERT FIKE WAS KILLED IN AFGANASTAN WHILE ENGAGED IN A HUMANITARIAN MISSION. HE AND A FELLOW SOLDIER WERE VICTIMS OF A SUICIDE BOMBER.
ROBERT IS THE SON OF JIM AND CHRIS FIKE WHO ARE OUR HONORED GUESTS AT THIS DEDICATION.
WHEN ROBERTS BODY WAS RETURNED TO TRAFFORD A SPONTANEOUS RESPONSE FROM THE CITIZENS OF TRAFFORD, YOUNG AND OLD, LINED BOTH SIDES OF THE OLD BRIDGE TO WELCOME HIM HOME. THE RESPONSE WAS OVERWHELMING.
Photo by Sarah Colligan
