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Monumental effort
By GEORGE MILLER, Staff writer
Sgt. Joseph G. Barzano of Erie was killed on May 19, 1944, as his B-17 Flying Fortress was shot down while returning from a
bombing mission over Germany. He was 20.
Less than a year later, on Feb. 24, 1945, his brother, Pvt. Michael P. Barzano, was killed in battle in Germany. He was 19.
The deaths still linger in
the memory of their brother, John Barzano, who was just 5 or 6 years old at the time. "At that time, me being small, I didn't realize,'' he said. "But as I got older, then it sunk in.''
Veterans Day will rekindle those memories when Barzano attends a ceremony at 11 a.m. Thursday to dedicate a granite monument that bears the names of 727 Erie County soldiers, sailors and airmen, including
his brothers, who died in World War II.
"I think it's a great thing,'' said Barzano, the city of Erie's public works director. "They gave their lives for what we have today, and their names
will be prominently displayed, not in a cemetery, but in a monument out in the open.''
The monument is located at a triangular boulevard between
State Street and Glenwood Park Avenue, just west of Erie Veterans Stadium. It
consists of five slabs of polished granite that create a curved wall 25 feet long, peaking at 8 feet high in the center.
The sponsor organizations, the American Legion Rogers Israel Post 11 and the
Veterans of Foreign Wars Billy Simpson Post 470 leased the land from the Erie School District for $1 for 50 years.
Barzano, the second youngest of seven brothers and one sister, said the monument and
the ceremony will once again bring back memories.
Joe, the eldest brother, was a waist gunner on a B-17, which was shot down on a bombing mission over Berlin. Mike was serving in the infantry when he
was killed.
Barzano recalls the reaction of his parents when news of each death arrived by telegram. "It was tragic, especially the second one," he said. "In fact, it struck my father
real hard. He got so emotional that he suffered a slight heart attack.''
After the war, both bodies were returned to Erie and were buried at Trinity Cemetery.
Recalling the military funeral
services for his brothers, Barzano said he still gets goose bumps when he hears the National Anthem and remembers the services.
What would his life have been if his brothers had lived? Barzano thinks
about that, even though he has few memories of his brothers because they were so much older. "As the years have gone on, the memory was there,'' he said. "The shock of the loss then came to
reality.''
Barzano will be at Thursday's ceremony with his only surviving sibling, Ralph, and his brother-in-law, Sigmond Tomczak. "It's going to bring back a lot of memories,'' he said. "I
just wish that my parents could have seen something like this.''
The members of the Barzano family will be among what is expected to be a large crowd of veterans and of relatives and friends of those
named on the memorial, said John C. Ferguson, retired Erie County director of veterans affairs and chairman of the volunteer committee that conceived the monument. The public is invited to the ceremony.
"People are so excited about this,'' he said. "They are so happy that something is finally being done. It's 54 years coming. Those people really appreciate it. To hear people talk about it,
that's where your meaning comes from. There is nothing like this in the
whole U.S. It's the only one.''
Ferguson said installation of the monument culminates a year of hard work and donations by
many in the community. The project cost about $175,000.
Ferguson said the committee is seeking donations for a maintenance fund for the monument. Donations can be made to the World War II Memorial
Fund and sent to either the VFW Billy
Simpson Post 470, 1846 W. 26th St., 16508, or to Ferguson, 545 W.Ninth St., 16502.
The front of the monument contains names. The back of the monument displays
scenes of combat and noncombat from pre-Pearl Harbor through the war's end. The scenes were etched by Prudence Fisher-Burnes of Barre, Vt., the sister of Robert J. Fisher of Millcreek Township, with the use
of local photographs of GIs.
Thursday's ceremony will begin with the placing of a wreath on the memorial by Dessie R. Ford, a World War II Army nurse, and Martha Davis, a World War II Navy Wave, and a
bugle call to the colors by Donald Grumblatt.
Following a posting of the colors, Seneca High School will play the
National Anthem and the Rev. Thomas Snyderwine of St. Luke Catholic Church will
give the invocation. The master of ceremonies, Steven Lucas, administrator of the Erie Veterans Affairs Medical Center, will then introduce guests.
The main speaker will be Clare Blakeslee, past state
commander of the American Legion.
After his speech, the Rev. Patrick Kennedy of the First Baptist Church of North East will say a memorial prayer followed by a medley of patriotic music by the
bagpipers and drummers of the Erepa Grotto.
The names on the monument will be read.
Linda Kennelly will then sing "Amazing Grace,'' followed by a prayer by the Rev. John Detisch of St.
Titus Catholic Church in Titusville.
A 21-gun salute will be fired by members of American Legion Carl Neff Post 571, Waterford Post 285 and VFW Billy Simpson Post 470, and then a military salute will
be fired by the Pennsylvania National Guard.
Following taps, Ferguson will give a word of thanks to those who assisted. Rabbi Leonard H. Lifshen of Congregation Brith Shalom will give the benediction.
The ceremony will conclude with "God Bless America," performed by the Strong Vincent High School band.
Ferguson said the Norwest Savings Bank parking lot is available for parking. Restrooms
and the concession stand on the northwest corner of the stadium will be open, courtesy of the Veterans Memorial Stadium Commission. He said seating will be limited, so those who attend might consider
bringing their own chairs.
After the ceremony, John Barzano will have the newly dedicated monument as a remembrance. But through the years he has had another one.
Before his brother Joe set off
for war, he left his house keys in an archway over the family homestead. "Leave these keys,'' Joe told his father. "I'll be back to pick them up.''
To this day, the keys remain in the
archway. |
