Earlier this year, State Rep. Valerie Gaydos, a 1985 graduate of Sewickley Academy, contacted the Sewickley Academy alumni office with the idea of coordinating a school project with the Sewickley Veterans’ Banner Program. It came to fruition on May 29, when grade 8 students at Sewickley Academy welcomed the families of local veterans to listen to their presentations honoring local heroes.

Since then, John Zimmerman (SA ‘85), alumni engagement officer, and Dr. Susan Sour (SA ‘55), alumni associate, identified veterans on the banners throughout Sewickley with ties to Sewickley Academy, either as graduates or families of graduates. Each student in the grade 8 civics class selected one of the veterans and researched their service to our country. In addition, they interviewed a surviving family member and ultimately gave a final presentation as the culmination of their civics capstone project.

The school invited student families, veteran families and the general public to attend the final presentations and had a few notable guests in attendance in the Gregg Theater: Rep. Gaydos; Dominic Munizza, commander, American Legion Post 4 in Sewickley; Gary Farole, a veteran, commander, and Marine Corps recruiter, who started the Sewickley banner program; and John Dunn, who had the banners made and personally hung more than 200 of them.

Each of the presentations not only provided background on each of the veterans accomplishments in the military, but also their life at home after returning to Sewickley. Stories ranged from final letters from a soldier about to approach the front line during WWII to the post military work of one on a cookbook focused solely on flammable food and drink. There is a long history of military service in Sewickley as well as returning to give back to the community.

The following list are the presentations that were shared with our packed audience:

James J. Amato, WWII, U.S. Army 94th Infantry presented by Gabby Edmunds

1st Lieutenant Tingle Woods Culbertson, WWI, U.S. Army 318th Infantry presented by Lauren Purpura

T/5 Leonard Harris, WWII, U.S. Army 92nd Infantry Medical presented by Landon Rickel

Lewis Harris, WWII, U.S. Army 3448th Quartermaster Truck Company presented by Owen Brooks

Major General Alexander Hays, Civil War, U.S. Army 63rd PA Volunteer Infantry presented by Isabela Lima

Captain John Hays, WWII, U.S. Army 32nd Infantry Division presented by Masha Gorloff

Commander Alexander Hays III, WWII, U.S. Navy Reserve presented by Austin Fritz

Corporal Gilbert Hays, WWII, USMC 1st Marine Division presented by Renae Phillips-Knight

Major John W. Macroglou, USMC 1st Battalion – Beirut presented by Carson D’Antonio

1st Lieutenant Robert McCague, WWI, U.S. Army presented by Harper Cross

Corporal William Frederick Millar, WWII, U.S. Army 45th Infantry presented by Francesca Pietragallo

Private First Class John F. Moyer Jr., WWII, U.S. Army 94th/301st Infantry presented by Jack Christ

Lieutenant Commander John C. Oliver ’26, WWII, U.S. Navy presented by Lisette Niepa

Corporal John J. Poister, WWII, U.S. Air Force 490th Bombardment presented by Amelia Hayden

Sergeant Peter McCargo Standish ’47, Korean War, USMC presented by Juliet Sykes

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