Shield Farm rally honors those lost in War on Terrorism

A revival rally Sunday at the Shields Farm in Delmont paid tribute to the heroes of 9/11 as well as the thousands who died over the past 20 years in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The “Let’s Roll America” rally, which attracted about 200 people, featured all the elements of a summer country festival, ranging from Steele, a band that blasted live country music from a stage near the apple barn at the top of the hill, to conservative Christian pastors from the “Duck Dynasty” command to the food trucks that ringed the bottom of the field. But perhaps the most striking thing that set the festival apart from others was the row of 13 empty chairs at the top of the hill, each with a box containing an American flag.

The display was an effort to pay tribute to the 13 American soldiers — the last Americans to die in Afghanistan — who perished when a suicide bomber rammed the gates of the airport in Kabul last month during the airlift that ended America’s 20-year presence in the country.

Organizers also planned to recognize the sacrifices of a family close to home.

Joe Molnar, of HonorAndRemember.org, said his group planned to present a flag later Sunday afternoon to a local Gold Star widow, Lillie McClary. McClary’s husband, Staff Sgt. Jason McClary of Export, died on Dec. 2, 2018, of wounds he suffered when he stepped on an improvised explosive device while serving with the Army in Afghanistan.

Rally organizer Jeff Hartung of Delmont said the event, which carried a distinctive conservative flavor, was both a celebration of patriotism and a benefit to raise funds for the maintenance of the Remember Me Rose Garden, a contemplative garden adjacent to the Flight 93 Memorial in Somerset County. It was unclear how much the event raised. Organizers asked for a $10 donation at the gate.

It was the second rally for the group. Last year, its “Stand up, Stand Strong” rally that featured a roster of conservative speakers attracted about 500 people to Seanor Farm Community Park in Salem Township.

Hartung said Sunday’s event was a one-time thing and not part of any ongoing political campaign or action committee.

“You might look at it as a conservative event. I look at it as an American event. It’s all about unity — God, country and family — and how we are going to defeat anger,” Hartung said.

“I invited Gov. Wolf, but he turned us down,” he added.

Others were eager to accept his invitation. State Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward, R-Hempfield, and state Rep. Eric Nelson, R-Hempfield, were on hand, mingling with festival organizers and greeting well-wishers.

Ward, dressed in cutoff denim shorts, a red shirt and ball cap, spoke briefly at the microphone.

“9/11 was 20 years ago, but it feels like it happened not so long ago,” Ward said. “And maybe that’s because some of the same players are being empowered.”