Don Kattic believes that the 22 residents of the Norwin School District area who gave their lives in the service of their country in recent wars deserve to be honored.
A former Marine who served during the Korean War, Mr. Kattic, 81, of North Huntingdon, is leading a campaign that started in the spring to erect at the high school campus a five-sided, 20-foot-tall obelisk inscribed with the names of all 22 who died in wars in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.
"A lot of these fallen heroes were young men in their early 20s, and I want their parents, grandparents and loved ones to know that their ultimate sacrifice is appreciated and honored," said Mr. Kattic, who taught history in the district for 32 years and has been commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 781 in North Huntingdon for 15 years.
Those to be memorialized gave their lives while serving in the Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy or Coast Guard starting in 1958 when the Norwin School District was formed by the merger of schools in North Huntingdon, Irwin and North Irwin.
The proposed memorial would join several other memorials to veterans in the area. A Millennial Memorial in North Huntingdon is made up of pavers inscribed with the names of veterans from all wars and for any donor who wanted to be recognized. Irwin has a memorial recognizing all veterans at Pennsylvania Avenue and Main Street. North Irwin has a veterans monument near the town hall.
The $35,000 new memorial campaign started in April when Mr. Kattic went before the school board and presented his plan for a memorial designed by Sweeney Shank Architects of Pittsburgh. The board approved the proposal May 25, and Mr. Kattic formed a nine-member board of prominent people in the community.
One of the memorial’s board members, Carl Huszar, 66, of North Huintingdon, is also president of the Norwin Historical Society.
“The society’s mission is to preserve and promote the history of our community and to educate the public about that history. I feel the monument ties in nicely with our mission to preserve and promote our history.’’ Mr. Huszar said.
If the necessary funds are raised, the monument will be erected along Buttermilk Hollow Road leading to the high school just off Route 30, although the site still requires approval from the water and gas companies due to the weight of the structure.
Scalise Industries has been contracted to build the monument. No local tax monies would be used to construct the memorial, which would be financed by donations raised in the community.
"We’ve tried getting some grant money, but it’s proved hard to come by," Mr. Kattic said.
With the help of more than 100 students enrolled in the school’s new Air Force ROTC program, Mr. Kattic sent 800 donation request letters to local businesses at the beginning of October. He sent 150 to 200 additional donation request letters to corporations across the nation.
To date, he’s received $1,000 from the high school teachers, another $1,000 from the teachers credit union and about $2,000 from the community. Those who want to donate can write a check made payable to "Norwin Area Veterans’ Memorial" and mail it to S&T Bank, 309 Main St., Irwin, PA 15642.
Memorial campaigns are not new for Mr. Kattic. To celebrate the millennium in 2000, he co-chaired a campaign with former Norwin High School principal Ron Pedruzzi to erect a veterans monument in front of the North Huntingdon town hall. He also worked on a veterans memorial project for the Ardara section of North Huntingdon in which donors bought brick pavers that surround several columns inscribed with the insignias of the armed forces.
To support military personnel in Iraq, he headed a project to send 3,000 soccer balls and 1,000 stuffed animals to the troops there. He also has been involved in the annual Red Poppy program to support disabled veterans and is in charge of the annual Memorial Day parade in North Huntingdon.
"We have a close-knit community and the people in Irwin, North Irwin and North Huntingdon are receptive to the memorial,’’ Mr. Kattic said. "Residents will come through to honor these kids who gave their lives for their country.’’
Soldiers whose names will be inscribed on the memorial are:
Bob Acalotta, missing in action in a helicopter crash on the Cambodian-Vietnam border;
Charles Donald Bennett Jr., killed in action in Vietnam;
Nicholas Checqu, killed in action in Afghanistan;
Lawrence Geiger, killed in action in Vietnam;
Clifford Michael Gibson, killed in action in Vietnam;
Timothy William Gilkey, killed in action in Vietnam;
Joseph Edward Hetzer Jr., killed in action in Vietnam;
Leslie Hildenbrand, killed with 284 other soldiers in an airplane crash over Gander, Newfoundland;
Howard Scott Hill, killed in action in Cambodia;
Larry L. Hohman, killed in action in Vietnam;
Julius Bradley Hughes, non-hostile death in North Vietnam;
Frank Keough, killed in Operation Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia during Scud missile attack;
James Richard McClelland, killed in action in Vietnam;
James Albert Morrison, killed in action in Vietnam;
Anthony Pasquale Patricca, killed in action in Vietnam;
Chris Raible, killed in action in Afghanistan;
Mike Shipley, died on board Flight 1295 from Fort Campbell, Ky., to Saudi Arabia in 1985;
Delbert Leo Singler, killed in action in Vietnam;
Paul Francis Shogan, killed in action in Vietnam;
John Mark Spielman, killed in action in Vietnam;
David Wieger, killed in action in Iraq;
Lester Allen Wright, non-hostile death in Vietnam.
Details: 724-515-7550.
Dave Zuchowski, freelance writer: suburbanliving@post-gazette.com.
First Published: October 23, 2014, 4:00 a.m.