In today's column, Mr. Michael Bednar and this writer are visiting the Darktown War Memorial. Darktown is a hamlet along the Lehigh River in Hokendauqua, Whitehall Township. The memorial is not adorned by granite pillars or bronze statues. It is a simple glass-enclosed tablet remembering the men and women who left the blue-collar village to serve in World War II and Korea.

This plot of hallowed ground honors the service these veterans gave to our nation. Darktown, with less than 200 residents, made a remarkable contribution, considering the size of the community. The memorial honors 36 individuals.

Mike is proud of all the names on the memorial.

"Everyone of age on Water Street went to serve during World War II," he recalls. "The windows in most homes had gold stars noting the service of sons and daughters. My father, Joseph, was a Seabee, Uncle Paul a paratrooper and Marion a WAC."

"My grandmother and aunts worked in the Catasauqua Ribbon Mill making parachute cords or making military uniforms in garment mills. Mom was proud she saw Paul leave on the Lehigh Valley Railroad's Black Diamond when he enlisted. Later my wife's brother Leo Speth Jr. left on the Black Diamond for the Korean War."

"During the war Paul Thomas was the Darktown Air Raid Warden, seeing the residents followed rules and regulations."

The memorial was erected in 1943 and names were added for World War II and Korea.

"The memorial was located next to the Darktown Fire Company but [recently] had to be removed for construction. This developed into a controversy," he said. "Would the monument be removed, would it be preserved? Mr. Dan McNeil, Whitehall Commissioner and executive, came to the rescue. He spoke to the residents and the monument was relocated to a township-owned small plot on Water Street.

"When I visit the monument I have tears in my eyes when I read the names: William Steifel was killed in action in Europe and some men were wounded. They served in all branches of the service. They were my heroes."

Each Memorial Day the veterans are honored by the Hokendauqua American Legion.

The last Darktown gathering of current and past residents occurred in 1992. Water Street was closed for a day to recollect the past – memories of joy and sadness, memories of young men and women who left for war. Today, a dozen descendants of old Darktown still reside in the proud hamlet.

The sentinel of the Darktown memorial is Mr. Ed Tomics. The Vietnam veteran served as a rifleman with the 5th Marines in 1969. His brothers John, Mike and Jimmy also served. In the past Ed has stood tall when he assumed responsibility to personally replace faded and tattered flags at the memorial. He is a true Marine and a proud Darktowner.

It was raining and bleak the May afternoon when Mr. Bednar accompanied me to view the memorial. I also read the names. Two women, Marion Bednar and Dorothy Pascoe, enlisted to follow their drafted husbands. Paul and Joseph. Sixteen of the 32 who served were brothers – the Bednars, Dunbars, Krayneks, Mondricks, Osifchaks, Shumacks and Tassies. It was an honor to visit the memorial and appreciate the contributions made by the young men and women of Darktown. They courageously answered the call to serve our nation.

World War II

Bednar, Joseph

Bednar, Paul

Bednar, Marion

Dunbar, John

Dunbar, Robert

Fratipietro, James

Harakal, Joseph

Harakal, Paul

Kester, Harry

Kilaresky, Michael

Kovach, Andrew

Kraynek, Albert

Kraynek, Joseph

Martin, Thomas

Mondrick, Harry Jr.

Mondrick, Stephen

Osifchak, John

Osifchak, Peter

Osifchak, Steven

Pascoe, Dorothy

Pascoe, Joseph

Pontician, Metro

Rondish, Daniel

Shumack, Andrew

Shumack, Joseph

Shumack, George

Speth, Donald

Steifel, William

Sweeney, James

Tassie, Benjamin

Tassie, Thomas

Werner, Robert

Korea

Fiest, Oscar

Howell, John Jr.

Shumach, Paul

Speth, Leo Jr.

***

In two weeks, Joseph Bednar returns home from World War II.