Medal of Honor recipients’ stories of sacrifice
important, a day to remember the men and women who died in the U.S. military. Virtually all the graves of Medal of Honor recipients in the region were well tended Saturday, and every one had small American flags planted nearby, indicating their military service.
That also was true of the many veterans graves in cemeteries throughout the county.
But one subtle difference set the few apart: A symbol indicating the award of the Medal of Honor engraved into the headstone.
Two days before Memorial Day, almost no visitors were seen at the recipients’ graves. The exception was in Jefferson Memorial Park, where Barb Huwalt from Pleasant Hills and her grandchildren, Ellie Shaffer, 9, and Preston, 6, were at the site of Medal of Honor recipient Marine Pfc. John Doran Kelly, killed at age23 in Korea.
Ms. Huwalt was familiar with the grave from previous visits to her husband’s nearby grave and from having previously worked at the cemetery. She took time to explain the significance of Pfc. Kelly’s medal to her grandchildren.
Pfc. Kelly was born in Youngstown, Ohio, before moving to Homestead, where he was a star basketball player at Homestead High School.
Aradio operator with Company C., 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, he left his radio to another Marine in order to attack key enemy positions on May 28, 1952. He wiped out two enemy strongholds and, already mortally wounded, was trying to destroy a third when he was killed in action.
Here are some of the other recipients’ stories and where theyare buried.
Army Pvt. Archibald H. Rowand Jr. was one of two couriers who managed to get through enemy lines in Virginia in the winter of 1864-65 to get messages to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. He died in 1913 at the age of 68. He’s buried in Allegheny Cemetery in Lawrenceville.
Greensburg native Army Cpl. John C. Matthews was among 17 soldiers who were cited for heroism as flag bearers during an eight-day Civil War campaign in Petersburg, Va., that ended April 3, 1865. When the regular flag bearer was severely wounded, Cprl. Matthews picked it up and carried it through the remainder of the battle.
Color bearers, like Cprl. Matthews, set the pace of the march and helped identify the military unit in the smoke and confusion of the battlefield. He died at age 81 and he is buried in Homewood Cemetery in Point Breeze.
At a critical point in a battle with Confederate forces at Winchester, Va., on Sept. 19, 1864, Army Col. James M. Schoonmaker led a cavalry charge against the enemy line. The charge pushed back the enemy, allowing the capture of many prisoners.
Col. Schoonmaker, who died at age 85, is buried in Homewood Cemetery.
Cpl. Gotlieb Luty, who is buried in Union Dale Cemetery on the North Side with dozens of other Civil War veterans, advanced to the enemy line under heavy fire in Chancellorsville, Va., where he managed to get valuable information for his commander during the week ending May 6, 1863. He died at age 62.
Mount Troy native and Marine Lance Cpl. William “Billy” Prom arrived in Vietnam in June 1968, where he served in a number of positions, including machine gun team leader. His platoon was ambushed by the North Vietnamese on Feb. 9, 1969, near An Hoe, which led to several Marines being injured, including one man who was critically hurt. Cprl. Prom moved to protect his injured comrade, even though he, too, was injured.
Despite his injuries, Cpl. Prom advanced to within a few yards of enemy positions, where he directed support until he was mortally wounded. Cpl. Prom was 20 years old. He is buried in Allegheny County Memorial Park Cemetery in McCandless.
In 2013, the 31st Street Bridge was named after him, the first to be named for a Vietnam War veteran.
A list of some of the soldiers who received the Medal of Honor and the location of their graves can be found at http://www.homeofheroes.