Metallic Lathers Local 46 - Goldstar Memorial

NY Locals 46 & 417 Help Honor Veterans and their Moms June 4, 2005 By Bill Hohlfeld - Labor Management Cooperative Trust
	On Saturday, June 4th, two footings were poured in Putnam County Veterans Memorial Park. The first, formed in the shape of a five-pointed star, will receive a polished black granite pedestal upon which will stand a 5'7" bronze statue of a mother receiving a telegram which has informed her of the death of her child who was in the armed services during a war. This will be The First National Gold Star Memorial. The other pad will hold two U.S. Navy anchors.
When Pete Allegretta, Local 137 heavy equipment operator and Vice-Chairman of the Putnam Couny Joint Veterans Council, put the call out for help with the work, New York Ironworker Locals 46 and 417 volunteered their services to get the job done. Twenty yards of concrete, donated by Byram Concrete and Nelstadt respectively, were poured. What made the turnout for this project particularly poignant was the fact that vandals had splashed red paint on a tank in this same park over Memorial Day Weekend. The paint had covered the names of two deceased veterans, U.S. Army St. Howard R. Bruckner and U.S.M.C. Lance Corporal Walter A. Joyce. Both were originally from Scarsdale, N.Y. and both were reported killed in action in Vietnam in 1969. So while the footings were bieng poured, the tank, including those names, was being restored. After the work was finished, Pete, who grew up with Sgt. Bruckner and Corporal Joyce, thanked everone who came and said: "You guys are great. It's a beautiful thing that's going on here today. People need to know it's the Union tradesmen that always come out for the community."
To see a slideshow of pictures from the Rally, click here.

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