Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives

Source: January 2000 Volume 38 Number 1, Pages 35–38

A Gold Star Honor Roll of World War II Heroes

Herb Fry

Page 35

The names of a thousand or more young men and women from Tredyffrin and Easttown townships and adjoining localities who served their country during the Second World War have largely gone unrecorded. Even those who died in the conflict have been little recognized except in the memory of family and friends. Today, almost two generations later, over 50 years since the close of the war, time has dimmed even the fondest recall.

Looking back to the war years, and remembering the patriotic spirit which animated life on the home front, one today might question why we have forgotten. Perhaps those who served returned home, impatient to get on with life. The Federal government offered a strong incentive for them to pursue a college degree under a "Gl Bill of Rights," which guaranteed education benefits. Also, just five years later, another armed conflict broke out halfway around the world in Korea, which diverted attention from the known past to an uncertain future.

During the war, each neighborhood of our community erected an Honor Roll containing the names of those who served. The first appeared in Berwyn, constructed of attractive weatherproof board, located next to the World War I Memorial on the north side of Lancaster Avenue just west of the PRR bridge. It was dedicated in a ceremony on Sunday, December 5, 1943 (the second anniversary of Pearl Harbor). A program printed for the event contained 277 names of local servicemen, including three who had already died in the conflict. Two years later in October, 1945, the

Page 36

GOLD STAR HONOR ROLL, WORLD WAR II - TREDYFFRIN, EASTTOWN AND ADJOINING LOCALITIES

CCHS=Worid War II Census listing; TEHS=On school rolls; BP=report in Berwyn Post; KIA=killed in action; MIA=missing in action; NB=d of non-battle cause; HOS=d in hospital. Bixler, Colona, LaRue, Morris, Miller appear on Malvern marker; Ballone, DiValerio, Faggioli, Falcone, Ritter, Stewart, Turner, Whiteman appear on Radnor marker.

Page 37

Berwyn Post reported that the Honor Roll had been filled, and the committee asked forbearance until a larger board or an addition could be made to hold the names not then listed. The impermanence of the board is evidenced by the fact that after the war it disappeared.

A story in the West Chester "Daily Local News," just before Memorial Day, 1963, tells of an effort to provide a suitable permanent memorial for the World War II veterans of Berwyn. After the war, local druggist Albert E. Day headed a committee which collected funds ($240). Later, William Pyott and Charles E. Gibb attempted to place a memorial. In 1963, using the funds collected, they retained Doyle & McDonnell to erect a complement to the World War I marker, moved the previous year to the lawn of the new Easttown Township building on Midland Avenue. The work done included a flagstone walkway and scrolled cement benches flanking the stone memorial from the earlier war. At the date the story was written, funds were being sought to place a plaque of tribute to World War II veterans on the benches. There is no record this was ever accomplished.

A Roll of Honor board also appeared in Devon (Berkeley Road at Lincoln Highway) with 162 names in January of 1944; in Strafford (Upper Gulph and West Valley Roads) six months later with 172 men and women listed, including two men who had lost their lives; and in Paoli (Lincoln Highway at North Valley Road) with close to 400 names. Honor Roll boards were also to be seen in such places as industrial plants (American Non-Gran Bronze Corporation had one with more than 200 names), and schools (T/E High School). After the war they, too, disappeared.

American Legion Post #806 in Devon took the name "Faggioli - Falcone -Penlington Post" to honor three fellow townsmen who died in World War II. The post is inactive now, but it has erected a granite memorial, complete with flagpole, on the north side of Lancaster Avenue in Devon by the Fresh Fields Market parking lot, on which is engraved, "Dedicated to the Memory of our loved ones who so gallantly Fought for Freedom and Democracy and made the Supreme Sacrifice, World War I and II - Korean War-Vietnam War."

A granite marker has also been placed in Paoli at the site of the old World War II Honor Roll. It is maintained by members of the Upper Main Line Post #5203, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paoli. It does not contain names, but reads, "In Memory of Those who Served and Those who Gave their Lives that we Might Live -- World War I, World War II, Korean Campaign, Vietnam, Beirut, Grenada, Panama, Somalia, Persian Gulf -- PAOLI AREA."

Page 38

At the Malvern Memorial Grounds a granite marker contains the words, "These Grounds have been Landscaped by the Citizens of the Borough of Malvern in memory of the Boys who made the Supreme Sacrifice -- World War II, 1941 - 1945, Richard LaRue, Charles F. Morris, Robert J. Miller, Louis J. Colona, Henry H. Bixier."

!n Wayne, on South Wayne Avenue opposite the Radnor Middle School at the corner of Runnymede Avenue, site of many Wayne Memorial Day events, is the Radnor Township War Memorial. Listed on a brass tablet, fastened on a brick wall, are the 86 names of Radnor's fallen in World War II, including eight identified with our Chester County neighborhoods.

As part of a project to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the war, Chester County Historical Society volunteers, organized and directed by Roger Grigson of Downingtown, worked with veterans' groups and other participants in a multi-year effort to compile a World War II census which is now available to researchers in the CCHS Library. Over 10,000 names (of a total of about 14,000 Chester Countians involved in the military forces in the war) have been verified and entered into this file. For his efforts, Grigson received an Award for Individual Achievement from the Pennsylvania Federation of Museums and Historical Organizations in 1995.

In the aftermath of the observance of the World War II 50th anniversary, public spirited West Chester resident Tony Polito organized a "Hall of Heroes" project by the Men's Service Club of the borough to compile a listing of the names of nearly 500 Chester County residents who died while serving in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. They envisioned a me­morial with the names cut into marble tablets, installed in the first floor of the county courthouse, just down the hall from similar tablets honoring the 132 Chester County men killed in World War I. Funding of approximately $38,000 was secured. The memorial tablets were unveiled with appropriate ceremonies at the courthouse on Sunday, November 7, 1999 as part of the observance of Veterans Day.

To establish a list of Tredyffrin and Easttown Gold Star "Heroes" of World War II, the History Club has researched the names on the Hall of Heroes in West Chester, traced them to the World War II Census, and cross checked them with copies of "The Berwyn Post" in the Club archives. The list has been prepared carefully, but may have omitted names which should be included. If any are omitted, please let us know. We honor the heroes listed on page 36 -- they served and died for our county.