Murrysville war monument relocated to community park just in time for Veterans Day

Jerry Deible wanted more people to see Murrysville’s honor roll monument for local World War I and II soldiers.

Having been originally installed in 1967 on a small piece of property near the intersection of Old William Penn Highway and Sardis Road, it didn’t have much visibility. So Deible began researching the monument to determine its owner.

Turns out, it was him — well, not Deible personally, but American Legion Post 711 to which he belongs.

That made it a lot easier to get permission to move it. Just in time for Veterans Day, the 7,000-pound monument was relocated to become part of an existing memorial in Murrysville Community Park, where it will be rededicated Saturday morning during the Legion’s Veterans Day activities.

“We chipped out around it and got it ready to go,” said Deible, 74, a Vietnam War veteran. “Murrysville public works guys dug out the new location and poured a slab for it to sit on, and we got it moved (in late October).”

This is the second time the monument has been moved. Murrysville Recreation Director Carly Greene said it was shifted a short distance during a municipal streetscape project in the late 2000s.

“I think Jerry’s goal from the beginning was that not many people knew the marker was there,” Greene said. “I think (moving it to) Murrysville Community Park was a no-brainer, especially with the veterans and emergency services monuments already there.”

The new addition blends seamlessly with its neighbors, right down to matching the shade of gray on the other massive granite slabs.

There is a second monument at the Old William Penn Highway site, but it marks the path of the former Forbes Road.

“It wouldn’t make sense to move that one,” Deible said.

The monument will be rededicated at 10:30 a.m. Saturday near the entrance to the park, 4053 Wiestertown Road. It is part of a full morning of Veterans Day ceremonies and honor rolls undertaken by the American Legion and nearby AMVETS post in White Valley.

Deible thanked Murrysville staff for lending a big hand.

“For this type of thing, if you’re willing to do the work, they’ll give you all the help they can,” he said. “Who’s ever going to go look at it in that little asphalt patch off Old William Penn, unless it’s by accident? This is a much better spot.”

Veterans Day events

White Valley AMVETS and Murrysville American Legion Post 711 will host Veterans Day ceremonies throughout Murrysville, Export and Delmont on Nov. 9, including the rededication.

They are: 9 a.m. at Eastview Union Cemetery in Delmont; 9:15 a.m. honor roll at the Delmont borough building, 77 Greensburg St.; 9:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church cemetery in Delmont; 10:15 a.m. honor roll at the Export war memorial off Washington Avenue; 10:30 a.m. dedication of the newly moved honor rolls at Murrysville Community Park on Wiestertown Road; 11:15 a.m. honor roll at the AMVETS on Carolina Street.

They will be followed by a veterans lunch at AMVETS Post 85 on Carolina Street.