Apr. 30, 2024
LIGONIER TOWNSHIP – As a way to honor the country’s greatest heroes, Rep. Leslie Rossi (R-Westmoreland) will be joined by veterans, state and local officials, and members of the community in dedicating a bridge carrying State Route 711 over Loyalhanna Creek in Ligonier Township as the Sgt. Alvin P. Carey and Pvt. John C. Ewing Medal of Honor Memorial Bridge.
The bridge dedication ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 11, at 11 a.m. at the Ligonier Valley Cemetery Chapel.
“We are paying tribute to the enduring spirit of two remarkable men from Westmoreland County who have served our nation with valor and distinction. I am grateful to everyone who made this deserving dedication possible” said Rossi.
Carey enlisted in the U.S. Army in January 1941, shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He landed at Utah Beach in Normandy on June 7, 1944, with the Second Infantry Division. Initially wounded in action and awarded the Purple Heart, he returned to the front lines to fight the Germans in France, where he was killed in action.
Ewing volunteered for service with the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry 211th on Sept. 12, 1864. His regiment took part in the final assaults on Confederate positions in Petersburg, VA, on April 2, 1865. He engaged in a hostile hand-to-hand combat during which he captured the flags at the Battle of Five Forks. This led to a turning point in the Civil War, causing the fall of Richmond and leading to the surrender of the Northern Virginia Army.
For their bravery, both men were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Mark Sorice, master of ceremonies and the founder of the Ligonier Medal of Honor Project, quoted President John F. Kennedy, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”
Along with Rossi, these individuals will be offering remarks at the dedication ceremony:
• Mark Sorice, founder of the Ligonier Medal of Honor project.
• Rachel Duda, executive director of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 12.
• Donna Jones, member of the Carey family.
• Jeffrey Craig, member of the Ewing family.
• Lt. Col. Craig Minnick, United States Army (Retired), founder of the Staff Sgt. Alvin P. Carey and Pvt. John C. Ewing Medal of Honor Scholarship.
To date, 3,536 Medals of Honor have been awarded. In addition, 380 have been credited to Pennsylvania including two to the same person, William Wilson, during the Indian Campaigns.
Representative Leslie Rossi
59th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Rick Leiner
717-260-6437 (office) 717-497-8478 (cell)
rleiner@pahousegop.com
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