Moon Township For the 2nd Year Erects Banners to Memorialize Veterans and Service Members

Starting in mid-May of this year, Moon Township’s Public Works Department’s three-man crew have returned to begin placing military banners on utility poles in the main business district of Moon Township. A tradition that started in 2020, and not to be discouraged by the Pandemic, the township persevered and initiated this Military Banner Program to give recognition to veterans and military service members who served in the U.S. military. Over 57 Soldiers, Airmen, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard members are currently memorialized on these banners. These banners list a member's service date, conflict title, and date, and rewards received, all at the option of the requesting family or sponsor. Public Works crews pictured here go out just before Memorial Day and place the banners where they remain throughout the summer and are then removed after Veterans Day in early November.

Moon Township invites family members who have a vet or service member in their family to come forward and submit a simple application, military proof, a photograph, and a small fee, and thereby a pole-mounted banner will be mounted yearly, as well as a lawn banner delivered to the family for personal use. A Sponsorship Program is currently being developed that would allow a sponsor to defer the cost of the application. This simple memorializing gesture has grown in popularity in surrounding communities and now is growing in Moon! The Moon community believes that this kind of public recognition gives strength and pride and resilience to our community and nation and builds bonds between the generations.

Moon Township is proud to be a military community in having the Air Force Reserve 911th Air Wing, the PA Air National Guard 171st Air Refueling Wing, and a number of U. S. Army Reserve and PA Army Guard units in the area. Many military-related families, young and old, having served and continue to serve in and around our community.

Pictured in the photos are: Director of Public Works John Scott; Banner Mounting Crew Leader & Bucket Truck Operator Dallas Stewart; Flagmen/Traffic Control Don Desselle, Anthony Napoleone and Dave Williams.

G.Kniss/MTMBC/05-26-21’