HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Pennsylvania National Guard will host a public ceremony at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 4, at the Cunningham Armory, 820 Frank Ave., New Castle, Lawrence County, to dedicate a newly restored howitzer and honor local students for their volunteer work.
During the ceremony, members of the National Guard’s 1-107th Field Artillery Battalion will dedicate a French M1897 75mm howitzer that was restored by students from the Lawrence County Vocational School. The students had been working on the project since November 2012. The volunteers stripped old layers of paint, repaired damaged areas, primed and repainted the howitzer.
The ceremony will also honor the service of the 1-107th during World War I. While working on the World War I-era howitzer, the students read accounts of the 1-107th’s engagements during the war.
The 107th traces its lineage to 1861 as Hampton’s Battery. The unit also participated in the Civil War, World War II, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. They have also been called upon to assist during natural disasters and other emergencies in the local area, most recently during snowstorms this February.
In addition to the 1-107th’s battalion headquarters, New Castle is also home to one of the National Guard’s field maintenance shops. Approximately 120 National Guard soldiers are assigned to New Castle. The National Guard contributed an estimated $4.7 million economic impact to the region in 2013.
Media contact: Staff Sgt. Matt Jones, 717-861-8352
Date Taken: | 06.03.2014 |
Date Posted: | 06.03.2014 23:10 |
Story ID: | 132003 |
Location: | NEW CASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
Web Views: | 171 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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