Thomas Moss Jr., a member of the American Legion Post 301, stands in front of the new marker for Valley veterans of the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan wars in the park on Wickliffe Circle on Mahoning Avenue. on Saturday. , which was the site of a dedication Saturday for a new marker for veterans of Afghanistan and the Persian Gul

By BILL KOCH

Correspondent

AUSTINTOWN — A cold rain did not deter two dozen people from congregating at Austintown Veterans Memorial Park on Wickliffe Circle on Saturday morning for the dedication of a marker for veterans of the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan wars.

After the service, American Legion Post 301 led a flag retirement ceremony.

Thomas Moss Jr. of Austintown said others, including his friend Tony Revetti, initially were spearheading the effort to create the memorial. COVID-19 delayed the project, and Revetti developed chronic health problems, so it was up to Moss to take over.

Moss said he doesn’t normally like being the one in charge, stating, “I was just a person in the back. I didn’t want recognition.” But it needed to be done, so he talked it over with his wife and got her blessing.

Moss said they have not yet raised enough money to pay for the monument, but OT Beight & Sons already had purchased the stone and completed the work, so they agreed to turn over possession. Moss feels this will help with fundraising as people will be able to see the result.

Moss expressed gratitude to the Austintown trustees, who provided funding for the foundation, and to members of the township road department who gave their time early in the month to pour the concrete so the monument could be installed.

Saturday’s ceremony was brief, but Moss plans to have a bigger event next spring when they have completed the landscaping and placed a flagpole behind it.

Tony Viano of Boardman played taps for the ceremony. He emphasized the importance of remembering those who served our country, and noted that “a lot of people don’t realize it was the American Legion that led the way in honoring veterans.”

Among the participants were Austintown Fitch High School students and members of the Junior ROTC, including Lily LaVassaur, Hunter Brister, John Hughes and Charles Pike.

Pike said he was here because “any opportunity I get I like to help out, especially with the American Legion because they have been so supportive of us.”

Youngstown resident Brian Cook served on the USS Essex during the Gulf War. He expressed appreciation for the remembrance.

“A lot of people who served are still living with this, and a lot of brothers and sisters did not come back,” Cook said.

The flag retirement followed immediately afterward. Post commander Pat Toole tended one of the fires and said it was important to “teach the community not to throw flags out. It is our nation’s symbol.”

North Jackson resident Vic Corneliussen concurred. He noted the American Legion, as well as other organizations such as VFW and Amvets, have boxes where people can deposit their flags for proper disposal.

Summing up the morning’s event, Youngstown resident Barry Garhammer said that while America has done better lately in remembering veterans from World War II and Vietnam, “It’s about time we honored the veterans from the Gulf War and Afghanistan.”

About 2,500 American troops were killed in the War in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2021. In the Persian Gulf War in Iraq in the early 1990s, 207 Coalition (that included Americans) troops were killed, and in the Iraq War, sometimes called the Second Gulf War, about 4,500 American troops were killed from 2003 to 2011.

Anyone who would like to donate to the Mahoning Valley Middle East Memorial fund can send money c/o Thomas Moss Jr., at 149 Rosemont Ave., Austintown, OH 44515, or can call him at 330-727-7215 for more information.