War Memorial, memorial & Veteran's days & pitman's fallen he

The Edward J. Campbell, Jr. War Memorial, a place of reverence and reflection, at Ballard Park in Uptown Pitman.  

The Memorial, re-named in 2014 to honor long-time Pitman resident, Korean war veteran and past VFW Post 6469 Commander Edward J. Campbell, Jr., is a salute to all branches of service and their members and a respectful reminder of those that gave the ultimate sacrifice.

At the end of the beautiful brick walkway sits a large tablet that pays homage to the Pitman residents who served during World War I.  Encircling the malls perimeter are 41 stone markers, one for each resident who lost their lives while serving their country, beginning with the loss in 1918 of Elwood Kindle, through present day.

In 2019, the fountain was added to the memorial through the efforts of resident Meredith Owen as her Girl Scout Gold Award service project.

The most recent beautification project (2023) was the removal of the border hedgerow and replacement with an open black aluminium fence to allow an unobstructed view of the Memorial from street level as well as Ballard Park.

You can view the roll call of Pitman's Fallen Heroes below.

When visiting the Memorial, please do so with the respect and dignity it merits.

It is VFW Post 6469's distinct honor to lead Pitman's Annual Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony.  We pay our respect to and keep our local heroes, who paid the ultimate sacrifice while in service to our county, memories alive.  Join us for this reflective and dignified event each Memorial Day.  

2025 ceremony:  Pitman Grove Tabernacle - 5/26 - 10:45am.  

Flower laying following ceremony at the War Memorial.

Memorial Day, as Decoration Day gradually came to be known, originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during World War I the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in the line of service, in all wars, including World War II, The Vietnam War, The Korean War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

For decades, Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30, the date General Logan had selected for the first Decoration Day. But in 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. The change went into effect in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday.

History.com Editors, Updated 5/16/2022, www.history.com

WORLD WAR I                                   KOREAN WAR

Elwood Kindle  1918                              James F. Snodgrass, Jr.  1950

                                                          Charles B. Dickson  1951

WORLD WAR II                                  C. Theodore Bauer  1951

Anthony M. Curkowsky  1941                  William L. Lawrence  1951

Milton W Miller  1943                           Charles Chauncy  1952

Wallace G. Lee  1943                             John C. Moore  1953

Leroy J. Weatherby  1943

Charles F. Lanning, Jr.  1943                   VIETNAM WAR

Richard D. Scott  1944                           Marvin Hilliker  1966

Harry J. Horrocks  1944                          J. David Smith  1966

Edward R. Ward  1944                           James T. McConnell, III  1968

Harry M. CRist  1944                             John L. Jervis, III  1968

John C. Neely  1944                               Jeffery A. Thibault  1968

J. S. McMurray, Jr.  1944                         Bruce D. Sharp  1968

Henry N. Silvers, Jr.  1944                       Thomas P. Shinn  1968

Robert D. Hammond  1944                     George Craig Schoettner  1969

Waldo W. Corbin  1944                           Paul B. Thomas 1970

William R. Parker  1944

William H. Emery  1944                          GUANTANAMO

Raymond M. Fuller  1945                        Edward S. Polocz, Jr.  1983

Clarence L. Mullen, Jr.  1945   

Meredith W. Henry  1945                        IRAQ WAR

C. Wesley Hayman  1945                        Sean Patrick Kelly  2005

Ralph W. Husted  1945   

Robert W. Terrell  1946                           AFGHANISTAN WAR

                                                           Alessandro L. Plutino  2011

At sunrise, briskly raise flag to full staff, then lower to half staff position. 

At noon, raise flag back to full-staff for the remainder of the holiday.

If the flag cannot be displayed at half staff on Memorial Day, flag etiquette requires the flag be displayed with a black mourning ribbon to show respect and acknowledge the somber meaning of the day.

Visit our Community page for a full list of flag etiquette.

The Borough hosted its first annual Veteran's Day parade in 2024. Veteran service members of Pitman VFW Post 6469 and surrounding communities, joined sports, music and school groups and organizations, and  proudly walked the parade route, waiving to the members of the community that lined Uptown Pitman to salute their service.  We are appreciative of the members of the community who recognized the need to highlight the areas veterans and worked to get the parade and ceremony at the War Memorial off the ground for a great 1st event.

The date for Veteran's Days was chosen as fighting ended on the Western Front of the First World War on the 11th day, of the 11th month, at 11am in 1918.  Originally called Armistice Day, the day was officially recognized by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in 1919, honoring those who brought about the end of the “Great War".  

In 1954, after the return of service personnel from both World War II and the Korean War, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill rededicating Nov. 11 as Veterans Day, encouraging Americans to commit themselves to the cause of peace and to honor America’s veterans for their courage, honor, patriotism and sacrifice.

To learn more about this national holiday visit: The National WWI Museum and Memorial, VA.gov and many other sources.