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Ross taking part in banner program to honor veterans

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - 6/28/2017

June 28--Like most veterans, Nelson Erb is proud of his military service, which included participation in the invasion of Normandy and serving under Gen. George Patton in the Battle of the Bulge, the last major German offensive of World War II.

And while the 95-year-old Ross resident doesn't go out of his way to seek attention, he's certain to be noticed soon.Erb is among the first people in the township featured in a new program honoring veterans and military personnel with banners to be displayed along Babcock Boulevard between Three Degree and Rochester roads.

Plans call for displaying the banners each year from Memorial Day in May through Veterans Day in November.

"It's an honor to be recognized for my service," said Erb. "I'm one of the fortunate ones. There were a lot of guys who sacrificed their lives defending this wonderful country, so paying tribute to them in this way is a great way to honor them."

American forces fighting in the Battle of the Bulge suffered 85,000 casualties -- killed, wounded or missing/captured -- including 20,000 dead.

The military banner program has been operating for a number of years in several western Pennsylvania communities.

Its genesis in Ross began when Commissioner Steve Korbel was at a picnic in South Park last fall.

"I saw the banners in a number of municipalities and thought it was a really nice way to publicly honor our veterans and active duty military personnel," Korbel said. "I ran into one of the supervisors in South Park Township, who put me in touch with the man who runs the program, and we began designing something for our community."

Korbel helped kick off the new program by paying the $90 cost for a 24-by-36-inch banner bearing a photo of Erb in uniform. It will be displayed on a utility pole at the intersection of Babcock and Bernice streets, where Erb's home is.

Participants in the program also receive a pair of 12-by-18-inch banners for personal display.

The municipality is contributing the manpower from its public works department to erect the banners in the spring and take them down before winter, Korbel said, adding that the first round of banners will go up later this summer.

"Except for the township website and Facebook, we haven't really done much yet to promote this program, but we already have a couple of dozen people participating," Korbel said. "We've got room for about 100 banners, but if more people are interested, we can add more streets."

Tony LaRussa is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-772-6368.

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