World War II tank memorial project receives $10,000 donation

The money from Gabe Hudock of Alumicore puts the fundraising drive above its $16,510 goal.

American Legion Post 28 Commander Ron Chromulak stands in front of a World War II tank memorial in Monessen’s City Park on May 23, 2024. Chromulak has launched an effort to restore the memorial and is seeking help from residents and businesses in the city. Jeff Helsel / Mon Valley Independent

He was told he’d never raise enough money to refurbish the World War II tank memorial in Monessen City Park, but Ron Chromulak proved them wrong.

“A lot of people told me, they said it’s a lost cause. ‘You’ll never be able to raise it,’” said Chromulak, commander of American Legion Post 28 and chairman of the Monessen War Veterans Memorial Trust. “One guy said, ‘You know this is Monessen, not New York City. Where the hell do you think you’re going to get that kind of money?’” About four months after launching a fundraising initiative to restore the deteriorating World War II tank memorial, the Monessen War Veterans Memorial Trust received a $10,000 donation Friday from Gabe Hudock, president and CEO of Alumicore, which helped exceed the $16,510 fundraising goal.

The fundraising campaign experienced a few lulls over the past couple months. In a letter to the editor published in the July 18 edition of the Mon Valley Independent, Chromulak said donations were coming in at a very slow rate.

However, he never lost hope of reaching the fundraising goal.

“I didn’t have any doubt we were going to do it,” Chromulak said. “It just came sooner than I thought.” About 130 people contributed to the tank restoration project, with donations ranging from $2 to $10,000.

“It was heartening to see that somebody evidently read the little letters to the editor that I put in and thought, well, it’s probably time for me to do my part,” Chromulak said.

He expressed his appreciation for Hudock’s donation. Hudock and his family have supported other Monessen veterans’ causes in the past.

“That family has been very good to the veterans, and we really appreciate all the help they’ve given us,” Chromulak said.

He is also appreciative of the hundreds of other donations, including $5,000 from the Monessen High School Class of 1960, as well as non-monetary contributions for the tank restoration project.

“There are a lot of people in Monessen who are very generous,” he said.

Evans Graphics, located on Donner Avenue, gave $1,000 in signs calling for the restoration of the tank memorial. They were placed throughout the city, including on the U.S. Army Sherman tank itself.

“That was pretty generous of Tony (Evans) to do that,” Chromulak said.

Chromulak contracted the Donora-based Regal Industrial Corporation to perform restoration work on the tank. Chromulak’s goal is to have the tank restored by Veterans Day, but it should be finished well before then.

“(Regal) is used to taking old things and making them look like new, so that’s kind of what we’re expecting,” he said. “Just because they’re a locally owned and operated business doesn’t mean they’re small potatoes. They’re a pretty good-sized organization.”

Not only will the tank look new again, but a plaque will be erected next to the tank using funds from the Class of 1960’s donation.

“We’re going to get the tank back in its proper glory there, and it’ll be on display for everyone to see,” Chromulak said. “People who come in from out of town, people that used to live in Monessen, they come back to visit sometimes for holidays, sometimes in the summer or whatever. They want to bring their grandkids up to see the tank.

“… Now they’ll have something nice they can show them, and perhaps tell them little stories about when they were younger and they climbed on the tank.”