Maglicco marks first Memorial Day as mayor with solemn service

The annual Memorial Day service brought together veterans, elected officials and community members.

By THOMAS LETURGEY
For the MVI

For McKeesport’s Tom Maglicco, a U.S. Army veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, participating in his first Memorial Day ceremony as the city’s mayor was extra special.

The annual event held Monday morning was hosted in front of about 100 veterans, first responders from the city as well as Glassport, local leaders and residents.

Under sunny and then cloudy, 68-degree conditions, the event was hosted by Boniface Igba, Spiritual Coordinator of Auberle. The invocation was provided by The Rev. Guy Johnson of Trinity Church of Christ, and members of the McKeesport Area High School Air Force JROTC presented the colors, while the National Anthem was performed by the McKeesport Area High School Choir.

McKeesport council members, including Amber Webb and Keith Soles were among those in attendance to honor veterans lost while serving the country. Members of AMVETS Post 8 and the Joyful Bloomers, who were lauded for cleaning Memorial Park leading up to the event, were commended by the mayor.

During his time in the Army, Maglicco recalled being injured while being on duty in the early 1990s and was sent back to the states. While on a cargo plane with other soldiers, they found out they were to be accompanied by two fallen veterans. “So, as you can imagine for the rest of the trip, we didn’t say a word. A few of us got up, touched the caskets and said a prayer on the back of that plane,” he said.

He added that recently he has been thinking about the service and ultimate sacrifice for those veterans who have fallen. The mayor also touched on a speech from then-President Ronald Reagan in Arlington National Cemetery on May 27, 1985, about the importance of those who lost their lives representing America.

“But most of them were boys when they died, and they gave up two lives — the one they were living and the one they would have lived,” Reagan said. “When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands and fathers and grandfathers. They gave up their chance to be revered old men. They gave up everything for our country, for us.”

Maglicco cited a 2020 release that named McKeesport one of the most patriotic cities in the country, as well as the most patriotic city in Pennsylvania.

“I see that, because a lot of communities have a veterans service, one or two a year, with a thanks to our veterans committee, we do an outstanding job in honoring our veterans,” he said.

State Rep. Dan Goughnour added, “We’re going to add that title proudly. We pause to remember the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country, the freedoms we enjoy every day. Today is also about gratitude for the family who carry the memory of their loved ones and for the veterans and active service members who continue to serve with honor.”

Former Allegheny County Commissioner Larry Dunn, 00088049

who said he began attending these events in McKeesport before leaving public office 25 years ago, also spoke.

“When you think about it, McKeesport gave up a lot,” he said. He touched on continued community support, including the Boys and Girls Club, and the recognition of the 23 residents who died while serving in Vietnam, as well as the others who served in World War II and other conflicts. He also talked about “those who didn’t go” but did their part by working in the mills and providing steel for World War II and the Korean Conflict.

“Everyone who went to battle to defend our country is a hero,” Dunn said.

Keynote speaker Greg Nemchick, a Gold Star family member, read a touching narrative titled, “The House that Grief Still Visits.” It referenced the time before and after a family receives notice that a loved one has been lost while in service.

“In McKeesport, where the Youghiogheny meets the Monongahela, the water has a way of carrying the stories of the boys who grew up on these streets, boys who tossed footballs in alleys, played sports in the boy’s club, some that worked shifts in the summer in the mills and dreamed of bigger things than the valley they called home,” he read. “They were young, but they were forged like steel in a town that knows what it’s like to stand together.”

Two veterans placed a memorial wreath and American flag in the park, while others, lead by AMVETS Post 8 Cmdr. Tom Bergan, retired an American flag and replaced it. The Veterans Honor Guard conducted a rifle salute, and Bowie Koister of the McKeesport Area High School band performed “Taps.”

Members of the McKeesport Area High School Choir sang “Find the Cost of Freedom,” and The Rev. Richard Truss from Zion Baptist Church closed out the event with a benediction.

“It is a special day,” said Maglicco, a 10-year veteran with three years active duty and one deployment as an Army sergeant. “When you sit back and it’s quiet and no one’s around, you read articles or see some posts about people honoring veterans, it makes you think about the fallen heroes, and it makes you really appreciate that. It’s an honor to see people come out.

“We can never repay the loss for them and their families.”