Matamoras-Westfall Historical Society

MATAMORAS SALUTES : YEAR 2020 This year’s banner program began the middle of March with a list of over 60 names to be called for banners. Our first year ...ended with every pole on Pennsylvania Avenue filled with 36 Veterans being saluted and remembered. It was a little later that Matamoras Salutes our military page was created! As if that wasn’t enough I decided a scrapbook of pictures and stories should also be started to have a way to show others about this program that may not have Face book! This will be the opening page for the year 2020! After many calls our first order for 31 banners was ready to be sent to Remark Printing and it was hoped that they would arrive to be up for Memorial Day. We also had the 36 banners from 2019 to put up once again as they were taken down after Veteran’s Day to keep them in good condition. The day came when we got the call the banners were in and it is always a thrill to get them home and open that box and unroll each banner and see the faces and marvel at how life-sized and real they look! It was decided that since there were already 36 brackets they would be filled on Pennsylvania Avenue and that was done in one long day but what a change to the look of our borough. That left the task of getting up 31 new brackets and banners! That depended on the workers from the DPW finding the time to get them up and once they got into the swing of things they would spend a few Fridays working on them. This job was handled by just two men with ladders and not an easy task. They were all up for Memorial Day and started being placed on side streets here in the Borough. Another order was placed for 17 more banners for a total of 48 banners and more streets being used. It was decided that it was time to shut down applications for this year! This has been an amazing and fulfilling project to be a part of. Thanks to all that have helped along the way! Now, I ask if you have any pictures or stories you would like to share please get in touch with me. Katherine Lemon. This page and book is for you. The scrapbook can be borrowed but this is the only copy of it so please handle with care. I have taken it to veterans that can not get out and have enjoyed reading the stories of fellow veterans. Thank you all for being a huge part of Matamoras Salutes.

Happy Flag Day, Fly It PROUD!!!

Sunday, June 14th is FLAG DAY! Our military men and women carried our flag into battle and fought for our rights to be a free nation. This flag is a symbol of... our country. Any time I see a flag I know what it stands for and am proud to be an American. Buy a flag, fly a flag, replace an old and worn flag and most of all pay honor and respect to it! Nothing is more precious or beautiful than to see the flag billowing in the breeze! Nothing is sadder than to see a widow or loved one receiving a folded flag and what that stands for. God Bless the flag! God Bless our Nation!

Today I want to share with you just what these banners mean to those purchasing them to honor a loved one. During this journey I have talked with so many peopl...e I never knew, mostly children and family members honoring their father, grandfather or a friend from years past. This has all left a lasting impression on me (forever). I have watched people see "their" loved one for the first time. I have had calls when will my Dad's banner be put up. Can I tell you something about my grandfather? I have learned so much about our military presence here in Matamoras. As the last banners for this year are about to go up this next week I want to share this with you. Pam (Hubbard) Wolbert has been in touch with me since I posted that the banners had arrived. We have talked on the phone and hers is a story that needs to be shared. After 16 years of her Dad's letters to home to his mother being missing they were found. Cliff served in France and Germany during WWII and the letters started after he enlisted in the Army and then while he served overseas. There are 3 letters from 1942, 52 letter from 1943, 41 from 1944 and 65 from 1945. He enlisted 12/15/42 and was discharged 3/25/46. As she sat and read all these letters they took her back in time. He diligently wrote and told her how anxious he was to receive mail. He talked about being scared at times but was quick to say he had confidence in his leaders. He saw combat and drove trucks hauling gas, supplies and prisoners. Pam has visited many of the places he wrote of. He came home and married and built a house here in Matamoras at 710 Avenue M and raised his family there. She shared this story on her Facebook page and some of the responses she received are wonderful. One said, "you got to know your Dad when he was young! Another, "handwritten letters are often the key to the soul. So precious! Another, " I'm sure this post caused everyone of us to think of our Dads. I have some letters sent home from Vietnam." I say, what a priceless gift. Pam wishes to come to Matamoras before her Dad's banner goes up to get a picture of her with it. Then stay overnight to watch it go up! This is how much these banners mean! I look forward to meeting her. If you have a loved one on a banner and have a story you would like told or written about please contact me! These veterans are a part of our history.