Pennsbury Honors Fallen Warfighters With Ties To District

Provided by the Pennsbury School District:

Pennsbury High School (PHS) hosted the 23rd annual Wall of Honor Ceremony on Friday, May 24.

The proud Pennsbury tradition of honoring fallen American heroes with ties to the district is traditionally held the Friday before Memorial Day weekend. 

The Pennsbury Wall of Honor lists 162 soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Fourteen of the names on the wall attended PHS. The remaining 148 soldiers are related to a student, current or former staff member. Two new names were added to the wall this year – Private Paul Wasyliszyn and Captain Robert W. Tibbetts, both of the United States Army. Private Wasyliszyn was the great uncle of current PHS students William (11th grade) and Shane Treiber (9th grade). He was killed in action in France while serving in World War II. Captain Tibbetts was the great-grandfather of current PHS freshman Jacob MacKinnon. He was killed in action when his plane was shot down in Assam, India, during World War II. 

The ceremony began with the Posting of the Colors by the PHS Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) Cadets Owen Wood, Drac Gill, Dominic Ausevich, and Salem Stephenson. PHS sophomore Maddie Magee performed the Star-Spangled Banner and God Bless America. Lou Sudholz, PHS assistant principal, athletic director, and supervisor of physical education, welcomed guests, including local veterans, Gold Star families, Pennsbury students and staff, and community members. 

“Today, we gather with solemn hearts and unified spirits to honor the great men and women who have laid down their lives in service to our nation. Memorial Day is more than a day of remembrance; it’s a testament to the courage, sacrifice, and enduring legacy of our fallen heroes. We are reminded of the profound debt we owe to those who fought to secure the freedoms we cherish. Their sacrifices remind us of the true cost of liberty and the enduring strength of the human spirit,” said Mr. Sudholz. 

Senior Isabella Bush recited the opening Veterans prayer. PHS sophomore and JROTC Cadet Joseph Burcaw recited the poem “In Flanders Field” by John McRae, which pays tribute to the fallen heroes of World War I who lost their lives in Belgium and France. Freshman cadet Savannah Stevenson recited “A Daughter’s Thoughts,” a poem written by the daughter of a Vietnam veteran to her father. Senior Madison Klein, whose great-uncle was killed in Vietnam and is remembered on the Wall of Honor, read an excerpt from the Gettysburg Address. Noah Howington and Aidan Keesler, senior members of the PHS Marching Band, performed Echo Taps. 

This year’s guest speakers were 1968 Pennsbury High School graduates William J. Strickler and Sergeant Dennis Smith (retired) of the United States Air Force. Sergeant Smith, who served in Vietnam from 1971 to 1975, credited his experiences at Pennsbury with helping him prepare for basic training. 

“It was a six-week course. It was tough. They marched you; they put you through all of these drills. One of the things that prepared me, and I thank Pennsbury, is that the Pennsbury High School Marching Band taught me how to march. I can honestly say that Pennsbury played a big role in getting me through basic training,” said Sergeant Smith. 

Sergeant Smith added that the discipline he learned by being on the Pennsbury High School wrestling team also helped him through basic training. 

“Mr. Kopack was the trainer, and his practices in that sweat room were a lot tougher than what we went through at basic training,” Sergeant Smith said with a laugh. 

William Strickler is the executive producer of the award-winning short film She is 17 Again. The story is set against the backdrop of the Vietnam Wall and was inspired by his memories of Pennsbury High School. 

“Growing up in the 60s, I remember the days of Vietnam. I remember sitting in the auditorium and all my buddies listening to the draft number for each one of us. Mine was 182. I had a friend who was 366. I went to college, and that was my draft deferment, so I never fought in Vietnam. Others didn’t go to college, so they were drafted if they had a low draft number, or they enlisted because they may have felt that it was their duty to be a patriot and protect our freedom and the American Way,” said Stricker.

“Today and every day, I hope we remember as we walk past the Wall of Honor that behind each name is a real person that lived and was a part of the fabric of our school and our community. They walked the same hallways and sat in the same classrooms as you do today,” Strickler told the students in attendance. 

Following Strickler’s remarks, the audience sat silently as they viewed a video featuring photos of the military members whose plaques are hung on the Wall of Honor. The video stood as a sobering reminder of their sacrifice. 

Before the ceremony concluded, Aly McBryar, the lead advisor for the Pennsbury Wall of Honor, reflected on the importance of Memorial Day and Pennsbury’s Wall of Honor. 

“Each year, the ceremony changes. New people are inducted, new families attend, and new friends are made. But some things never change. Our loved ones are still gone. We still mourn the loss of the lives they never lived and the dreams of what life would have been like with them beside us. Our families and our lives are incomplete and will never be the same. But what will be the same is that each year, we will be here to remember and honor their sacrifice so we can remain free. We will live our lives every day as if it is our last. Every day is a gift.” 

Now in her 10th year as the lead advisor for the Wall of Honor, McBryar works closely with the Pennsbury Wall of Honor Foundation, a non-profit organization, to maintain the wall and foster an appreciation and respect for our nation’s military. The wall is funded by public donations made to the foundation. A refresh of Pennsbury’s Wall of Honor is expected this summer. The public is always welcome to visit the wall. To make tour arrangements, please contact Aly McBryar at amcbryar@pennsburysd.org. 

Pennsbury High School Students Killed In Action 

• 1st Lieutenant Joseph P. Yatsko Jr. – Class of 1959 
• Specialist 4 John W. Thomas – Class of 1960 
• PFC. Richard C. Williams – Class of 1963 
• Corporal Robert W. Meiss Jr. – Class of 1964 
• PFC. James “Rick” Guest – Class of 1964 
• PFC. Patrick R. Roy – Class of 1965 
• Lance Corporal Edward “Eddie” N. Beers – Class of 1965 
• Corporal Alan R. Schultz – Class of 1966 
• Warrant Officer William W. Breece Jr. – Class of 1966 
• Specialist 5 Arthur M. Day – Class of 1966 
• PFC. Steven R. Caucci – Class of 1968
• PFC. Michael B. McGinnis – Class of 1968 
• Sergeant Robert P. Hampton Jr. – Class of 1969 
• PFC. Nathaniel E. DeTample – Class of 2004 

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