Heroes Grove Honors Local Veterans

For those of us who grew up in Kaisertown, Houghton Park holds some great memories.  It was always a place that we would meet up with friends and just be teenagers, participate in sports, and even school events, but mostly we enjoyed the outdoors at this beautiful

neighborhood park.

We also remember the WWII Monument that was the parks focal point.  As kids, we sat on it, played on it, but the real reason behind it wouldn’t sink in until later in our lives, when so many of those same teenagers were called to war themselves.  That’s when this monument became a memorial in our hearts.

In 1988, the stone monument was moved with great care to a more prestigious place at the front of Houghton Park.  Since then,  some of Kaisertown’s very own Veterans and Friends have been caring for the grounds around it, and have made it what it is today, ‘Heroes Grove’.  Additional monuments have been added over the years, Pearl Harbor, Korea, Vietnam, and even 9/11...trees, flowers, shrubs, and even benches have been added, and behind the monument itself proudly stands a flag pole with the ‘American Flag’ and the ‘MIA’ flag waving in the wind.  Plans are in the works for the addition of an Iraq-Afghanistan monument in the near future.

We have these Veteran’s, friends, and a local politician, Richard Fontana, to thank for keeping this Monument and the Grove that surrounds it in such beautiful condition.    Heroes Grove is in

appreciation to all of our veterans who have kept us safe throughout the years.  It is a reminder, that without these young men and women, some of whom have made the ultimate sacrifice, our way of life would disappear.

Heroes Grove

A Note from Harpo:

AH,Kaisertown !!!

I miss it, and I miss my Kaisertown/Wiechec’s friends. When you grow up in a neighborhood like Kaisertown you make a lot of good friends that you can never forget. Just because I’m not there doesn’t mean I don’t think of you “Knot heads“. . . . you hold some of my fondest memories! We have a bond that I will always treasure.  YOU helped me grow up (now my wife may debate whether I’m there or not).

By ‘YOU’ I mean:

Frankie and “T”(Tom); “Sitt/Eric” (Bobby); “Chops“ (Larry):; “Audy Lommer or Rotten Ralph” (Ralph); “Booby”(Bob G.); “Kance” (Jerry); “Boggie” (Mike) and Timmy; “Ollie” (Larry) and “Charlie“; “Nasty” (Jack) “Linky/Pete“; “Peewee” (Paul); “Red” (John); “Fergie “ (Jimmy); “Nick/ Greek“ (Johnny); “Mouse” (Norm); “Latrobe” (Larry); “Chooch/ Kar“ (Dave); “Derf” (Dan);

“the Beast“ (Chet); and many more.

When I’m out at a bar in Montana, I always say to myself “here’s to YOU knot heads“, and that’s no shit, I’ve done it ever since I left for the service . I can remember having beers in Nam doing the same thing but always adding “good luck”.

Thank YOU fellow “knot heads” I hope this note finds all of you well! I’m waiting for more stories on this blog from you lads. Support the blog it’s now part of US.

Take care friends,

Harpo

Mark: Phil Everly at Lost Lake or How I met Danny D.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was a time for adventure and exploration. Life was good. I believe I and my friend, Jerry Stahura were in sixth grade, Mrs.Ganon’s (“Mrs. Grenade”) class at PS69. Mrs. Grenade got her knick name for every time she left her desk to walk up and down the isles she would drop a grenade. The smell would choke a dog.

We were at the ripe age of around 11. Jerry, at that time, was my favorite exploration partner. We were kind of a Kaisertown, Lewis and Clark. The year before on one of our adventures exploring along Buffalo creek, Jerry saved my life when I fell into the creek. That’s another story.
One Saturday in late spring we were exploring on the ”other” side of the creek over the South Ogden bridge. We happened on Lost Pond. Jerry and I thought we discovered an unknown lake until we found a crude made raft. Little did we know the savagery we were going to be subjected to from the savages that built the raft.  We took it for a ride doing what 11 year olds do, catching frogs, looking for turtles, exploring the newly found “great lake”. Then I heard Jerry say “oh, oh“, that’s when I knew we were in trouble again. The natives were coming! There were two of them. I looked and the first one I saw looked like one of the “Everly Brothers”. What was an Everly Brother doing at Lost Pond with a BB gun? It was probably the famous lever action Red Rider. I would soon find out. I heard the deadly report of a high powered air gun, then Jerry screamed ouch! Then another shot rang out and I felt the BB hit my back and I screamed ouch! I was being fired at by an expert rifleman who was to become a paratrooper. Also, little did I know that I would be doing the same thing in the future but in the Mekong Delta. I was hit again in the back of my leg and heard Jerry yell again. Finally Jerry yelled lets get out of here and we both jumped in to get away. When we were trying to dry out our cloths by the dump fires behind Houghton park, I asked Jerry “who were those assholes, especially the one who looked like Phil Everly (nice hair do)?” He said you don’t know Dan Derfert? I replied, “I do now“. That was the first time I met my future friend, Danny.