"Back at the Gap" BACK AT THE GAP Major General Frank H. Smoker, Jr. (USAF, Retired) A national treasure at the foot of Blue Mountain 15th in a series Because we observed Memorial Day just two days ago, it seems an appropriate time to salute our veterans past and present. So for this article, I am digressing from my sequential history of the Gap and, instead, jumping ahead about 40 years and to describe Indiantown Gap National Cemetery which in itself is an important part of the rich historical heritage of Fort Indiantown Gap. The Indiantown Gap National Cemetery is located on the south side of, and immediately adjacent to, Fort Indiantown Gap, on nearly 700 acres of land that were deeded over from the military post to the Veterans Administration by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1976. This new national cemetery opened on September 20, 1982. It has an average width of about one-third mile and is almost three miles in length. Located in the foothills of the stately Blue Mountain, on land with ample shade trees, the cemetery has been developed into a beautiful, peaceful setting. There are 120 National Cemeteries in the United States. They are intended for and available to all qualified veterans and active duty service members and their eligible dependents. According to the Veterans Administration, World War II veterans are dying at the rate of 1,075 a day; Korean War veterans at 305 a day; and Vietnam vets at 200 a day. The Indiantown Gap National Cemetery is a busy place where there are often to eight to ten veterans’ burials taking place during each weekday. As of April 30, there have been nearly 24,000 interments since the first burial took place 22 years ago. Interments are carefully scheduled to allow an efficient and respectful ceremony for each veteran. These interments are conducted at one of the two committal shelters accompanied by an official honor guard, firing squad and bugler playing taps. The Lebanon VFW Post 23 has a team of volunteers who, many years ago, formed an Honor Guard with its sacred mission to pay honor to the deceased veterans are they are laid to rest at the National Cemetery. The men in the Honor Guard are veterans themselves, many from the Korean War. They are dedicated to insuring that those families desiring a military funeral for their veteran loved ones receive the honors that their military service warranted. They perform pallbearers duties, serve as a firing squad firing volleys over the caskets of the dead servicemen, followed by a bugler playing Taps. These men are especially trained for these ceremonial duties, impeccably dressed in military uniforms and perform in a highly professional manner. Last year, this VFW Honor Guard took a turn every other week and served at 522 services, rain or shine, sometime a many as nine or 10 the same day. I cannot say enough about the tremendous dedication that all these men display for their comrades. I am especially mindful of a special member, Thomas Shay, of Mt. Gretna, who was the commander of VFW Post 23 Honor Guard, until his untimely death just after having led his group in the Annville Memorial Day parade last year. Shay died the way he lived much of his life, commemorating veterans who fought for their country. In Shay’s obituary, a fellow Korean war veteran, Marlin Wolf, Jr. was quoted as saying, “That was his life mission, trying to do things to benefit veterans as much as possible, especially when it came to providing military honors and burials. He was dedicated to seeing, whenever possible, that veterans whose families wanted a military burial would get one.” Upon the death of each veteran, the funeral director insures that an American flag is furnished and placed over the veteran’s casket. Upon completion of the rifle volleys and Taps that the Honor Guard carefully folds the American flag into 12 symbolic triangles and the leader of the Honor Guard then presents this flag with stars facing up to the surviving spouse or appropriate family member, with these words, “This flag is presented on behalf of a grateful nation and the Veterans of Foreign Wars as a token of our appreciation for the service of your loved one”. It is significant to note that special ceremonies are held at this national cemetery on each Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Between Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, and for a week at Veterans Day, weather permitting, the VA cemetery director displays the Avenue of Flags, consisting of hundreds of American flags mounted every few feet along the main road. Near the cemetery’s main flag pole, there is also a display of flags of each of the 52 states. Visitors to the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery are deeply impressed to view this spectacular display of this Avenue of Flags. The American flags that are used to create this Avenue of Flags are those voluntarily donated by the veterans’ next of kin so that their loved ones may be remembered on a perpetual basis when these flags flown during these special holiday times. Of course it is optional for the next of kin to retain these funeral flags, however, I should explain that the VA National Cemetery has a policy that welcomes these flag donations. Those next of kin who are interested in donating their funeral flags may do so by delivering them in person to the Cemetery Director or by mailing them to the following address: Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, R.R. #2, Box 484, Indiantown Gap Road, Annville, PA 17003, telephone (717) 865-5254. Every donor will receive an acknowledgement from the Cemetery Director. Besides visiting the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery to view the Avenue of Flags and to see this impressive and well kept cemetery, another reason would be to visit the Pennsylvania Veterans Memorial located on the cemetery grounds. This beautiful, multimillion dollar War Memorial was completed and dedicated on October 7, 2001 to our Pennsylvania’s veterans as an appropriate and proper tribute to those brave members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and Air Force who sacrificed their lives so that we, the living, may live in a free republic. The United States Homeland Securities Director Tom Ridge, Pennsylvania Governor Mark Schweiker and State Representative Peter Zug participated in the dedication ceremony. The memorial has some amphitheater seating to accommodate those attending the special Memorial Day and Veterans Day programs. However, it is recommended that visitors attending these programs bring their own lawn chairs due to the large attendance at these programs. This memorial has been referred to as the Arlington of Pennsylvania, drawing a comparison to Virginia’s Arlington National Cemetery which draws throngs of visitors. The Pennsylvania Veterans Memorial and the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery are spectacular and well worth the visit. Indiantown Gap National Cemetery Memorial Council was established March 10, 1983 for the purpose of sponsoring and conducting programs at the cemetery to honor the veterans of our country. The first program at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery was successfully conducted May 29, 1983. This involved both the dedication of the cemetery and a Memorial Day observance. Programs on Memorial Day and Veterans have been continued annually under the leadership of the dedicated members of this council ever since that time. Fort Indiantown Gap and the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery are located 10 miles north of Annville on State Route 934, or, if travelling on Interstate 81, go one quarter mile north on Route 934 off Exit 85 (previously Exit 29). -- 30 -- Published in the Lebanon Daily News, 2 June 2004 © 2004 Frank H. Smoker, Jr. All rights reserved. Reproduced by permission of the author. Go "Back at the Gap" Index