For release: Immediate
Contact: John Golden, Communications Director
610.834.7985
golden@valleyforge.org

Local Veterans Day Commemorations Honor
All Branches of the Armed Forces

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. - Veterans Day is all about honoring members of the military who gave their all to ensure our safety and freedom.

Enjoying that freedom is currently the cornerstone of the marketing messaging from the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board. The Board's rallying cry - "Let Freedom Reign" - provides the perfect platform from which to heartily salute the deceased members of the U.S military who sacrificed themselves to ensure the liberty that all citizens enjoy.

The Board offers the following Veterans Day sites and events to Americans who wish to pay their respects to those who served.

  • The Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge is a nonprofit organization devoted to promoting engaged citizenship. Onsite at its 85-acre campus is the Medal of Honor Grove, which is dedicated to preserving the honor and distinction of every Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. The grove features an artistic obelisk - patterned after the Washington Monument - dedicated to each state of the union, surrounded by plaques listing heroes who resided there. A Veterans Day visit would be an excellent way of commemorating those brave souls, with a reflective walk among the tributes.
  • At Valley Forge National Historical Park, the November 11 Commemoration Ceremony at the National Memorial Arch begins at 11 a.m., when the National Park Service is joined by local and national military organizations to honor our nation's heroes. The guest speaker is Brigadier General Steven A. Shapiro, Commander of Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support in Philadelphia. Immediately following the ceremony, all military personnel and their families are invited to a reception in the park's Education Center. From 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., the Muhlenberg Brigade Huts provide the setting for the program marking "American Military through the Ages." Park staff, volunteers and veterans will present America's military history from the perspectives of a variety of conflicts, including the Revolutionary, Civil and Vietnam Wars.
  • The Harold F. Pitcairn Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, but a visit on the weekend before or after Veteran's Day can be both educational and patriotic. The museum is devoted to preserving the aviation history of the greater Montgomery County, Pa., area, including the men and women who served at the Naval Air Station at Willow Grove. Many veterans donated personal artifacts to the Wings of Freedom organization, and many remain frequent visitors who come - formally or informally - to share their experiences.
  • For the ninth straight year, the students of Owen J. Roberts (OJR) High School, Pottstown, will serve a luncheon to all veterans as part of its annual ceremony honoring departed members of the military. The program for November 11 includes:
    • Music from the high school's choir
    • Colors and escort duties from the OJR Naval ROTC
    • Guest speakers and reflections on the service of veterans
  • More than a dozen Lansdale businesses are contributing to the Veterans Day honorifics from Mater Dei Catholic School, November 11. The day begins with a prayer service and includes lunch from suppliers such as Corropolese Bakery & Deli, Giuseppe's Pizza and Family Restaurant and Zeigler's Beverages.
  • The American Helicopter Museum & Education Center is holding a Vietnam Commemoration Symposium on November 12. Honoring Vietnam War veterans and their families, the day will feature a series of prominent speakers, both scholars and practitioners, who will situate the use of rotary wing craft within the American way of war. The free program is cohosted with West Chester University.

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The Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board is a nonprofit, membership-based sales and marketing organization that actively promotes the Valley Forge area and Montgomery County, Pa., as a convention site and leisure visitor destination by encouraging patronage of its 300-plus member hotels, restaurants, attractions and services. The Board's website serves visitors, meeting planners, tour operators and residents, as well as hosting The Pursuit, a twice-weekly blog.