HARRISBURG, Dec. 9, 2013 – In memory of the soldiers who have died defending American freedom and in honor of Pennsylvania soldiers who will not be home during this holiday season, state Sen. Judy Schwank today laid a wreath at the Capitol as part of a “Wreaths Across America” event.
“National Wreaths Across America Day” is Dec. 14.
“Just a few days removed from ‘the day that will live in infamy’ and only a newspaper page turn from the seemingly daily reminder that some of our brothers, sisters, relatives and neighbors will never be coming home, the decision to lay a wreath in our solders’ honor was an easy one,” Schwank said.
“Our women and men in uniform have our trust and our prayers for a safe return home once their tours of duty are over. For those who have paid the ultimate price, laying a wreath is a solemn way to say we will never forget and will always be grateful,” she said.
Today’s “Wreaths Across America” event was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association.
More than 3,800 Americans have died in action in Afghanistan, and more PA National Guard soldiers have been killed in action than National Guard soldiers from any other state since the “war on terror” started in 2004.
In October, Sen. Schwank won the unanimous approval from the Senate of her measure to rename Route 662 in Ruscombmanor Township, Berks County, as the “Chief Warrant Officer-2 Jarett M. Yoder Highway.”
Yoder, 26, died in April in Afghanistan when his Apache helicopter crashed in Nangarhar Province.
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