Remainder of vet pictures found, Eagle will distribute
When former Armco plant manager Jerry Puff was able to get his hands on about 75 pictures of uniformed Armco employees taken during World War II, he was thrilled to be able to distribute the pristine photos and negatives to the veterans appearing in them or their families.
But he lamented that the remaining pictures, numbering in the hundreds, had likely been discarded.
A few months later, Dave Todd, the retired Armco vice president, gave Puff a call.
“He said 'I have the rest of these pictures,'” Puff said on Thursday.
Puff explained that Todd had been wintering in Florida when the Eagle article on the 75 photos came out in February, and heard about it when he returned to Butler in the spring.
In February, Puff took on the Herculean task of taking calls from those who saw their relatives' names in the Eagle. He also sent photos to Armco veteran families all over the United States.
Puff is thrilled that the remainder of the photos were located and will now have a chance to end up in the hands of an aging veteran or his or her proud family members.
This is an excerpt — read the full story in Sunday's Butler Eagle.
Because there are now 10 times the number of photos originally retrieved by Puff, the Eagle will list the names in the newspaper and on www.butlereagle.com in alphabetical order 30 at a time on Tuesdays and Fridays and distribute the photos at the office at 114 W. Diamond St.Because the Eagle office employees will distribute the photos in addition to completing their regular tasks, only the photos listed in the newspaper will be distributed. No phone calls will be taken on the photos, which will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.Those retrieving photos can do so between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.The photos are free, but those who also want a copy of the Eagle edition that lists the names must buy the newspaper.Those who want a photo sent to them should send the name of the veteran along with a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Jerry Puff, 104 Frankstowne Lane, Butler, Pa. 16002.