Traveling Tomb of the Unknown Soldier arrives Friday in Zelie
ZELIENOPLE — The Traveling Tomb of the Unknown Soldier will be brought Friday from New Castle to Four Corners Park in Zelienople.
Currently, there is a police and motorcycle escort planned to bring the tomb into Zelienople. The escort will start very close to 6 p.m. at the old Sears parking lot in Union Township in Lawrence County.
The procession will proceed across Route 422 and then turn right onto Route 19 south. Following Route 19 south to Little Creek Road, it will turn left to go to the Interstate 79 south on-ramp. After a short trip down I-79, the procession will exit at the Route 528 exit and turn north on Route 19.
Plans call for about 1,000 or more American Legion Riders motorcyclists to escort the Traveling Tomb into Zelienople around 6:45 p.m.
The Tomb will travel to Four Corners Park at the corner of Grandview Avenue and Main Street, where the motorcycles will disperse between 6:30 and 7 p.m.
This will be the last year for the Tomb to travel.
Adel Fatur, a resident of Zelienople for more than 30 years who is very active with the Zelienople Historical Society, is the organizer of the Traveling Tomb of the Unknown Soldier that will be displayed in the park from Friday to Tuesday.
The opening ceremony for the Traveling Tomb will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday in Four Corners Park with a performance by the Beaver County Brass Band and a flyover (weather permitting) by two World War II-era reconnaissance planes.
The ceremony will continue with a presentation of colors by Bantam Marine Corps League Detachment 743, an invocation by the Rev. Reid Moon of Grace Church in Harmony, and a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
The keynote address will be given by Dennis McMahon III, a retired tomb guard, followed by a wreath presentation and dove release.
The ceremony will end with a 21-gun salute and a performance of “Taps.”
The event will be followed by a 6 p.m. jazz concert at the gazebo and a 7:30 p.m. Yankee Doodle Dandy showing at the Strand Theater.
Sunday will see 11 a.m. wreath presentations and visitations, a 2 p.m. flag-folding ceremony by members of the Cranberry Township VFW Post 879, and a 6 p.m. blessing at Park United Presbyterian Church, 109 E. Grandview Ave., followed by an ice cream social in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Strobel Hall on Park Lane.
On Monday, the Fourth of July parade will have a horse-drawn hearse carrying a flag-draped coffin and accompanied by a riderless horse. After the parade there will be photo opportunities with the hearse and riderless horse at the tomb.
On Tuesday, the tomb will be the site of wreath presentations and visitations until a closing ceremony.
For more information on the Traveling Tomb of the Unknown Solider, visit zeliehonor.com.
