Elizabeth "Smidge" Stevens, Vice President of Mount Morris VFW Post 547 Ladies Auxiliary, addressing those gathered at the Vets Hall for the Wall of Heroes dedication. Photo by Tony D'Imperio

MOUNT MORRIS, NY — There’s something about a whole wall designed to honor many people by inscribing their names or photos on it: We’re drawn to it, and we feel to linger. The most well-known one is the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC.

The VFW Post 547 Ladies Auxiliary, celebrating its 70th anniversary, dedicated the Wall of Heroes at the VFW Hall in Mount Morris last week.

Cards — many with photos attached — upon which names of veterans were printed blanketed the wall. Information also included military branch, location and years of service and rank. The cards, made by Ladies Auxiliary President Sharon Woodworth, were titled “Land of the Free Because of the Brave.”

Three of the cards had a special meaning for me, as they displayed information about my Uncles Jim and Chuck Trubia and Tony Inguaggiato, all of whom served in WWII. All three, now deceased, returned home from the war.

Ladies Auxiliary Member Josephine “Aunt Jo” Trubia-Inguaggiato, sister of Jim and Chuck and wife of Tony, provided the facts about the three men.

Army Staff Sergeant James Trubia, my Godfather, was seriously wounded when shot in the groin; he underwent a long recovery in a Fort Dix hospital and was affected by this injury throughout his life. Uncle Jim was awarded the Purple Heart Medal; he served in battles on Guam, Letye and Okinawa.

Army Pfc. Charles Trubia received the Silver Star Medal, the third highest military decoration, awarded for bravery in the face of the enemy during a battle in Sicily. Uncle Chuck drove an army supply truck, full of ammunition, through a line of enemy fire. He was wounded, also receiving the Purple Heart; he carried shrapnel in his back all his life.

Army Sergeant Tony Inguaggiato escaped injuries as an Artillery Gunner in battles on Saipan and Tinian. Uncle Tony received several medals, including the Expert Marksman/Sharpshooter Badge and the Good Conduct Medal for exemplary conduct, efficiency and loyalty.

Frank “Hank” DiSalvo, 83, and I got to talking when we happened to be standing near each other while looking at the cards on the wall. Frank, a Mount Morris native and resident, was a 19 year-old tail gunner on a B-17 WWII Bomber.

Elizabeth “Smidge” Stevens, spokeswoman for the dedication, had heartfelt praise for all veterans, saying, “Those who have gone to war have seen more suffering and death than they should have in their lifetime, and they never, for as long as they live, forget the horror of what they have seen.”

Complete story appears in our Nov. 19 print edition.

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