World War I memorial dedication on May 25 Come Saturday, May 25, another memorial will take its place across from Erie Veterans Memorial Stadium. That day at 2 p.m., the Erie County World War One Centennial Committee will dedicate the cast aluminum memorial that carries the 190 names of those from Erie County who died in World War One. The public is invited to the dedication. The memorial will be along State Street immediately south of the Purple Heart memorial and across State Street from the south entrance to the stadium. Another memorial, also a cast aluminum plaque fixed directly to the outside wall of the stadium at its northwest corner at 26th and State Streets, will be unveiled. That plaque will not carry the names. Arthur Mills II, retired from Mercyhurst University as an assistant professor of Intelligence Studies and a retired foreign service officer with the U.S. State Department, will be the main speaker. Mills's maternal grandfather, Edward T. Cribbens, was severely injured while serving with Company G, the National Guard unit from Erie County. Lisa Adams of Erie News Now will be the master of ceremonies. The memorial resulted from the efforts of the Erie County World War One Centennial Committee, which formed one year ago. The committee contracted through Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 470 to have Lake Shore Industries of Erie manufacture the memorials. The committee also performed extensive research to determine which names would go on the memorial. Just in case more names are found later, room was left on the memorial to add more. The names of the 190 who died will be read at the ceremony. On-street parking will be available. For more information, contact: Bill Welch 823-2562, billw917@hotmail.com Mary Jane Koenig 868-2225, Mjsail2@gmail.com
