From left, Butler Township Commissioners Donna Druga and Sam Zurzolo stand with veteran Abie Abraham and David Sinz of the Woodmen of the World, which sponsors a program saluting American heroes. The township recently honored Abraham for his service during World War II, naming a lane after him.

BUTLER TWP — A prominent veteran has a permanent sign of his patriotism.

Abie Abraham Lane is the new name of the road accessing Butler Township Park. The township had a ceremony Sept. 11 in which the lane was dedicated and a sign erected.

Township officials also dedicated a new flagpole at the park and gave certificates of appreciation to ambulance services and fire departments that day, which was the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States.

Abraham, 94, a native of Lyndora who now lives in Renfrew, joined the Army in 1932. He was stationed in Panama, China, San Francisco and the Philippines.

He was captured by the Japanese and was forced to take part in the Bataan Death March. He was a prisoner of war for three-and-a-half years. During that time, he was beaten, stabbed, shot, and sickened by malaria before being rescued. For two years after that, he stayed to help identify and bury the bodies of other soldiers.

He was promoted to major sergeant in 1945 and returned to the U.S. to be a military recruiter. He retired with 30 years of service.

He then worked for the state Department of Highways. He volunteers at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

He has authored two books about his time as a prisoner of war.