NEIGHBORS
Thomas “Tom” Manol, formerly of Portersville, who died Oct. 16, 2005, will be inducted into the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum’s Hall of Valor on March 24.
Manol was born in 1923 in Pittsburgh. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps at age 18 and achieved the rank of corporal. Manol served two years and nine months in the Sea Service, five months in the Foreign Service in the Philippines and Peleliu Islands, and the remainder of his four years stateside.
While serving with a pioneer battalion on Peleliu on Sept. 17, 1944, Manol, with complete disregard for his own safety, organized, directed and personally led a small group of men into a blazing artillery ammunition dump, set afire by enemy shells. With great effort in the face of exploding shells, he proceeded to extinguish the fire, thus saving not only vitally needed ammunition, but also preventing the spread of fire into other ammunition dumps.
Manol received the Silver Star Medal “for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy.”
Manol’s induction will be attended by his wife, Ruth (Neubauer) Manol and other family members.
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Donna Hauschulz of McCandless Township received the first place award among handworked quilts at the Harmony Museum Quilt and Coverlet Show. Hauschulz volunteers as a quilter at the museum.
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Curt Rauschenberger of Butler F&AM Lodge 272 was honored on March 7 by Masonic grand master Jay Smith, Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, for his long service to Butler-area youths.
Rauschenberger is an adult adviser to the three Masonic youth groups in Butler: Job’s Daughters, Rainbow Girls and Pennsylvania DeMolay.
Ray Laurent of Butler also was honored by Smith. Fifty years ago, Laurent was a master of Butler Lodge 272.
The visit was hosted by Gerald Wetzel, master of the lodge, and Wayne Frankenstein, district deputy grand master. The lodge meets at the Butler Masonic Temple, 346 S. Main St.
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On March 7, the Butler Duplicate Bridge Club winners were:
First: Alan Leaver and Dave Ruppert; and second: Jean Brackett and Cappy Danielson.
