EVANS CITY — Banners that will honor military veterans were unveiled Tuesday night at the VFW Post 499.

The post’s banquet hall was packed with people who came to honor Sgt. Nicholas Tomko, U.S. Army, who was killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He is one of the soldiers who will be honored by the borough’s new military banners program organized by Mayor Dean Zinkhann. The 24-by-36 -inch banners, showing soldiers both dead and alive, will be hung from utility poles on Main Street.

Wayne Perry, district commander for District 25 of the VFW, was there to present the banner to Tomko’s family.

Tomko’s father Jack Tomko of Evans City was supposed to accept the banner, but he was too emotional and declined to attend, Perry said.

Instead, Smith Gailey, a family friend who said he was close to Tomko, accepted it on behalf of the family.

Zinkhann said he has 22 soldiers signed up to be honored with banners, but he is looking to get as many as possible.

“We’ll take all we can get. I want to line the street with them,” he said.

They will be hung on Main Street from Memorial Day through Veterans Day.

A banner costs $80.

Application forms and more information on the banner program are available at www.troopbanners.com/evanscity.