Fallen war hero honored
One of Butler's fallen war heroes was honored Wednesday at a dedication ceremony and monument unveiling at Rotary Park.
The city unveiled a new monument for Pfc. Paul E. Angert, who was killed April 28, 1970, during the Vietnam War in the Quang Nam Province of South Vietnam.
The 18-year-old died while serving in the 1st Marine Division less than a year after graduating from Butler High School.
Angert has had a memorial in his honor since 1970, but Wednesday's ceremony capped off the relocation of his previous monument from the former Island Playground.
The relocated monument includes a new stone on which the plaque is mounted and a new flagpole.
The project involved work and support of numerous people, but was led by retired Sgt. Major Sam Zurzolo, Jerry Puff, and Eagle Scout candidate Justin Ellis.
“I'm very excited to be part of this,” said Justin Ellis, son of state Rep. Brian Ellis. “It's the ultimate way to show respect.”
Ellis, Zurzolo and Puff worked on the project since June.
Ellis said the project originally was to simply have the city streets department move the previous monument, but that plan was complicated when they realized the old stone was cracked and would break if moved.
Zurzolo said in a speech that his two partners devoted a lot of time and effort to the project.
“Jerry gave his heart and soul into this project,” Zurzolo said. “So did Justin.”
Puff was unable to attend the ceremony due to an illness.
City Councilman Bill May led the ceremony, detailing the life of Angert.
“We often speak of war in terms of numbers and faceless names,” May said. “But when we hear the numbers or read the names, we need to remember each man in those statistics was somebody's son.”
Angert was the son of the late William and Antoinette Angert. He was born after the death of his parent's first born son, Billy, who drowned in the Connoquenessing Creek as a 2-year-old.
May said Angert grew up on Madison Avenue, which borders Rotary Park.“Paul grew up as an only child surrounded by an extended family,” May said.Angert's best friend as a child was his cousin, Linda Dublin Nelson, who lived across the street from him.“He was like a brother to me,” Nelson said. “We were always together.”May said as Angert grew into a teenager, his attention switched away from riding bikes and fishing.“He was into girls, cars and rock and roll,” May said, adding the teen played drums and guitar in a three-member band.Angert was notorious for playing a joke on girls he would pick up for dates by bringing his cousin Linda along in the car.“He would drive for 10 minutes before he finally told (the girl) that it was only his cousin and he had to drop her off at the store,” May said.Nelson remembered the antics.“He thought that was the funniest thing,” she said.Angert eventually began dating his high school sweetheart Cindy Murphy Klein.Klein and Nelson had the honor of unveiling the monument Wednesday.“It was beautiful,” Klein said of the ceremony. “He would have been so honored.”Klein said she remembers being close to Angert.“He was my best friend,” she said. “We spent our teenage lives together.”Angert enlisted in the Marines shortly after graduating high school.“He enlisted two years in the Marines on the buddy plan,” May said. “His parents did not want to see him go off to war.”Angert was part of the Pittsburgh Pirates platoon, named after the Major League ballclub.He was deployed to Southeast Asia in January 1970. He died just three months later.“A friend asked him to walk the point one night,” May said. “That was the night he was killed in the darkness of the jungle by a North Vietnamese fragmentation shell.”Angert's death came nearly 20 years to the day that his older brother died.Nelson said the new monument is a fitting place for the fallen hero.“He's home,” she said. “It's unbelievable what they put together. And it's at the corner now so everyone can see him now.”Angert would have celebrated his 63rd birthday Friday.
