The American Legion Post Penndel American Legion Post 436, located at 424 W. Lincoln Highway in Penndel, has announced the completion of their War Memorial Renovation project which has been a year-and-a-half in the making.
They will have an official dedication of the War Memorial on Saturday, May 28th, at the conclusion of the Penndel-Hulmeville Memorial Day Parade.
The centerpiece of the renovation is a large retention wall in front of the war memorial building, surrounded by a magnificent brick walkway built of engraved stones honoring the men and women who have proudly served their country in the armed forces and in foreign wars.
Engraved bricks have already been placed at the sight, but the Legion plans to sell more to be placed in the fall and continuously into the future. Proceeds of the brick sales will pay for the renovation project, the future placement of memorial bricks and upkeep of the memorial.
Families can have the names of all of their family members who have served in any branch of the U.S. Military engraved on the bricks along with information about the conflicts they proudly served in.
According to Jerry McHugh, Chairman of the Memorial Wall Committee, “With the huge bulk of requests that we’ve been getting to purchase more stones, there is a great chance that we’ll expand the wall in two years. Jerry has been a member of the American Legion Post for decades.
For families purchasing memorial bricks, there will be a second dedication ceremony this November on Veteran’s Day at Our Lady of Grace School, 300 Hulmeville Avenue in Penndel.
As families continue to place memorial bricks for loved ones who have served, there will be a new dedication ceremony each year on Memorial Day Weekend.
The original War Memorial site and structure was created and dedicated to the veterans of World War I and World War II in 1947.
Prior to the existence of the memorial, there were two plaques commemorating veterans of the region from the two World Wars. The original plaque for World War I veterans stood outside the Penndel Firehouse across the street from the current memorial. The original World War II plaque stood on the corner of Bellevue Avenue and Route 1. The WW I plaque was subsequently moved from the firehouse to the stone monument to join the WW II plaque at the heavily traveled intersection.
The building that stands at the current War Memorial was originally the bathroom for the Penndel Recreation Field, which was later the home of the Wildcats Little League. Interestingly, the bathroom was designed and built with the intent to convert it into a monument for Veterans of Foreign Wars by Jerry McHugh’s father, Edward T. McHugh. Edward McHugh lived on 122 Monroe Avenue in a red brick home where Jerry McHugh grew up.
Bob Winkler, the “Godfather of the Wall” and the ex-mayor of Penndel Borough, conceived of the wall project three years ago, and its construction was completed on April 8th, 2022. Everyone at the Penndel American Legion is grateful that that dream has finally come to fruition.
Thank you to all of the brave men and woman from the Penndel, Hulmeville, Langhorne Manor, Langhorne Borough, Langhorne Township and surrounding areas who have served so that all of us can be free.
If you’d like to contact the Penndel American Legion, their address and phone are:
Penndel American Legion Post 436
424 W. Lincoln Hwy. Apt 5A
Penndel, PA 19047
215-752-0598.
PHOTO CAP: Jerry McHugh at the War Memorial