A hero’s honor: The Burholme Civic Association recently honored member Romeo Battilana (right) on the 70th anniversary of his participation in the Battle of the Bulge. PHOTO COURTESY OF SCOTT GIFFORD
The Burholme Community Civic Association last week honored member Romeo Battilana on the 70th anniversary of his participation in the Battle of the Bulge.
Battilana, who was joined by his sons Steve and Russell, received citations and kudos from City Councilwoman Marian Tasco, Councilman Ed Neilson and state Rep. Kevin Boyle.
The youths of the local Civil Air Patrol, a U.S. Air Force auxiliary based at the Naval Inventory Control Point, presented the nation’s colors.
Guests ate a cake decorated in red, white and blue, along with mini-American flags and the words, “Thank you for your service.”
Some 19,000 American troops were killed in the German offensive late in World War II.
“We really, really salute you for everything you’ve done,” said civic association president Al Taubenberger, who read a proclamation from U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey. “Thank you for liberating my ancestral homeland.”
Battilana, a graduate of the old Northeast High School at 8th Street and Lehigh Avenue, fought as a member of the U.S. Army.
At the civic meetings, he occupies the same seat: front row, all the way to the right.
A resident of Burholme for more than 60 years, he paid tribute to his comrades who were killed.
“The ones who deserve the honor are the ones who never returned,” he said.
In other news from the Jan. 8 meeting:
• The group listened to a crime update from Inspector Benjamin Naish, commander of the Northeast Police Division; Capt. Frank Palumbo, commander of the 2nd Police District; and Sgt. Frank Barclay, of the 2nd district.
• Boyle and Neilson both called for increased state funding for public education.
Neilson is hopeful that the Republican-controlled state Senate and House of Representatives can work well with incoming Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf.
A former state representative who attended the Jan. 6 swearing-in ceremonies in Harrisburg, he noted that Democratic Rep. Cherelle Parker strongly seconded the nomination of Republican Rep. Mike Turzai as speaker.
One person not in Harrisburg that day was Brendan Boyle, who resigned his House seat and was in Washington being sworn into the 13th Congressional District seat.
One man in the crowd asked Kevin Boyle who would be replacing his brother.
“I’m strongly supportive of my chief of staff,” he said, referring to Seth Kaplan.
• The Burholme Community Civic Association will meet again on Thursday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. at United Methodist Church of the Redeemer, at 1128 Cottman Ave. (at Lawndale Avenue). The speaker will be Mike Thompson, from the City Planning Commission, who will discuss plans for revitalizing the five points intersection of Cottman, Oxford and Rising Sun avenues. ••
