TURIN â For the past three years, village streets have been lined with the now-popular banners showing photographs of veterans from bygone eras in time for Memorial Day.
In most cases, the banners commemorate former soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who have already left this world but this year, one of the honorees is not only still a revered member of the Turin community, but a former Army man who participated in a little-known piece of history.
Edward J. Swiernik, 86, was drafted into the Army in 1955 and served two years of active duty and five years in the reserves.
He and a few other Turin boys, including his brother-in-law for the past 60 years, did their basic training at Fort Dix in New Jersey.