Submitted photo
The Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg is holding special Memorial Day programs throughout the holiday weekend.

BOALSBURG — With Mifflin County steeped in military history from the Logan Guard to the Lincoln stone at Monument Square, it’s no wonder that visitors from the county are drawn to the Pennsylvania Military Museum’s rich Civil War memorabilia.

“Lewistown has as much service and sacrifice as anyone in the state of Pennsylvania,” said Tyler Gum, a Mifflin County native who has served as site administrator for the museum since 2016. “Mifflin County has served everywhere in some capacity.”

Since Monday is Memorial Day, many families and friends will be coming to the Boalsburg museum to pay their respect to loved ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice. The museum has put together a series of special programs this year.

The museum preserves and honors Pennsylvania’s military history from 1747 to the present, with special emphasis on the 20th century.

“Pennsylvania has always served around the world,” Gum said. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reports there are more than 700,000 veterans in Pennsylvania and about 18,000 members of the Pennsylvania National Guard. About 12,000 are World War II veterans and 13,000 are Vietnam veterans.

Memorial Day is a day for loved ones to honor and mourn military personnel who have died while serving. Gold Star families experienced the loss of a loved one – an immediate family member who died as the result of military service, while Blue Star families are authorized by the U.S. government to hang a banner for a family member who is serving during war.

If you’ve never been to the museum, this Memorial Day weekend might be the perfect time to make a trip.

“Not everyone likes military history,” Gum said. “We’re not just weapons, tanks and treaches. We give a personal perspective from the front lines and the home front, both that contributed to the effort.”

All of the items on display on the grounds of the 68-acre site, which includes the shrine, monuments, museum and vehicle building, have been carried, worn, used or driven by a veteran from Pennsylvania.

Many of the artifacts in the museum have come from private donations or collections, from estates, from other museums in the state system or from military units or soldiers.

Much thought goes into which items are displayed in the museum. Preserving and protecting the artifacts is a priority for Gum.

“You have to do it right to honor the sacrifices,” he explained.

Each event this weekend is special to him. They all pay homage to the fallen soldiers. It’s the same as exhibits at the museum and the artifacts list. “It comes with a story, which makes it special,” Gum said.

Memorial Day Events Schedule:

Today: “A Walk to Remember”

8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Join A Soldiers Hands, a Centre County non-profit, for a morning of remembrance and reflection. Opening remarks and posting of the colors will be followed by attendees beginning laps of the walking path. Registration: $25 for adults; $20 for veterans; $15 for ages 13 to 17; and free for children 12 and under.

Today and Sunday: “Life at the Front: World War II”

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Explore encampments and talk to living historians about life on the front lines; learn how Operation Overlord changed the course of World War II and the loves of the soldiers who fought in it. Food available from Rebelz Food Truck. Regular museum admission rates apply.

Today: Uncle Dick: “The Bravest Man I Never Met”

11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Museum volunteer Mike Siggins presents the story of his uncle, Lewistown native U.S. Army PFC Richard C. Van Dyke, who was killed in action during Gen. George S. Patton;’s Third Army Moselle River crossings in September 1944. Battle maps, after action reports and personal belongings of Van Dyke create a deeper appreciation of the meaning of Memorial Day.

Today: On Scapel’s Edge: “Applying Hard Fought Lessons From Across the Globe to Mend the Surgical and Heal the Psyche”

2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

James Markman, MD, is a colorectal surgeon in civilian practice and trauma surgeon in the United States Army Medical Corps. He began his active duty in 2005, deployed to Iraq twice and awarded the Purple Heart Medal for wounds sustained. The lessons learned from his far-ranging career for his Memorial Day remarks.

Monday: Allegheny Mountain Region AACA Car Show

9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Regional Antique Automobile Club of America’s Allegheny Mountain Region Chapter hosts their annual summer kickoff event on the grounds of the 28th Division Shrine. The event features many pre-war through modern classic cars on display. $5 on-site parking.

For more information or to register, visit www.pamilmuseum.org/events.