Published Saturday, March 8, 2003
Almost 200 Army Reservists from the area have received their call to duty.
The 347th Quartermaster Company, based at Pendel-Caminiti U.S. Army Reserve Base in Farrell, was activated Friday. A total of 190 soldiers will assemble at the reserve center March 15, and must be in Fort Dix, N.J. by March 18, where they will await their orders.
Maj. Greg Yesko of the 99th Region support command, based in Coraopolis, Pa., said the newest activations join 1,200 soldiers from western Pennsylvania already on active duty.
Yesko said 52,000 Army reservists have been mobilized, making this the largest mobilization since Operation Desert Storm.
The troops from the 347th are the latest area group to be activated. Also Friday, about 80 Air Force reservists from the 910th Airlift Wing in Vienna Township boarded C-130 planes, for Ramstein Air Force base in Germany. They joined 243 other reservists at the base, who left Feb. 25, where they will take part in Operation Joint Forge, a peace-keeping operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Marine reservists who left Feb. 14 from the Youngstown air base are now awaiting orders in Camp Pendleton, Calif. Detachment A, Landing Support Equipment Company of the 4th Landing Support Battalion is awaiting orders for a possible war with Iraq.
A rally to support the troops has been planned, said Vince Darcangelo, disabled veterans employment representative for Mercer County Career Link. Darcangelo, who is organizing the rally, is also the head of the local disabled American veterans chapter.
The rally, scheduled for 3 p.m. March 15 on the east side of the Mercer County Courthouse in Mercer, will feature patriotic music and speeches. A contingent from the 347th will be present, as well as local politicians.