Bridgeville Historical society honors local soldiers
A new exhibit at the Bridgeville Historical Society is commemorating the lives of local soldiers who died in times of war. A reception was held May 24 to highlight the exhibit during Memorial Day weekend. In addition to the things inside the historical society’s building on Station Street, there were also military vehicles displayed outside.
Put together primarily by Joseph Oyler, a lifelong Bridgeville resident, the display recognizes men and women from the Revolutionary War to Vietnam. Oyler made posters with deceased soldiers’ pictures on them and short biographies. There were also military artifacts on display, many loaned to the historical society by local residents.
Oyler pointed to one of the first posters that featured Christian Lesnett, who was in the Revolutionary War. The Lesnett Family was and still is a prominent family in the Bridgeville area. Another Lesnett, Christian, fought in the War of 1812.
Civil War casualties from the Bridgeville area are also remembered in the display.
“Twenty-six members of Bethany Church served in the Union Army,” Oyler said, adding of those, six were killed.
Oyler said doing the research for the exhibit was very rewarding.
“It gave me one more opportunity to commemorate all these guys who lost their lives. I’ve learned a lot,” he said.
Several military veterans attended the open house including Santo Magliocca of Bridgeville, who served in World War II. He said he was drafted into the military at age 18 and joined the Air Force. He went on 23 missions in Europe flying a Ball Turret Gunner.
“My first mission, I shot down a German plane and had an engine knocked out,” Magliocca said.
Magliocca, originally from Carnegie, went on to serve on Carnegie Borough Council for several years and when he moved to Bridgeville, he served on council there for about 10 years.
The military exhibit will be on display at the Bridgeville Historical Society through August.