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A memorial to Harold "Sandy" S. Harper

August 11, 1922  –  June 3, 2025

We are saddened to share that Paul has passed away so we setup this memorial page in his honor.

This article below was written prior to Paul’s passing to share and emphasis his great service to our country.

Meet Our 2023 WWII Veteran Grand Marshal

 Harold ‘Sandy’ Harper was born on August 11, 1922. He enlisted in the navy in 1942 and left his hometown of Beaver, Pennsylvania. During World War II, Sandy was a nose gunner in a PBY-Catalina patrol bomber in the South Pacific. He was part of VP-81, Black Cats, Polar Bear Squadron and was assigned to the USS Montpelier. During his time in the Pacific, he and his crew were shot down and floated on the wreckage of their plane for three days. Fortunately, an American ship appeared on the horizon and came to their rescue.

After World War II, Sandy was stationed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and served on the USS Everglades. He left the Navy as a Petty Officer 1st Class in January of 1955. After transitioning to civilian life, Sandy worked for Diebold as a bank lock smith. He and his family would move to York, PA in the early 1960s where Sandy would open his own company, Central Vault Services. Sandy retired from his own business at the age of 87.

Sandy still resides in York County and celebrated his 100th birthday in August of 2022. He and his late-wife, Catherine, are the parents of two daughters and have five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. In his free time, Sandy is an avid golfer and a diehard Pittsburgh sports fan.

sandyharper
Gran Marshal 2023

A memorial to Paul Steich

March 25, 1923 – December 29, 2024

We are saddened to share that Paul has passed away so we setup this memorial page in his honor.

This article below was written prior to Paul’s passing to share and emphasis his great service to our country.

Meet Our 2024 WWII Veteran Grand Marshal

Our soon to be 101 year old WWII veteran Paul Elwood Steich was drafted into the Army in April of 1943. He left his hometown of Hanover for basic training at Camp Edwards, Cape Cod. Paul’s military job was known as a Cannoneer of a 90mm 8 man Anti-aircraft Gun team, where his responsibility was to push the shell into the barrel and fire it. On December 5, 1943 they were given orders to move, so he took a five day train ride to California and a five day boat ride to the Island of Oahu in Hawaii overlooking Pearl Harbor. Once there, all American planes were grounded at dark, at which time he and his crew were told to shoot at anything flying. In June of 1944 they were given new orders to move and Paul spent twenty one days on a troop ship landing the evening of the Saipan Invasion, where he saw shells flying. The Advanced Force was already there and set up and upon exiting the ship, they walked through water above their waists due to no docks or piers while all the equipment and ammunition needed to be drug underwater. He encountered many flies, mosquitoes and temperatures of 110 degrees. The Japanese would poison the water supplies so good drinking water needed to be taken with them. In 1945 Paul flew back to the Island of Oahu, Hawaii where he worked at the 5th Medical Supply Depot upon being discharged in 1945 and returned home two days before Christmas. He later married his high school sweetheart, Doris Rebert and they celebrated 75 years of marriage together prior to her passing in 2022. Paul has three living children two deceased children, eight grandchildren, thirteen great grandchildren, and four great great grandchildren.

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