Supporting the accounting of all Prisoners of War (POW) and those Missing in Action (MIA), the siblings of Major Lewis Smith II made it their mission to honor their brother and all unaccounted for service members by erecting a memorial courtyard and flagpole reminding observers of their sacrifice.

Since May 30, 1968, when the Skymaster aircraft he piloted in the Vietnam War went down near Chavane, Laos, during a reconnaissance mission, Smith has been considered missing in action.

Erected with the help of Weaver Memorial, Pennsylvania State Sod, Green Horizon Landscaping and countless small donations, the courtyard at Gate 4 of the fairgrounds features a 40-foot-tall flag pole hung with the American and POW/MIA flags, an inscribed stone monument and six smaller granite markers, which are individual tributes for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Space Force.

“We’re here today to take what was a small parcel of land here at the wonderful Grange Fairgrounds and declare it, dedicate it and sanctify it as hallowed ground,” said Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, master of ceremonies, opening the dedication.

HUNTER SMITH/THE EXPRESS The family of Major Lewis P. Smith II held a Missing Man Table Ceremony, a solemn military tradition honoring fallen, missing or imprisoned service members. A single table, set for one, symbolizes their absence with various items representing different aspects of their sacrifice.

His welcoming remarks were followed by the Posting of the Colors by the Pleasant Gap American Legion Post 867 Color Guard, performance of the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance by the Level Best Barbershop Quartet and a moving invocation by Rev. Frank Epply, chaplain at VFW Post 2497.

The siblings of Major Smith then held a Missing Man Table Ceremony, a solemn military tradition honoring fallen, missing or imprisoned service members.

A single table, set for one, symbolizes their absence, with various items representing different aspects of their sacrifice. This poignant display serves as a powerful reminder of the costs of service and the hope for their return.

Guest speaker Col. Eugene L. McFeely, senior director of veterans affairs and services at Penn State, highlighted the rich heritage of military service among Pennsylvanians. He also explained the significance of the tribute courtyard and discussed the importance of the POW/MIA movement.

“Recognizing those Pennsylvania service members and veterans who step forward and took the oath to serve and to defend the Constitution of the United States with a tribute courtyard such as this is appropriate as they bear the burdens of our nation through their military service,” said McFeely.

HUNTER SMITH/THE EXPRESS Carolyn Foust and co-presenter Sabrina Glasgow present Col. Eugene McFeely a Quilt of Valor made by Happy Valley Quilts of Valor’s chapter in Centre Hall.

“Pennsylvanians have always been there to answer our nation’s call and to serve in the U.S. armed forces, especially in times of need and war,” he said, noting that this tradition of service dates back before the American Revolution to colonial times. Since then, thousands of Pennsylvanians have served with honor and valor.

According to McFeely, Pennsylvania has the third most unaccounted for service members from all conflicts, making such a memorial appropos.

“It is here to remind us of the grave perils and significant cost of war, not just in terms of our national treasure, but more importantly, the cost in terms of our nation’s most valuable resource — our young men and women,” said McFeely.

As of Saturday morning, there are 81,226 American service members listed as unaccounted for or missing in action from all American foreign conflicts from WWII to today. Of those, 5,375 are Pennsylvanian service men and women, like Major Smith.

“The POW/MIA movement has touched the lives of many Pennsylvanians and has had Pennsylvanians at its forefront as champions, some of which were Penn Staters, some of which are local residents,” said McFeely who explained that the movement was born out of veteran families who fought for the issue to be made visible.

“This tribute courtyard is here to remind us that freedom is not free, and we should not enter conflict or war lightly or without fully understanding and acknowledging the cost and sacrifices made by service members and their families,” he said, calling the memorial a place to take pause and reflect on the service and sacrifices of our armed forces.

McFeely said, as a service member, the support of people back home and tributes to their sacrifice, like the Hometown Heroes banners in Bellefonte and State College, is what motivates them to persist.

“I knew of the hardships and sacrifices that service to our nation requires, and that my service would be much more difficult, and sometimes impossible, without support of our nation and local communities,” he said. “This tribute courtyard plays a huge role in showing that support and inspiring others to do the same.”

At a cost of $80,000, “If it wasn’t for the donations from friends, families and different groups, this would not have happened,” said Carolyn Foust, the director of the local Happy Valley Quilts of Valor chapter in Centre Hall.

Assisted by members of the Grange and small donations, the family managed to bring the Tribute to life without major corporate donations.

Foust and co-presenter Sabrina Glasgow presented Col. Eugene McFeely (Air Force), William E. (“Bill”) Sharpe (Army) and Paul Walk (Marine Corp) with Quilts of Honor at the ceremony for their service and to remind them their community recognizes their sacrifices.

Concluding the ceremony, Rep. Thompson said, “Over the course of the future of this Grange Fair, we’ll have hundreds of thousands of people that will drive past this tribute. I hope and pray that each one will, no matter how fleetingly they glance at it or what time they stay there to admire it, they will be inspired, they will honor it, and, most importantly, they will remember.