Veteran’s Day

Join the Steelworkers Veterans Memorial Committee for a ceremony and featured remarks at 10am followed by free admission to the National Museum of Industrial History for veterans and their families until 1pm.

With appearances by distinguished speakers, keynote speaker Lieutenant Colonel Edward J. Erickson, Broughal Middle School Band, Bethlehem Mounted Police, Steel Battalion Army ROTC and NAM Knights.

About the Keynote Speaker

Lieutenant Colonel Edward J. Erickson

LTC Edward J. “Ed” Erickson enlisted in the US Army in 1971 and served in the 1^st Battalion, 509^th Infantry (Airborne). He was commissioned in the Field Artillery from OCS in 1975. He served three tours in Germany, three tours in Turkey, and a tour in Italy. During Operation Desert Storm, he served as an artillery battalion operations officer in the 3^rd Armored Division, and he served as a special assistant to the NATO Force commander in Sarajevo, Bosnia during Operation Joint Endeavor. Ed also served in the 8^th Infantry Division, the 24^th Infantry Division, the 528^th Artillery Group, and the 42^nd Field Artillery Brigade. He graduated from the Defense Language Institute and qualified as a Turkish Foreign Area Officer. Ed retired in 1997 and was recalled to active duty in 2003 for Operations Iraqi Freedom serving as General Raymond Odierno’s political advisor with the 4^th Infantry Division in Iraq.

Over his 27 year career, the army awarded him the Legion of Merit Medal, the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Services Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal with two bronze stars, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and five campaign medals. NATO and foreign governments awarded Ed the NATO Medal, the Kuwaiti Gulf War Medal, and the Saudi Gulf War Medal. He earned the Parachute badge, the Pathfinder badge, the Air Assault badge, and the British Army Parachute badge.

LTC Erickson has a PhD in History from the University of Leeds and he retired in 2017 as Professor of Military History from the Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, Virginia. He is widely recognized as one of the foremost specialists on the Ottoman Army during the First World War and he has published eighteen books and numerous articles. Ed has lived in Macungie since 2022.