SPHS Fallen Warrior Project

South Park High School Fallen Warrior Project

South Park High School, in preserving our community heritage, continues the remembrance of our fallen warriors. These are former students who lost their lives in service to America from World War I through Operation Iraqi Freedom, including a number of non-battle deaths. We continue to seek those who fell in service and ask for your assistance in identifying those we may have missed. Since March 2016 and the release of “Our Fallen Warriors Remembered”, more than an additional 50 have been identified. As of June 6, 2021, the number stands at 206.

The challenge, while greatly assisted by the internet and on-line availability of information, nonetheless remains; time passes, memory fades, families and people move from our South Buffalo community, etcetera. Life happens after South Park. If you know of someone not on the list, please let us know.

Honoring Our Veterans

On each Veterans Day and Memorial day, we honor each and every South Park student who stepped forward in service to America.

Thank you. Thank you for your service. Thank you for your honor, your courage and your commitment.

Since our beginning, South Park students, teachers and alumni have answered our nations call. During WWI, a number of students and teachers were cited in the DIAL of 1919 as being in service. An asterisk next to the name of Alex Mallion, Class of 1918, denoted he had been killed in action. Two others, Gerald Walsh and Earl Coughlin, had, by the time the Dial was published that year, succumbed to War related causes.

The 1944 DIAL paid homage to the South Park Students who had sacrificed all for America in World War II, at that time. It read,

“It is with mixed feelings of pride and sorrow that we dedicate this volume of the Dial to the memory of those sons of South Park who have gone to their eternal rest on the far-flung battlefronts of this war.

Nothing that we can say of them can add to the glory that is theirs. Their courageous deeds are emblazoned on the pages of a new history, for all that mortals can give to the cause of righteousness and freedom – they have given.

We pledge our loyalty to them – loyalty to their undying memory and loyalty to the high principles of life by which they lived and for which they fought – love of God and love of Country”

By 1945 the list had grown significantly and also reflected that a daughter of South Park, Jean Herko Class of 1936, had given her life in service to America too.

As the tide of war has ebbed and flowed from WWII through 2014, we of South Park have continued to raise our hands in service to our Nation in Korea, Vietnam, and the others through Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In our Centennial Anniversary year, we reaffirm the oath of loyalty from 1944 and take this opportunity to honor each; our friends, our brothers, our sister, our classmates, our fallen warriors and their sacrifice.

“Vires Aquirit Eundo” We gather strength as we go.

Do you have something to add? Have we not found a fallen classmate? Please let us know; SouthParkAlumniAssociation@gmail.com / mnmparsons@gmail.com