MOUNT CARMEL - The Mount Carmel Area Joint Veterans Committee held its 433rd Changing of the Colors flag ceremony at the flag pole at the Susquehanna Bank in honor and memory of Thomas N. Shuda, a veteran of World War II.
Shuda was born in Kulpmont, Oct. 6, 1922, a son of Enoch and Helen (Petruskevich) Shuda. He was a 1940 graduate of Mount Carmel Township High School.
Shuda entered the U.S. Army Air Force on Dec. 23, 1942, at New Cumberland, and was honorably discharged as a private first class on Jan. 12, 1946, at Army Air Force Overseas Replacement Depot in Greensboro, N.C. Total service to his country was 3 years, 27 days, of which foreign service was 9 months, 19 days.
Shuda received training at Army Air Force Training Station, Drew Field, Fla., and Camp Crowder, Mo. He was a marksman with the rifle and sharpshooter with both the carbine and Browning Automatic Rifle. Serving as a radar operator with Company A, 570th Service Battalion, he received the World War II Victory Medal, American Theater Ribbon, Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon with two bronze stars for the China Defense and China Offense campaigns, Good Conduct medal and the World War II honorable discharge lapel pin.
In 1947, he married the former Agnes Mazurkevich, who preceded him in death in 1996.
Shuda was the owner and operator of Shuda's Bar in both Locust Gap and Mount Carmel. He was a member of American Legion Post 804, Atlas; Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2110 and Lithuanian Social Club, both of Mount Carmel; a life member of Locust Gap Fire Company; a former member of St. Joseph's Church, Locust Gap, and a member of the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Mount Carmel.
Shuda died Jan. 6, 2012, and is buried in All Saints Cemetery, Bear Gap. He is survived by a son, three grandsons and a sister.
The flag that was flown for the past month was in honor and memory of Thomas Francis Sebastian Sr., who served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Taps was played on the bugle by William Begis, as the flag was lowered by Vincent Giacomini. It was folded by James Kealy, Walter Summers and Giacomini. The flag was presented to Sebastian's wife, Theresa, by Summers.
The Shuda flag was escorted to the service by Connie Andrews. It was presented to Summers by Helen Domaleski. Giacomini raised the flag while the national anthem was played. David Berezovske read the military records of Sebastian and Shuda. All in attendance sang "God Bless America," and the ceremony ended with a silent salute to all veterans. Summers thanked the large crowd of family and friends in attendance for their participation in the ceremony.
Summers carried the American flag to the ceremony. Kealy provided traffic control. Also participating in the ceremony were Ann Ray Begis and Andrew Lukoskie.
The next flag ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23, at Second and Oak streets when the flag will be raised in honor and memory of John Reichwein, who served in the U.S. Army during World War I. Area veterans and the public are invited.