Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites the public to remember the 77th anniversary celebration of the 321st Quartermaster Battalion with an opening of "Letterkenny World War II Italian Prisoner of War Experience" at the 11/30 Visitors Center and a remembrance celebration at the Letterkenny Chapel.
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa., Sept. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Franklin County Visitors Bureau and the Historic Letterkenny Chapel Committee invite the public to a weekend of commemorative activities to celebrate and remember 1250 repatriated World War II Italian Prisoners of War. The men, located at Letterkenny Depot from May 1944 to October 1945, formed the 321st Quartermaster Battalion.
During the seventeen months at Letterkenny, the 321st Quartermaster Battalion supported the Allied effort by ordering, stocking, and shipping military supplies from Letterkenny to Europe and the Pacific. In free time, the men of the unit designed and built the Letterkenny Chapel, an exquisite representation of Italianate architecture with the signature square bell tower, quoined brickwork, and curved arches above doors and windows. The Chapel is a lasting artifact of the history of repatriated World War II Italian POWs and remembers this significant part of world history.
September 10-11 marks the 77th anniversary celebration of the Battalion's time at Letterkenny and the memories made throughout the Chambersburg area. The public is invited to join family and friends of the 321st Quartermaster Battalion as it celebrates nearly eight decades of friendship.
Saturday, September 10
9 AM - Opening of "Letterkenny World War II Italian Prisoner of War Experience" at the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center, 15 S. Main Street, Chambersburg. Official dedication begins at 9:30 AM. The exhibit offers more than 400 photos, excerpts of memoirs, and replicated documents.
1:30 PM – Historic Letterkenny Chapel 77th Anniversary Celebration Program including dedication of memorials and gifts at Letterkenny Chapel.
Sunday, September 11
1:30 PM – 9/11 Ceremony at Letterkenny Chapel and Franklin County Veterans & 9/11 Memorial Park. Speaker: Deacon G. Bryan Salzmann: Reflecting on the 21st Anniversary of 9/11, followed by Dedication of Rev. Dr. William H. Harter Memorial Garden.
The Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites all to explore history, arts and architecture, recreation, natural beauty, fresh foods and the warm hospitality of communities like Chambersburg, Greencastle, Mercersburg, Shippensburg, and Waynesboro. Franklin County PA is located just north of the Mason Dixon Line and is an easy drive from Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Plan a visit at ExploreFranklinCountyPA.com or contact 866.646.8060.
Media Contact
FCVB, Franklin County Visitors Bureau, 717.552.2977, [email protected]
SOURCE Franklin County Visitors Bureau
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