US Army Retired M108 Tracked Howitzer Acquired to Honor Veterans

By Chaplain Mark Malizzi

The Boyertown American Legion Post 471 received a retired M108 Tracked Howitzer recently to be placed on display at 100 Walker Drive.

The unit had spent many years in US ARMY service and then was put on display at a museum in Danville Virginia. Its new home in Boyertown is meant to help honor all our veterans.

The Commander of the Boyertown Post Valentine Bartchak had reached out to the US Army over two years ago to be able to be placed on a list to receive one of these kinds of displays. The army does not give many of these out anymore, and we were just it the right place at the right to be able to acquire this unit from them.

Getting the ok to receive it is only the first step. The Legion then had to get building permits to build a permanent pad on which to set the Howitzer, and then they were able to get help from companies like MGK industries and Berks-Mont towing and V&M Towing to move the 22-ton unit from its old home in Virginia to its new home and pad location at the Boyertown Legion.

This was a full team effort and we could not have done this so quickly without the help of many people. We would like thank them all very much!

Plans are now being made to clean up, paint, and then dedicate this unit in the spring, so stay tuned for more updates.

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