LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — Members of an American Legion post near Harrisburg are asking the public for help. They are trying to find the relatives of a World War I veteran who has roots in Luzerne County.
Veterans' graves at the Memorial Shrine Cemetery near Dallas are donned with American flags as a symbol of pride and gratitude. That's one of the reasons John Mayeresky of Newport, Pennsylvania reached out to Newswatch 16 about a 48-star flag he came across five years ago.
"This young lady brought this flag in she got at the Goodwill. She bought it, and she brought it to the Newport Legion and said, 'This shouldn't be in the Goodwill," said Mayeresky.
Mayeresky says the Legion turned a note found with the flag into a plaque. The flag is in good condition, and the note indicated it belongs to World War I veteran Maurice C. Shively.
"It's an old material flag; it's not nylon stitch, it's a bolt material, 48-star flag. If you look close on the picture, you can actually see the stitching on the stars that hold it on," Mayeresky said. "The document that we got from him and researching him all land to the Luzerne County area."
Based on the information found with the flag and records online, it's believed that Maurice C. Shively is buried at the Memorial Shrine Cemetery in Franklin Township, near Dallas. The burial took place on May 17, 1949.
"All we want to do is meet the family, give the flag back to them. Our commander, myself, if possible, offer it back to them. That's our main goal for this."
Mayeresky says the search for the family was ramped up purposefully over the holiday, and he's hoping this outreach gets this symbol of courage and heroism back to into the right hands.
"It's a 48-star flag. The gentleman served for us, and we're serving for him as such. Our sons felt that it needs to go back to the family; it's one of the priorities that we have at the Legion," said Mayeresky.
Mayeresky can be contacted through his Facebook page here, or reached by phone at 717-736-2380.