McKeesport 23 Memorial

Black granite stone honoring the 23 McKeesport High School alumni who made the ultimate sacrifice during the war in Vietnam. In the 1960s, McKeesport, Pennsylvania was at the height of the post World War II economic prosperity. The city and surrounding communities of the school district in the Mon River Valley had steel mills and myriad other factories running for miles on the banks of the Monongahela River. At this time, for its young men after high school, it was either “the mill or the military!” McKeesport (population approx. 40,000) sent an extraordinary number of its sons to serve the nation. Anne Street in the 10th Ward of the city during this era received national recognition for 24 Blue Star families (the star signifying a family member in military service). Ultimately four of these stars were converted to Gold Star (family member killed in action) and are on the 23 memorial.