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Never Say Ex-Marine

 AS FEATURED IN NORTH HILLS  by Pamela Palongue

North Allegheny | Spring 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 41

Bill Howrilla served in the U.S. Marines from 1956 to 1958 in Hawaii and later transferred to Camp Lejeune, N.C., as a machine gunner. He is quick to point out that he never saw combat. Howrilla’s battles have been fought a little closer to home for his comrades. He volunteers with the Marine Corps League, giving his time and talent to improve the lives of Marines in the area. Once a month, Howrilla travels to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Aspinwall to visit patients who have served their country and now could use some support and encouragement from the community that they previously protected. Howrilla and his fellow volunteers serve refreshments and play bingo, awarding tickets for prizes that may be used to purchase items in the hospital canteen. If you’ve ever attended a Memorial Day Parade in Westview, you may have seen Howrilla handing out miniature flags to individuals along the parade route and giving candy to children. His detachment of the Marine Corps League is responsible for purchasing the flags for those attending the parade.

The Marine Corps League is a national organization with 82 detachments located in Pennsylvania. Howrilla’s detachment (310) is named the Three Rivers Leathernecks and meets the second Wednesday of every month at the VFW Post 2754 in Westview. The “Leatherneck” name comes from the origins of the Marines when they fought aboard ships in the 1700s with swords. According to Howrilla, the early Marines wore collars made of thick leather, up to chin level, to parry fatal blows to the neck.

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