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First MC man to die in WW I honored in ceremony
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share thisMOUNT CARMEL - The Mount Carmel Area Joint Veterans Committee held its Changing of the Colors flag ceremony Nov. 22 in honor and memory of the first Mount Carmel Borough serviceman to die during World War I.
Gustaf L. Norstedt was born in Mount Carmel in 1891, a son of Albert and Kate (Lewis) Norstedt. He graduated from Mount Carmel High School in 1912. After graduating from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia in 1916, Norstedt did an internship at Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Norstedt was one of the first to volunteer his service to his country when the United States entered World War I. He was commissioned a first lieutenant as a surgeon in the Medical Reserve Corps, U.S. Army. He was assigned to Camp Upton, N.Y., in October 1917. Contracting lobar pneumonia, he died March 15, 1918, at Camp Upton.
At the time of his death, he was survived by his mother, four brothers and two sisters. He was a member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Cedar Lodge 670, Free and Accepted Masons and the Washington Camp, Patriotic Sons of America, all of Mount Carmel. While at Camp Upton, he had the distinguished honor of being assigned as the escort to a Japanese viscount, who was head of the Japanese mission to the United States.
Norstedt was buried in Mount Carmel Cemetery. On the day of his burial, Tuesday, March 19, 1918, Mount Carmel public schools closed at noon out of respect for the first borough soldier to die in the war to end all wars. Lawton Camp 29, United Spanish War Veterans, had charge of the military tribute, and the Cedar Lodge conducted its ritual. According to a story in the Mount Carmel Item, thousands attended his viewing and were in his cortege to the ceremony. The funeral procession included veterans from the Civil War and Spanish-American War.
The flag that was flown for the past month was in honor and memory of Peter J. Bridy, who served in the U.S. Army in Germany during the Cold War era. When his flag was lowered, it was presented to his wife, Louise Bridy, by Walter Summers.
The flags were lowered and raised by William Begis. The Bridy flag was folded by James Kealy, Begis and Summers. Military records were read by David Berezovske. "Taps" was played when the Bridy flag was lowered and the national anthem during the raising of the Norstedt flag. There was a salute to all deceased veterans, and the program concluded with the playing of "Amazing Grace." Dick Amershek carried the American flag in the procession. Traffic control was provided by Kealy.
Summers thanked all for their participation in the ceremony and the Bridy family and friends for their attendance.
The next flag ceremony will be Sunday, Dec. 20. The flag to be flown at that time will be in honor and memory of Frank Cimino, one of the initiators of the flag ceremony.
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