Pennsylvania Guardians - Summer 2010

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Pennsylvania National Guardsmen help pile sandbags following Hurricane Agnes in 1972. Photo: Hurricane Agnes After-Action Review in the area. At the end of 1874, he put the pay cut into effect, which was the last straw for miners. On Jan. 1, 1875, the first strikes began, led by the Molly Maguires. Gowen had little tolerance for unrest among workers, so he led a campaign to snuff out every last striker. Along with the police forces owned by the corporation, Gowen hired an armed gang known as the Modocs, who were known for their frequent skirmishes with the Molly Maguires. The Modocs, like the Molly Maguires, preferred to use violence to get the job done, which meant that many striking miners were beaten and shot. As the fighting grew in intensity, Gowen resorted to hiring an agent from the Pinkerton Detective Agency, James McParlan, who infiltrated the Molly Maguires and later testified against them in a massive trial that ended with many of the Molly Maguires being convicted and executed. The close of the trial meant the end of the striking as the majority of the Molly Maguires had been either killed or forced to flee the area. In the first recorded state active duty mission, the National Guard was called in to assist with riot control and security following a plea from the mayor of Scranton for help. They were needed to protect the community and remaining mine workers from any acts of retribution the Molly Maguires might have tried to commit. Several weeks and a handful of skirmishes later, things had quieted down enough that the National Guard was able to return home. Guard goes on manhunt following central Pennsylania kidnapping In May 1966, Peggy Ann Bradnick was kidnapped by William Diller Hollenbaugh, a criminally insane hermit from Shade Gap, in Huntingdon County. Hollenbaugh had committed a series of other crimes, including firing his rifle at a mother and infant, shooting a man’s leg off, and shooting a woman in the hand and then attempting to rape her, before he turned to kidnapping. On the day of her kidnapping, Peggy Ann was returning home from school with her five brothers and sisters, when Hollenbaugh stepped out from behind brush cover toting a rifle, and grabbed her. Her brother ran home to tell his parents what happened. Peggy Ann’s father, Eugene Bradnick, immediately went out to find her, but after several hours of fruitless 18 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2010 1972 1972 A Pennsylvania National Guardsman holds a child in an area ravaged by Hurricane Agnes in 1972. Photo: Hurricane Agnes After-Action Review searching, he went into town to notify police of her kidnapping. A massive search commenced, with more than 1,000 federal, state and local officials involved. The National Guard was called in to assist with the manhunt. They brought armored personnel carriers with them; however, due to the rough conditions of the woods, they were ineffective, so troops assisted with the search on foot. After five days of searching, neither had been found and hopes were dwindling. As one day drew to a close and daylight began to fade, an FBI agent saw one of Hollenbaugh’s dogs and followed it into the woods. The agent was caught off guard when he ran into Hollenbaugh, who shot and killed him. However, it was the break that the officials needed to find Hollenbaugh’s hiding spot. Hollenbaugh took off with Peggy Ann, but the search party knew his general location. Deciding to wait until the light of morning to apprehend him, search crews camped out for the night. Early the following morning, Sheriff Francis Sharpe, who had spent the night sleeping in a hunting lodge, was shot in the stomach by Hollenbaugh, who was trying to steal the officer’s car. Hollenbaugh then forced Sharpe, along with Peggy Ann, into the sheriff’s vehicle. He ordered Sharpe to drive toward the highway, but their way was blocked by a cattle gate. After opening the gate, Sharpe yelled to some nearby officers that Hollenbaugh was in the vehicle with him. A short shootout commenced, with Hollenbaugh barely escaping. The officers notified State Troopers of the situation and they quickly closed in on the suspicious vehicle. In a last ditch effort, Hollenbaugh fired on the officers. They returned fire and Hollenbaugh was shot in the neck and killed. Peggy Ann quickly exited the car after Hollenbaugh was shot and ran into the arms of a bystander. She was hospitalized for exhaustion, but soon recovered. Floods of Guardsmen come to the rescue after Hurricane Agnes Hurricane Agnes hit the East Coast early in the summer of 1972. The largest contingent of Army and Air National Guard
troops in the history of the Pennsylvania Guard were activated to help with relief operations. Troops were deployed for more than two months to assist disaster relief crews with evacuations, search and rescue, clearing of debris, security, traffic control, food and water distribution, and medical care in 117 communities. Rivers flooded, causing entire towns to evacuate. Troops used Chinook and Huey helicopters to transport people to higher ground and bring medical supplies to hospitals in the affected areas. Due to the speed with which the storm hit, sandbagging was attempted, but was not very useful. Once the storm subsided, troops and emergency officials worked to clear up roads and damaged buildings. Several cemeteries had been destroyed as well, so efforts were put together to recover lost bodies and caskets. The storm resulted in $2.1 billion of damage and 48 deaths. Parts of Pennsylvania received up to 19 inches of rain, destroying 68,000 homes and 3,000 businesses. It was the most damaging storm Pennsylvania has ever experienced. 1989 Camp Hill Prison Riot In October 1989, prisoners at Camp Hill State Prison rioted against the staff because of frustration over food quality, inoperative showers, inadequate educational/vocational opportunities, limited law library privileges and overcrowding. It began Oct. 25 with one inmate attacking a guard as prisoners returned 1974 Pennsylvania Guardsmen escort a truck through an independent truckers’ blockade during a 1974 strike. Photo: PA National Guard Military Museum from the exercise stockade. As other inmates took notice of the situation, they began to join in. Some 1,200 inmates terrorized the guards, took hostages and gained control over several buildings in the compound. Police and correctional 1979 Personnel from the 28th Infantry Division DIVARTY Task Force review the status of the unit’s missions, equipment and personnel at the task force headquarters at the Hershey Armory. Photo: Three Mile Island Nuclear Incident After-Action Review emergency response team members put together a large enough force that they were able to regain control over the prison. By that evening, inmates were back in their cells. However, guards did not listen when inmates threatened that it would happen again. Following a press conference Oct. 26, in which the superintendent informed the public that everything was under control, prisoners unleashed an even larger attack on the prison. Inmates set several Summer 2010 / GUARDIANS / 19
Page 3: Governor Edward G. Rendell Governor
Page 6 and 7: Divisions unite for National Guard
Page 8 and 9: By Sgt. Tom Bourke Piloting the 35,
Page 10 and 11: Fog envelops the obstacle course at
Page 13: Transmission Accomplished: 193rd co
Page 17 and 18: By Staff Sgt. Ivyann Castillo and C
Page 19: The Workingmen’s Benevolent Assoc
Page 24 and 25: By Pfc. Zane Craig “One Soldier l
Page 27 and 28: Story and photo courtesy of the Pen
Page 29 and 30: share the sky with the Army’s lat
Page 31: The Pennsylvania National Guard cel
Page 34: CURATOR’S CORNER By Charles Oelli

Pennsylvania Guardians - Summer 2010

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