On the 6th floor of the Irvis office building in Harrisburg, there’s a room filled with military memorabilia and portraits; oral history videos playing softly in the background.

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives opened their Salute to Service exhibit to the public at the start of the year.

“We chose the military because we had a lot of items that we thought would look neat on display,” Taylor Mason said, outreach archivist for the House Archives. "And we have a lot of current members who are serving or have served.”

Each year, the House Archives pick a topic and set up a year long exhibit, featuring one way that state representatives have shaped history.

“(Rep) Russell Kowalyshyn was one of the soldiers during World War II who helped liberate the Dachau concentration camp,” Mason said. "We also have another member who was in the Bataan Death March.”

The exhibit times up with a significant year; 2026 will be the 250th anniversary of the nation… but 2025 is the 250th anniversary of the United States military. The Continental Army was active for a year before the founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence on a hot summer day.

From Rep. William Bingham, a spy and weapons smuggler in the Revolutionary War, to Rep. Joe Kerwin— who was deployed to Africa just last year with the National Guard; veterans have gone on to serve as Pennsylvania State Representatives since the nation and the Commonwealth’s start.

At least 14 state representatives from Tioga, Bradford, and Susquehanna counties were also veterans. Loren Burritt of Susquehanna was a soldier in the colored troops of the Civil War. Kenneth B. Lee, also of Susquehanna, flew airplanes for the Army in World War 2. He went on to be Speaker of the House.

“It's really neat to [pull back] the curtain a little bit and look at the person themselves, and see how they served—” Mason said. “— and what they did during their service. That, you know, they're just not a representative. They have a whole other story.”

Senators have an equally rich history with military service. While not included in the House Archive display, Senator Gene Yaw served in the Army in the 60s.

“The military was the great melting pot,” Yaw said in a recent interview. "That was where people got together that you would never associate with otherwise. And you were forced to live together and work together. And that's a big benefit of the military family.”

When asked what he would want to say to veterans in our area;

“The most important thing is just remember, you do have a voice,” Yaw said. “In all the legislative areas, and those of us who have been in the service take that very seriously.”