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Former Secretary of Defense Esper honored in Fayette

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Mark Hofmann/For the Observer-Reporter

Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper returned home to Uniontown on Monday for the Americanism Day Parade. Earlier in the day, a plaque in his honor was unveiled at the George C. Marshall Memorial Plaza in Uniontown.

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Mark Hofmann/For the O-R

The plaque dedicated to former U.S. Secretary of Defense and Uniontown native Dr. Mark T. Esper sits at Marshall Plaza in Uniontown.

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Mark Hofmann/For the Observer-Reporter

Former U.S. Secretary of Defense and Uniontown native Dr. Mark T. Esper unveils a plaque in his honor on Monday at George C. Marshall Memorial Plaza.

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Mark Hofmann | Herald-Standard

American flags were up and waving on Monday for the annual Americanism Day parade in Uniontown.

When Dr. Mark T. Esper worked as the U.S. Secretary of the Army and then U.S. Secretary of Defense, a photo of Gen. George C. Marshall hung above his desk.

“He always helped remind me of those core principals I was taught here as a young man and young boy growing up in Uniontown, Pennsylvania,” Esper said Monday. “I will be forever grateful for George C. Marshall watching over me for those many years.”

And in a certain sense, Marshall, the first Uniontown native to serve as the U.S. Secretary of Defense, will continue watching over Esper.

Officials unveiled a plaque at George C. Marshall Memorial Park in Uniontown dedicated to Esper during a small, private ceremony on Monday. Later in the day, Esper spoke at a dinner at the American Legion Post 51, and then acted as the grand marshal for Fayette County’s 89th Americanism Day parade.

A 1982 graduate of Laurel Highlands High School, Esper attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point where he graduated with distinction and received his commission in the infantry. During 10 years on active duty, he served in the 101st Airborne Division and participated in the Gulf War with the “Screaming Eagles,” and later commanded an airborne rifle company in Europe in what is now the 173d Airborne Brigade.

He served another 11 years in the National Guard and Army Reserve. From 1996 to 1998, Esper was chief-of-staff at The Heritage Foundation think tank and later served in senior staff positions for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senate Government Affairs Committee and House Armed Services Committee.

Esper was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Negotiations Policy from 2002 to 2004, and National Security Adviser for Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist from 2004 to 2006.

He served as U.S. Secretary of the Army from 2017 to 2019 and as the 27th U.S. Secretary of Defense under President Donald Trump from 2019 to 2020.

Mark Rafail, economic development coordinator for Fayette County, said officials began talking about how they could honor Uniontown’s second defense secretary after Esper’s confirmation to the post.

He said having a plaque at Marshall Plaza seemed appropriate, given the job title the men shared, and contacted Ellen Ulmer, who designed the plaza.

The team applied for a grant that would also provide funds to refurbish the plaques dedicated to Marshall, as they had fallen into disrepair. While they were approved for the grant, by the time they received the funding, costs had risen and they needed to raise more money. A fundraising campaign accomplished that, and with the plaque ordered, they reached out to Esper’s family in the area to schedule a ceremony.

“Uniontown, Pennsylvania, is proud to memorialize another local statesman and hero,” Ulmer told Esper during the plaque unveiling. “We’re all very proud to claim you as our own, and we’re honored that you’re here for this unveiling.”

Uniontown Mayor Bill Gerke said he couldn’t think of a more appropriate location to honor Esper than at George C. Marshall Memorial Plaza.

“Mr. Esper, not only did you make your family proud, but you’ve made the citizens of Uniontown equally as proud,” Gerke said.

Esper thanked the donors, and all of those who took part in making the plaque a reality.

“I’m very humbled to be presented with an award of this stature in a plaza dedicated to George C. Marshall,” Esper said. “There is arguably no greater general of the 20th century than George C. Marshall.”

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