Bucks County names Trumbauersville bridge for Larry York, 20, killed in Vietnam in ’68

The bridge is the 18th to be named for the 136 young Bucks County men who perished in the Vietnam War.

It was Spring 1968 and Army Cpl. Larry Lee York wrote home to Bucks County. His rest and recreation leave from patrolling in Vietnam had been canceled, and he seemed weary of the war.

“I don’t see how I can keep going because I have an M-60 machine gun to carry,” he wrote, according to an account in the Philadelphia Inquirer from that time.

Less than a week later, in early June 1968, the family pastor and an Army sergeant arrived at the Yorks’ home on Broad Street in Trumbauersville. His mother, Myrtle, was told that her son was dead. He died while on patrol in Quang Tin province early on Sunday, June 1. An enemy artillery shell exploded nearby, killing him. He was 20 and was engaged to be married.

Now, 57 years later, a bridge near his hometown in Upper Bucks County bears the name of the Quakertown High School graduate. In a public ceremony Sept. 9 on Milford Square Pike, the Bucks County Commissioners renamed the small span that crosses Unami Creek “Cpl. Larry L. York … Memorial Bridge.”

It is the 18th bridge to be named for the 136 young Bucks County men who perished in that war.

In poignant remarks posted after the dedication on social media, Trumbauersville Mayor James Black said: “It was truly a remarkable sight to see so many members of our community come together, united in gratitude and respect, to honor the life and sacrifice of Corporal York. Moments like this remind us of the strength found in unity and the deep appreciation we hold for those who serve.

“This bridge stands as a lasting reminder of the cost of freedom. While it bears the name of Corporal York, it carries much more. It carries his memory, his courage, and his sacrifice.

“To every traveler who crosses these waters, let it be Corporal York who silently welcomes them, reminding them that liberty was not given, it was earned.

“May this bridge connect not only two shores, but generations, to the values he served, and the freedom he helped preserve.

“Thank you for your service.”