PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 100.1 FM and AM 1020 KDKA) – Congressmaen Guy Reschenthaler and John Joyce along with U.S. Senators Pat Toomey and Bob Casey announced the U.S. Coast Guard will rename a wing of the Training Center Petaluma schoolhouse as the Arnold D. Palmer Professional Annex.
"My dad said that the U.S. Coast Guard 'made [him] a better person for the world,'" said Amy Palmer Saunders, Chair of the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation. "He would be touched to know that others will be given the same opportunity to learn and grow in a space named for him, and my family and I are grateful to the Pennsylvania delegation, to members of the Coast Guard, and to others who made this possible."
Arnold Palmer was born in Latrobe and graduated from Greater Latrobe High School in 1947. In 1951, he attended recruit training at Cape May, New Jersey and was assigned the role of physical fitness and self-defense instructor. Palmer would later serve as a yeoman for Rear Admiral Roy L. Raney, Commander of the 9th Coast Guard District Auxiliary in Cleveland, Ohio.
Arnold credited his successful golf career to his enlisted service, stating: "The knowledge that I gained, the maturity that I gained in the Coast Guard was unbelievable … It matured me. It made me a better person."
"Throughout his lifetime, Arnold Palmer represented southwestern Pennsylvania's values and inspired millions of people both on and off the golf course," said Congressman Reschenthaler. "As a Navy veteran, I am proud to spearhead this effort to honor his legacy through the Arnold D. Palmer Professional Annex, and I am grateful to the Coast Guard for its recognition of his honorable service to our country and our community."
The Arnold D. Palmer Professional Annex will house the Yeoman and Storekeeper "A" School wing of the Juliet Nichols Building in Petaluma, California, where all Coast Guard yeomen conduct their foundational entry-level training.
"Arnold Palmer represented the very best of Pennsylvania," said Senator Toomey."From his time as an enlisted member of the Coast Guard to his accomplishments on and off the golf course, few personified generosity, kindness, and commitment to community more than Arnold Palmer. The Arnold D. Palmer Professional Annex at the Coast Guard's Training Center Petaluma will enshrine Arnold's legacy as guardsmen and women walk in his footsteps to serve our country in uniform."
"Beyond his unparalleled golf career, Arnold Palmer was an outstanding Pennsylvanian and a great American. His generous acts of service transformed communities in Pennsylvania and beyond. It is fitting that the U.S. Coast Guard's Arnold Palmer Professional Annex will bear his name," said Congressman Joyce. "As he traveled the world, Mr. Palmer always cherished his Westmoreland County roots. It has been a privilege to work alongside fellow Pennsylvanians Senators Toomey and Casey and Congressman Reschenthaler to honor Arnold Palmer for his service and dedication to our commonwealth and our nation."
