A portion of Route 41 (Gap-Newport Pike) in Cochranville will be named in honor of Cpl. Brandon Hardy, an Octorara graduate who was killed in Iraq while serving in the United States Marines Corps. The roadway sign will be unveiled on Friday, April 26, following a ceremony that will take place at 10 a.m. in the Octorara Area Junior-Senior High School auditorium, 226 Highland Road, Atglen.

Richard Miller, whose children attended high school with Brandon and were fellow members of the marching band, approached Brandon's mother, Jill Hardy, with the idea of dedicating a road in his memory.

"His kids went to school with my kids. He was a fellow Octorara parent," said Jill, who is the secretary to the Octorara superintendent and the board of directors. "The whole process started a couple of years ago. (Miller) started the paperwork. He ran into some roadblocks, and state Sen. Carolyn Comitta stepped in and made it happen."

Under legislation introduced by Comitta, Route 41 from the intersection with Bernard Avenue to the intersection with Highland Road in West Fallowfield Township will be dedicated as the Cpl. Brandon Hardy Memorial Highway.

Jill said that a few streets and even a bridge were considered, but she chose a familiar roadway instead. "From our street to school would have been a road that Brandon traveled every day," she said. Following the ceremony at the high school, members of the Hardy family and invited guests will walk across the school yard to view the sign.

Brandon enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1999 and, as an airman, was deployed three times to the Middle East, serving in Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. 

In 2005, Brandon made the decision to forgo his rank and pay and enlist as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps. As a crew chief of an amphibious assault vehicle, Brandon was deployed to Iraq in March 2006 as part of the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines. 

During his deployment, fellow soldiers took note of Brandon's traits as a natural leader. He also cared about the children of Iraq, often taking time to talk with them and give them food, water, candy, school supplies and books. 

On April 28, 2006, Brandon was on an aid and assist mission while serving with the Scout Platoon of the 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, in the Haditha Dam area of Anbar Province. After the mission was complete, the vehicle in which Brandon was a passenger struck an improvised explosive device (IED). Three of the five passengers of the Humvee, including Brandon, were killed. 

Since his death, the Hardy family has organized an annual Cpl. Brandon Hardy Memorial Ride, a motorcycle ride that begins and ends at the Gap Community Center. All proceeds from the event benefit the Cpl. Brandon M. Hardy Memorial Scholarship Fund, which awards scholarships to graduating seniors who are entering the military. Each summer, some of Brandon's fellow service members travel to the area to participate, including the two men who were with Brandon the night he was killed. This year's ride will take place Saturday, July 20.

In addition to the memorial ride, Jill said, the road dedication will keep Brandon's memory alive. "It will be 18 years (since his passing)," she said. "It does my heart good to know that people want to remember him and what he died for. We are honored beyond belief."