BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Across the country, Americans are coming together to honor the brave men and women who have served and sacrificed for our freedom.

In our area, one community is preparing to pay tribute Tuesday morning.

69 News Reporter Sydney Kay joins us live from Bethlehem with a look at what’s planned to mark Veterans Day.

The National Museum of Industrial History is holding a Veterans Day ceremony at 10 a.m. that’s open to the public.  The museum’s President and Executive Director Andria Zaia said multiple events are being held throughout the day for veterans and their families.

The museum itself will be open, for free, until 1 p.m.

Rep. Steve Samuelson(D-135) will be the keynote speaker at the museum. He is expected to make an announcement during his speech, Zaia said.

Zaia said the Broughal Middle School Band will perform.

After the ceremony, a Marine band will perform. The museum is marking the 250th anniversary of the Marines. It was founded on November 10, 1775, in Philadelphia.

A flag signing will also be held at the museum. It’s made of 6,000 drywall screws. The artist’s goal is to have one of the flags in every state in the U.S. The museum invites any veteran to come and sign the flag.

Ed Leskin is a photographer and creator of the Veterans of Steel project at the museum, which he said helps preserve the memory of the veterans that worked at Bethlehem Steel. Portraits of the veterans line the museum’s walls.

“These are the men and women that built America,” he said, who also served their country.

The museum’s Director of Operations Shannon Morris said her father was in the Battle of Bastogne in World War II. His unit was presented with the Presidential Unit Citation.

She said she wears her father’s Eisenhower jacket every Veterans Day to show how much she cares for the veterans and how important they are to us.

“It’s a very special day for me,” she said.

She said we need to honor our veterans because they paved the way for our freedom.

Photographs of soldiers who are loved ones of volunteers at the museum sit on a table at the museum.

About 80% of the plant’s workers were veterans at one point. 

One ship a day was made at Bethlehem Steel for WWII.