SVM_Salute To Veterans_110720

A SALUTE

TO VETERANS A

PUBLICATION • NOV. 7, 2020 • 36 PAGES

Inside Plus ... Readers salute our soldiers

More than 20 pages of photos you submitted of Sauk Valley veterans

Sauk Valley Media thanks its readers, advertisers, and – most importantly – all the veterans who made this section possible

Want to salute a veteran? You can There’s more than one way we can give back to those who’ve given us so much Metro News Service

recovery that much quicker.

SERVE AS A DRIVER FOR VETERANS. Unfortunately, many service members return from overseas missions with disabilities, some of which prevent them from driving. Adults who want to help service members can serve as drivers for veterans who can’t drive themselves. Such a gesture ensures they won’t miss any appointments with doctors or physical therapists, helping them get on the road to

REMEMBER OUR VETERANS

DONATE YOUR AIRLINE MILES. Some disabled veterans receive medical treatments far away from home at facilities that specialize in treating certain types of injuries, which can make it difficult for their families to be there for them during their recoveries.

By donating airline miles to military families, ordinary adults can ensure injured service members can still see their families during difficult times in their lives. Access to such support systems can be a big help as veterans work to recover from their injuries.

SPONSOR A SERVICE DOG. A significant percentage of veterans return home with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. PTSD has been linked to a host of conditions, including depression and anxiety. However, programs such as Companions for Heroes, an organization that places service dogs with veterans, has helped many veterans successfully cope with PTSD. By sponsoring a service dog through an organization such as Companions for Heroes, adults who want to help service members can provide an invaluable service to men and women fighting to regain their quality of life.

There are many ways for the rest of us to show our support for the brave men and women who selflessly serve in the military.

Thank You For Your Service and Sacrifice

Preston-Schilling

“Great Deals, Great Service, Since 1926”

Funeral Home, Ltd.

Rt. 52 N. Sublette, IL • Ph. 815/849-5232 or 1-800-227-5203

www.vaessenbrothers.com

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Jesse P. Partington, Owner/Funeral Director Beth Baker, Funeral Director

213 Crawford Ave., Dixon, IL (815) 288-4469 prestonschilling.com

To you who have answered the call

Thank you to all of our Vets who have served and are serving!

We offer our sincere thanks for your bravery and sacrifice. Because of you, America is still the land of the free.

Dixon’s Tire Center 1110 E. River Road (Hwy 2 North) • Dixon 815-284-3324 M-F 8am-5pm, Sat 8am-Noon

“Chesty Puller”

requests all Marines to be present at

Family Owned & Operated Since 1967

502 IL Rt. 2, Dixon, IL 815-284-2044

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Military service in the United States was once more common than it is today. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the draft for military service was ended in 1973, a point in time when 2.2 million men and women made up the country’s active military personnel. By 2018, the number had dipped below 1.3 million. Military service in Canada is also somewhat uncommon, as the Department of National Defence reports that active military personnel totaled just 68,000 as of 2018.

The vast majority of people in countries where military service is not compulsory will never serve in the military. But that does not mean non-military personnel do not appreciate the sacrifices service members and their families make. In fact, a recent report conducted for Canada’s Department of National Defence found that while many Canadians seem only vaguely aware of what their military does, appreciation for service members was high.

Service members and their families make many sacrifices to protect the lives and freedoms of their fellow citizens. The following are three unique ways to give back to these selfless men and women, who often benefit greatly from even the simplest of gestures.

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IL Licensed 055-000988

WE SUPPORT THOSE WHO DEFEND

OUR FREEDOM

Chesty P’s Pub

218 Locust St. Sterling COVID HRS: Tues. - Wed. - Thurs. 11am - 8pm | Fri. & Sat. 11am - 9pm | Closed Sunday & Monday

For Curbside Pickup call | 815-625-9720 or 815-625-7969 www.kellysinc.com

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FRANK’S

104 E. Mason • Polo

Tues. Nov. 10th at 18:00 hr (6:00 PM) for the 245th USMC Birthday Party 815.677.3636

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SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

SALUTE TO VETERANS

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Small Engine Repair 405 Ash Avenue, Sterling 815-622-9999 • www.toro.com

Alex T. Paschal/ apaschal@saukvalley.com

From farm boy to vice president A Dixon man learned a lot about life and discipline while serving as an important link in a supply chain during a war that was a world away from the farm fields where his family had put down roots

BY BRIAN WEIDMAN

bweidman@saukvalley.com Bill Reigle seemed destined for a life on the farm.

He was the 10th of 11 children, and Granville and Margaret Reigle had jobs for everybody on the family farm northwest of Dixon. Chores before and after school were the norm, not the exception.

That didn’t leave much time for organized sports, even for the strapping, 6-foot-3 Reigle. His athletic skills shined only in pickup basketball games against fellow Future Farmers of America members.

REIGLE photos on p. 5, story cont’d on p. 6

KSB Hospital wishes to thank all of our veterans, both past and present, for their sacrifice and service.

3 SALUTE TO VETERANS SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

Bill Reigle has a lot to look back on in his life – memories, milestones, service to his country and community – but one thing he doesn’t see when he looks back is regret: “I just don’t know how much more you could expect out of life: the kids, the grandkids and now the great-grandkids – they all love me and I love them and they’re awfully important to me. I don’t know why I’ve been blessed so well, but I have. Whatever day that ends, I have no regrets.”

SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

SALUTE TO VETERANS

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Cpl. Robert Washington Ager

Cpl. Wallis A. Adell U.S. Army Served 1953-1955

Served 3 Yrs (14 mos Korea)

Passed away 9/23/2016

Passed away 5/22/2019

Donald L. Allen SSGT. U.S Army - WWII Served 1943 -1946 Passed Away 2002

Louis J. Amesquita U.S. Army Cpl. - Korea Served 4 Years

James A. Arduini U. S. Navy 1986 - 1972

James F. Arduini U. S. Navy 1966 - 1970

Walter Arthurs Jr. U.S. Army - Japan & Korea

Served 1948 - 1952 Passed away 10/13/15

U.S. Marine Corps

Donald Babel U.S. Army Served 1946 -1948

Ivan Akridge U.S. Air Force Served 1945-1946

Passed away 7/18/1965

Everett Albright Navy 1994 - 2015

Lt. David R. Allen U.S Navy Lt. - Vietnam Served 1963 - 1967

Richard J. Amesquita U.S. Air Force Served 1942 - 1945

Samuel J. Amesquita

Passed Away 6/17/1993

U.S. Marines Served 1951 - 1954 Passed Away 8/16/1988

U.S. Air Force - Korean War Served 14 Years

James M. Arduini U. S. Navy 1943 - 1944

Reise A. Arduini U.S. Navy Served 2017 - Present

Army 754th Tank Bn. Served 2 Years Passed Away 3/4/2014

Kenneth Babel

Raymond Babel

Harley Babel U.S. Army - WWI

Passed away in 1961

U.S. Air Force

Served 1950 - 1954 Passed Away 7/19/2015

Carl Anderson

Tony Arduini

U.S. Navy Served 1942 - 1945

Passed Away 12/6/2002

MARINEMEMORIES

5

ABOVE: Reigle has a scrapbook filled with memories of his time in the Marines. RIGHT: Reigle still has his Marine coat and dress wools – and they still fit.

Photos: Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com

ABOVE: A certificate sent to Reigle’s mom announced that he passed the tests to be accepted into boot camp. RIGHT: Reigle started his Marine training at Parris Island, South Carolina, for 2 months of boot camp, beginning Feb. 2, 1951.

Thank you

VETERANS

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FOR YOUR SERVICE AND SACRIFICES

100 E. LeFevre Road, Sterling, IL • (815) 625-0400 • www.cghmc.com

SALUTE TO VETERANS SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

Like his fellow G.I.’s, Bill Reigle has mementos of his time in military: photos, uniforms, and more — and one more thing that’s stood the test of time: pride in his service. “The Korean War started a month after I finished my freshman year, and I made up my mind then,” he said. “I had a cousin who was a Marine in World War II, and he always impressed me. Everybody said, ‘Well, why do you want to be a Marine?’ I said, ‘I just think it’s the best branch to be in, the most elite.’

SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

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Russell Babel U.S. Army - U.S. Air Force Served 1942 - 1945

Passed Away in 1993

Sgt. Richard Beattie Army Artillery Korea Served 1952-1954

Leon F. Boehle U.S. Army Served 1966-1968

Raymond E. Bonnell SP4 Combat Engineer U.S. Army Served 5/21/71-5/18/73

Conrad Banda U.S. Army Served 1980 - 1983

CPL Dean L. Bennett U.S. Army, Korea Passed Away Oct. 25, 1998

Warren Bohnhoff Army 1951 - 1953 Passed Away 8/24/15

SSGT Floyd L. Bowen

U.S. Army - WWII Served 4 Years

Passed away 6/15/05

MSGT Lee Bardier U.S. Air Force Served 1972-1993

Jerry Bartlett Marine Corps Served 1960-1964

Charles F. Berry

BM3 Robert E. Bertolozzi Jr.

U.S. Army 247th Combat Engineers Served 1943 - 1945 Passed Away 2/28/13

Paul

Mike

U.S. Navy Served 1968 - 1974 Passed Away 2/27/02

Bonnell Brothers Jess Melburn Frank WWII

Robert Boyenga U.S. Air Force Served 1965 - 1969

Sheldon

Bill Brierton U.S. Navy Served 1952 - 1956

Corporal Wayne A. Bauer U.S. Marines Served 1972 - 1976

Amy Dempsey Bickner SPC U.S. Army Illinois National Guard Served 1996 - 2002

Corporal Melburn Richard Bonnell U.S. Army Served 9/8/42 - 10/26/45 Passed Away 5/6/1984

George W. Brooks U.S. Army Served 1956-1958 - Germany

Bill Reigle Discussing his infantry training

REIGLE cont’d from page 3 That changed one day in PE class, when the new Dixon High School basketball coach, Lee Davison, asked Reigle whether he played on the DHS team. He said no, that he was a farm kid and had chores to do after school.

“I didn’t see an organized basketball game until I started high school, but I really enjoyed going to the games,” Reigle said. “I thought, ‘Boy, how fantastic it would be to be on a team like that,’ but I never attempted to get on it.”

Davison persisted, and eventually Reigle was able to join the Dukes’ basketball team as a senior. He almost found the game easy, compared to how he had learned it growing up: on a crowded barn floor.

“Usually we were shooting over a piece of equipment,” Reigle said. “When I got to playing basketball in high school, I thought a guy standing in front of me wasn’t very intimidating compared to a manure spreader or a truck.”

Reigle was an immediate starter for the Dukes, and was the team’s leading scorer at the regional tournament. That taste of organized basketball led him to walk on to the Illinois State University team, where he was a starter for the JV as a freshman.

He studied agriculture, played basketball and thoroughly enjoyed his freshman year at ISU. Soon, however, a bigger calling beckoned.

“The Korean War started a month after I finished my freshman year,” Reigle said, “and I made up my mind then. I had a cousin who was a Marine in World War II, and he always impressed me.

Everybody said, ‘Well, why do you want to be a Marine?’ I said, ‘I just think it’s the best branch to be in, the most elite.’

“They were always noted for taking care of their people, which they do. They train you well.”

That Marine training began at Parris Island, South Carolina for 2 months of boot camp, beginning Feb. 2, 1951. He described it an “eye-opener” as there was absolutely no messing around. It was constant training, constant physical activity and no liberties, such as heading into town to chase girls or hang out.

“Their purpose is to bring everybody to the same level, whether you’re a college graduate or a dumbbell,” Reigle said. “To build a

Liberty Court

Honors All Veterans Who Have Served.

unit, you can’t have favorites here or there or the next place. They want everybody to be on the same page. If you’re high, they’re going to knock you down, and if you’re low, they’re going to bring you up so they have you on the same level.”

The next stop was Camp Pendleton in California for infantry training. There was lots of marching and other physical training.

They also had simulated battles on hilly terrain like they would see in Korea.

Camp Pendleton is also where Reigle got a heavy dose of the discipline Marines are noted for. First, there is water. Safe, fresh water was scarce in Korea, and Marines were trained to get by without it.

“We started out with having whatever water we wanted,” Reigle said. “Gradually as we went through our training, we got down to where we’d go on a 10-mile hike and we’d have half a canteen to last the whole day – eating, cooking, shaving, whatever we wanted to do. This is what you’re going to be faced with. That’s the one thing that’s as remarkable as anything, how we were able to discipline ourselves to do that.”

Being clean-shaven is also a staple of being a Marine, as Reigle found out. There was an inspection each morning at Camp Pendleton, and each soldier was expected to be clean-shaven. One time, Reigle shaved late the previous night, and was a bit scruffy in the morning. A commander didn’t go for that.

“He said, ‘The orders are to shave every day, and that was yesterday. This is today,’” Reigle said. “I was a squad leader of our group at the time. He said, ‘You go to the back of the line. We can’t have someone like you leading this squad that doesn’t follow orders.’ So I went to the end of the line.

“The next morning we have inspection again. He came down the line and got to me at the end and said, ‘You shaved this morning, didn’t you?’ I said, ‘Yes sir, I did. I learned my lesson.’ He said, ‘Go back to the head of the line.’ I learned to shave every day.”

In mid-July 1951, Reigle left Camp Pandleton for a month-long journey by troop ship to Pusan, South Korea. Two things stood out about the journey.

REIGLE cont’d on page 8

Honoring your Service, Remembering your Sacrifice…

Thank you to America’s Veterans for your ongoing Dedication to our Country and your Commitment to Preserving our Precious Freedom.

Front Row: Ida Johnson, Jane Cornelius, Melvin Leffelman, Sylvan Leffelman Back Row: Larry McPherson, Seymour Halford, Ralph Flynn, Leon Boehle, Harold Johnson

Liberty Court Assisted Living & Memory Care 124 Liberty Court | Dixon, IL 61021 815.285.2000 | www.libertycourtseniorliving.com

The First National Bank in Amboy Amboy • Dixon • Franklin Grove • Monroe Center www.fnbamboy.com fnba bamb mb

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815-857-3625

7 SALUTE TO VETERANS SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

We started out with having whatever water we wanted.

Gradually as we went through our training, we got down to where we’d go on a 10-mile hike and we’d have half a canteen to last the whole day – eating, cooking, shaving, whatever we wanted to do. This is what you’re going to be faced with.

That’s the one thing that’s as remarkable as anything, how we were able to discipline ourselves to do that.”

REIGLE cont’d from page 7 First, Reigle was tipped off to volunteer for kitchen duty. There, he could eat all of the fresh fruit he wanted, to help combat seasickness.

“That helped me,” Reigle said. “I never got seasick anyway.”

Second, Reigle realized how well-prepared he was for what was ahead, based on his training at Parris Island and Camp Pendleton.

“When we were going over to Korea on the ship, there were Navy, Army, Marines – Marines were probably the minority numbers-wise,” Reigle said.

“A lot of the Army guys would come to us and ask us to help them field strip their weapons, because they didn’t know how. We could do it in the dark.

We could take our rifle apart piece by piece and clean it and put it back together with our eyes closed. They’d come to us and ask us to give them classes. I always felt if I wanted to be there, I wanted to be with the best.”

In Korea, Reigle was assigned to the Motor Transport Battalion, First Marine Division. For the next 11 months, Reigle’s job was to transport troops, ammunition and food to the front lines, via truck. They did their jobs at night, to have a better chance of not being detected by North Korean forces.

“The only roads there were what the Army Corps of Engineers had carved out of the side of the mountains,” Reigle said. “You had to follow the vehicle in front of you. We were always in convoy. There was a Jeep with a commander leading a convoy of these trucks loaded with troops or food or ammunition, whatever the need was.”

Each truck in a convoy had two small red dots on the back of the vehicle – two on the left and two on the right – and the driver behind had to keep up.

“That’s what was your guide going over those mountainous roads when it was pitch dark,” Reigle said. “If you dropped too far behind and couldn’t see those dots, you were lost. You had to stay within 10 feet to see that. …

Sometimes it would be breaking day-

light when we’d come back and see where we had been the night before.

Man, you just wondered how the heck we ever got there.”

Reigle noted he was fortunate during the time he served in Korea in that his battalion avoided North Korean attacks, but others weren’t so lucky.

“Convoys used to get hit,” Reigle said. “Yeah, they’d get hit every once in a while. If one would land in the bed of a truck that was loaded with ammo, it would just blow it to smithereens.

That’s the chance you took. Fortunately I didn’t have that happen to me.”

The second half of Reigle’s 3-year hitch in the Marines was spent in Portsmouth, Virginia, at an engineering depot. Transportation was again his duty.

Reigle would pick up troops coming home from Korea and take them where they needed to go. There was also a colonel who had frequent meetings in Washington, D.C., and Reigle was his personal driver.

On Jan. 31, 1954, Reigle, a sergeant, was discharged from the Marine Corps. Included in his honors were the Good Conduct Medal, the Korean War Medal and United Nations Medal.

Now a civilian again, Reigle always thought he would go back to farming, but that changed quickly.

Reigle’s wife, Mary, who he had married before shipping off to Korea, worked at the Dixon National Bank.

He had attended some parties there and become friendly with some of the personnel.

One of those was bank president H.O. Lovett, who thought that Reigle would be ideal for a new position.

“He knew I was a farm kid, he knew I had taken ag in college, and he said, ‘We’re looking for a person that knows farming, but we can teach banking. We can’t teach bankers farming,’ “ Reigle said. “[Lovett] grew up on a farm in western Iowa and came into banking out there. He said, ‘We want somebody that knows what the farmer goes through – when it rains when you don’t want it to, when it doesn’t rain when you want it to, when the tractor breaks down and you don’t have the money to fix it.’ He wanted somebody who understands what a farmer is going through.”

Reigle began in bookkeeping and eventually got into lending. He retired, after 42 years of service, as a bank vice president on March 27, 1996.

Reigle has served his community as well. He was on the Lion’s Club for 50 years. He spent 11 years on the Sauk Valley Community College board, including 4 as president. He spent 30 years on various Sinnissippi Center boards. He spent more than 40 years on the Heritage Square board. He’s been

on various boards at Grace United Methodist Church. He’s been active with Meals on Wheels and the Dixon Chamber of Commerce.

“I did feel like it was important to be involved because I like Dixon, we’ve liked living in Dixon, and it’s been good to me an my family,” Reigle said.

“I’ve always felt it was important you should contribute what you can.”

Bill and Mary Reigle were married for 64 years, until she died on Aug. 19, 2015. They had three children, and there are now seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Bill follows their activities as much as possible.

For fun, he plays golf, usually once a week with the same group of guys. He likes to restore old tractors, and has five stored away at the family farm. He loves hanging out at that farm, doing small repairs on whatever needs to be fixed.

“I had my 90th birthday in February and I just thank God for every day He’s given me,” Reigle said. “I had a wonderful wife, and I have wonderful kids.

I just don’t know how much more you could expect out of life – the kids, the grandkids and now the great-grandkids – they all love me and I love them and they’re awfully important to me. I don’t know why I’ve been blessed so well, but I have. Whatever day that ends, I have no regrets.”

Robert Maltry, Agent 709 N Brinton Ave Dixon, IL 61021 Bus: (815) 288-4206

451 N Main Ave Milledgeville, IL 61051 815-225-7171

American Family Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. & its Operating Companies, 6000 American Parkway, Madison, WI 53783 ©2015 006441 - Rev. 2/20 - 13089496

We Salute Our Veterans!

This Veterans Day, we honor and give thanks to all veterans who served and sacrificed to ensure our freedom.

Remembering Those Who Served

900 N. Galena Ave. 815-288-7841

SM-ST1827207

“Over 50 years of Compassionate Christian Care and definitely worth the drive”

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SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

SALUTE TO VETERANS

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408 Maple Ave., Morrison (815) 772-4021 www.resthave.org Resthave Home is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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Gary Burger U. S. Army 1964 - 1966

Juan Canas U.S. Marine Corps Served 1980 - 1984

Bryan Castillo U.S. Army Served 1979 - 1989

Everett K. Brown U.S. Army Served 1963 - 1965 Passed away 1/15/2019

Curtis Bucher U.S. Army - WWI Served in France -1919 Passed Away 2/19/1955

Daniel Buntjer U.S. Air Force Served 1981-2001 Retired

Cpl. Richard E. Burgess U.S. Army Served 1950 - 1953

Gage Butler U.S. Marine Corps

Passed away 2/25/2017

Served 4 Years

Kenneth (Bud) Butterfield U.S. Army - WWII 1st Cavalry Division Served 1942 - 1946

Peme Canas U.S. Marine Corps Fox Co. 25 Served in Somalia Served 1990 - 1994

Pablo Castillo U.S. Army Air Corp Served 1943-1945

Passed away 2/05/2017

Robert Buntjer U.S. Army - Sgt. Served 1966 - 1968

Passed Away 12/4/1978

LPCL Dylan Canas U.S. Marine Corps 8th Engineer Camp Lejeune, NC Now Serving

David T. Cantu U.S. Navy Served 1969-1972

Lupe Cantu U.S. Navy Served 1980 - 1985

Lloyd E. Card U.S. Army - WWII Served 2 Years, 8 months

Joseph M. Catalina U.S. Army Served 1942 - 1946 Passed away 5/23/1994

Larry Cater Navy 1959 - 1962

Greg Cavanaugh Marines 22 Years

SALUTE TO VETERANS SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

Deborah L. Brown (Weslow) US Army National Guard Served 1989 - 1992

SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

SALUTE TO VETERANS

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Close calls

Wayne Hummel avoided a deadly field trip, was tossed around by a typhoon, and was floored when a bomb landed near him not with a bang, but a thud – all in all, a pretty eventful life for a Dixon farm boy who was worth his salt to Uncle Sam

LEFT: Wayne Hummel of Dixon sits at a table with photos of his time in the military, including the one above, of Hummel (left) and a fellow soldier sitting on the barrel of a howitzer during the Korean War. Hummel was stationed in Korea from October 1952 through November 1953, and worked his way up the ranks in his artillery unit.

Michael Krabbenhoeft/ mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com

BY BRIAN WEIDMAN | bweidman@saukvalley.com When it came to dealing with the horrors of the Korean War, Wayne Hummel got by with a little help from a new, native friend.

Hummel, of Dixon, was a member of the Army’s 987 Field Artillery Battalion, in the middle of South Korea near the 38th parallel, surrounded by mountains. His job was to support South Korean troops with strategically launched shells, hoping to damage bridges, tunnels, roads and railroads in the fight against North Korea. There were four sections of soldiers doing that work in that area.

HUMMEL cont’d on page 14

WITH HONOR AND RESPECT TO OUR VETERANS

They are our family, friends and neighbors; everyday citizens, yet so much more. On Veterans Day, we take this opportunity to say thank you to the brave souls who have served in our Armed Forces.

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Member

1801 1st Ave. 1021 N. Galena Ave. Rock Falls, IL 61071 Dixon, IL 61021 220 E. Main St. 3210 Lincolnway 1325 17th Street Morrison, IL 62170 Sterling, IL 61081 Fulton, IL 61252

Honoring our Veterans

Thank you for your Service 1120 W. First Street, Dixon 815-284-2003

The American Legion Dixon Post No. 12, Inc.

SM-ST1827023

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Passed Away 9/4/2014

Corporal Tommy Cisketti U.S. Army - MIA Served 1945-1950 Passed Away 11/28/1950

Donald B. Conkrite Army Served 1942 - 1944 Killed in action Nov. 25, 1944

Richard L. Conkrite U.S. Army - WWII Pacific Served 1941 - 1945 Passed away 1981

Leo Chapinski Jr. U.S. Army Served 4 Years Passed Away 5/7/1997

Robert Chapinski U.S. Navy Served 1945-1947 Passed Away 9/24/2010

Sgt. Robert W. Cheshier U.S. Army - Korean War Served 1950 - 1952 Passed away 6/8/2018

Roger Chriest U.S. Army Served 1966-1967

Zealous Collins U.S. Army/National Guard Served 2 Years Passed Away 4/14/2007

Edward Conderman Air Force - Air Force Reserve Served 1978 -2000

Donald B. Conkrite Marines Served 1966 - 1968

Michael C. Conkrite Army Served 1959 - 1963

Patrick M. Conkrite Marines Served 1991 - 1995

Raymond N. Conkrite Army Served 1964 - 1967

Robert L. Conkrite Army Served 1941 - 1945

Jesse Contreras U.S. Army - WWII

Joseph “Chico” Contreras

Larry Contreras

Michael Z. Collins U.S. Army Served 2 Years

Passed Away July 23, 1964

Passed away Feb. 26, 2019

U.S. Navy Served 1958 - 1961

Ronald G. Conderman U.S. Army - Germany Served 1954 - 1956

U.S. Air Force Served 1951-1954 - Korean War

SALUTE TO VETERANS SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

Arthur Donald Chapinski U.S. Army Served 1948 - 1968

SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

SALUTE TO VETERANS

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Nelo Contreras

Ralph Contreras U.S. Marine Corps. WWII South Pacific & China Served 4 years

Clyde Cooley

Sergeant First Class Lester Cordes

U.S. Army Served 3 Years Passed away

Richard A. Cooley Air Force 1964 - 1975 Served 11 Years

Navy Phm.3C 17 months Passed Away 1973

Spec. Riley Cornwell U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Presently Serving

Robert M. Cornwell Air Force 4 Years

Sgt. Thomas Cornwell U.S. Marines, Vietnam Served 1967 -1970

Dino M. Coronado U.S. Army 23 Years

Mario Coronado U.S. Navy/Army 23 yrs.

Vietnam 1967 - 1968

Harry O. Cover Army Served WWII 1941 - 1945 Passed Away 7/8/99

SRA John Craft U.S. Air Force Served 1996 - 2002

Daniel L. Cruse Jr. U.S. Navy Pacific Theatre - WWII Deceased

Elwood L. Cruse U.S. Army - WWII Served 1943-1945

M.L. “Mick” Cruse

Maurice “Pete” Cruse U.S. Army • 2nd Div. 1952-1954 • Korea

Michael J. Cruse U.S. Army Served 1986 - 1992

Roger D. Cruse U.S. Marines Served 1953 - 1957

U.S. Army - WWII Served 1941-1944 Passed Away 11/6/1996

J. Stephen Cornwell Air Force Air Police London, England 1946 - 1950 Passed Away 2017

Passed away 2001

Passed away Jan. 14, 2017

John H. Cornwell

U.S. Army - WWII Deceased

U.S. Army - 39th Field Artillery, 3rd Infantry Served 1951-1953

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William D. Cruse U.S. Army Served 1966 - 1968

U.S. Army 1st Cav. Vietnam Served 1970 - 1971

Lt. Stanley M. Danek

Harold Daniels U.S. Army Served 1958 - 1960

U.S. Air Force Served 1961-1965 Passed away 11/26/2016

Passed Away 10/12/2005

Charles Danek U.S. Air Force Served 1960 - 1964

U.S. Army Served 1966 - 1969

Wallance Darling Jr. Navy 1944 - 1945

Wallance Darling Sr. Marines 1920’s

George J. Danek

John P. Danek

U.S. Army Served 1962 - 1964

Charles A. Davis Sr. U.S. Army 45th Division Korean War

Served 1951-1953

left to right:

Earl Delhotal U.S. Army 149th Infantry 38th Division Served 1942-1945 Donald R. Delhotal U.S. Army Served 1945-1947 Passed away 5/25/2011

John (Jack) Diehl Army Served 1955 - 1958

1st Class Nathan Disher U.S. Coast Guard

Currently serving (17 years)

Robert Dempsey, Sr.

U.S. Army - Korean War Served 1953-1955 Passed away 5/17/2017

Mathew J. Docter Army Spanish American War - 2 Years Passed Away 1959

Sara DiConstanza E-6, Technical Sergeant 10 years 2000 - 2011 Air National Guard

Passed Away 5/20/1998

Brack Duncan U.S. Army - France 1917 - 1919 WWI Passed Away 1977

Michael Chester Duncan Army - 20 Plus Years Passed Away 9/27/20

Bryant “Bud” Diehl U.S. Army Served 1943 - 1946

SALUTE TO VETERANS SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

Paul J. Cunniff

SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

SALUTE TO VETERANS

14

HUMMEL cont’d from page 10

A real life-saver ... Wayne Hummel stands next to a young South Korean boy, Lee Mo Huck, during the Korean War. Hummel recalled a time when Huck helped save the soldiers by alerting them to a minefield in area. Hummel said the boy was very helpful and was a good friend to many of the soldiers in his unit.

One day, a South Korean boy named Lee Ho Huck showed up from out of the blue.

“He just wandered in one day, hungry and pretty bad looking,” Hummel said. “We took him in, fed him, clothed him – we kind of brought him into the fourth gun section for a while and put up a special place for him to sleep.”

Huck, who was about 10 at the time, enjoyed hanging out with his new American friends when the war wasn’t raging. They learned bits and pieces of each other’s languages, with Huck cheerfully passing along Korean swear words. The Americans called Huck “Muscles,” because he liked to flex his slender frame and brag that he was getting bigger every day.

Hummel and his fellow soldiers soon put him to work, as he helped with odd jobs at the unit’s kitchen when not at base camp.

“He was back and forth all the time, like family almost,” Hummel said. “He was real friendly, real appreciative, just a loving kid.”

Huck’s value turned out to be more than companionship and scrubbing dishes.

“This boy literally saved our section,” Hummel said. “We were getting overrun and had orders to retreat. Our whole outfit, gun, trucks, everything – as much as we could pack and as fast as we could do it. We were going down this road and headed toward this other valley, further back. [Huck] comes to me and says, ‘No, no, no, no.’ I said, ‘What do mean no, no, no, no?’ “

HUMMEL cont’d on page 16

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to all who protect our freedom at home and overseas!

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DIXON 204 S. Ottawa Ave. • 815-288-2241 SM-ST1826909

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Marines - IL National Guard 1644TC Rock Falls

Served 30 years

Joseph E. Dvorak U.S. Air Force / WWII Served 1943 - 1945 Passed Away 7/10/1996

Norman Eakle U.S. Air Force Served 1952 - 1956 Passed away 4/5/2019

Carl L. Elsasser U.S. Army Company M Served 3 Years Passed away 1964

Norman L. Elsasser U.S. Air Force - Korea Served 1950 - 1954 Passed away 1968

Daniel Dunphy U.S. Army Served 2 Years

Jose P. Duran U.S. Army/Korean War Passed Away 8/13/90

John Richard Earl U.S. Army 1951 - 1955 Passed Away 2003

William Earl Airforce 1949 - 1953 Passed Away 1978

Bob Elsasser U.S. Army Served 1960 - 1966

Donald J. Erdmier U.S. Army WWII Served 1942-1945 Passed away 1/28/1980

John Erdmier Army-National Guard Served 1989 -1995

Lloyd J. Erdmier U.S. Air Force Served 1969 - 1989

U.S. Navy Served 2007 - Present

Kenneth Eubanks U. S. Navy USS Mitscher 1958 - 1962

Aaron Faivre U.S. Coast Guard Served 2016 - Present

Frank W. Faivre National Guard Served 1962 - 1964

Ralph I. Faivre Army Served 1942 - 1946

Peter Fecht U.S. Army Served 1970-1972

Robert Fecht U.S. Army WWII POW Battle of the Bulge

Passed Away Nov. 18, 1956

Jamie Espinoza

Passed away 9/26/2015

Passed away 3/15/1981

SALUTE TO VETERANS SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

Ventura Duran Jr

SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

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HUMMEL cont’d from page 14 Hummel immediately took Huck to his commander, where some valuable information was passed on. Huck was familiar with the area the Americans were headed to, and that’s why he was repeatedly saying no. In his travels, he had seen North Korean soldiers planting mines there.

“We would have been destroyed,” Hummel said, tearing up at the fate they were spared, because of a young South Korean boy. nnn Wayne Hummel seemed destined for a life on the farm with his brothers, Chuck, Paul and Bob, and their mother, Jessie Mae. Wayne’s father, Chris, had died when he was 9. They used horses for the heavy farming labor until buying their first tractor, a John Deere, in 1941.

Chuck, the oldest, held down the farm, so to speak, and was exempt from military service, but the other Hummel boys were fair game. Paul volunteered, joined the Air Force, became a pilot and flew several missions in the Korean War. Wayne and Bob were drafted, with Wayne seeing 13 months of combat in Korea. Bob’s time was spent at Fort Sill in Oklahoma, as the war was coming to an end by that time.

Wayne’s service also began at Fort Sill in June of 1952, and after 4 months of training, he reported to a camp near Oakland, California, waiting for a troop ship to take him to Korea. He was in for a surprise.

Those whose last names began with letters A through H were taken to the airport, for a flight to get them to action quicker. He was told they needed “warm blood.”

“They took us to the airport and put us on a plane with a USO show and flew us to Osaka, Japan,” Hummel said.

After two refueling stops, the troops landed in Japan, where they soon boarded a ship for Incheon, South Korea.

They then ran into a typhoon that made travel nearly impossible.

“We were out there 2 or 3 days, and it should have been a really short trip,” Hummel said.

Waves were tossing the ship around at will, and it would turn virtually vertical. Hummel remembers the contents of the vessel’s latrine being regularly tossed among the troops.

“It was a nightmare,” Hummel said.

“We didn’t think we’d ever see Korea, but we made it.”

Hummel was stationed in Korea from October 1952 through November 1953, and worked his way up the ranks in his artillery unit. He went from loading a massive artillery gun, to firing the gun, then becoming a gunner, in which his job was to set the sights on whatever target they had. He’d be in touch with other soldiers in the distance, or someone in an airplane, scoping out targets.

Finally, he became the chief of section, where he oversaw a crew of 7 to 9 men.

“A guy got injured and they needed a

Saluting All Veterans

chief of section,” Hummel said. “They figured I was worth my salt.”

Outside of a few burns on his shoulder from hot metal, Hummel was fortunate enough to escape serious injury. That’s not to say there weren’t scares, and one in particular stood out.

Hummel noted the North Koreans liked to attack on holidays, or during meal time, when soldiers might have their guard down a bit. He remembers one Sunday afternoon, when he and other soldiers were simply walking from the kitchen back to their bunkers.

“We started getting shelled by the North Koreans,” Hummel said, “so you take off running for the closest place you can hide out. We were just going by the No. 3 gun section. They had a bunker there, and some of those guys and us were walking together. We all took off running to their bunker.”

Those bunkers weren’t much more than holes in the ground, with sandbags on the perimeter. The limited protection they offered was soon exposed.

“You could hear these shells whistling in and exploding, and pretty soon they were getting really close,” Hummel said. “We were down on the floor, pulling duffel bags around us, and then we had a shell come down through the top. It went through a table and through the floor, but it didn’t explode. It made a hole in the ground, but it didn’t go off. We got the hell out of there in a hurry.”

Hummel and his crew soon discovered a fellow soldier who had taken ref-

uge at the bottom of a latrine.

“When we came out, we heard this screaming and hollering and finally found out where he was at,” Hummel said. “So we had to dismantle it and pull him out. Then we took out the hose and hosed him down.”

The next day, a demolition crew was summoned to dispose of the bomb. It was carefully removed from the ground, and it was detonated after being taken a safe distance away.

“There are some things that stick with you, and that’s one of them,” Hummel said.

Hummel was discharged from the Army in March 1954. He received the United Nations Service Medal, the Korean Service Ribbon with three bronze stars, the National Defense Service Medal and the Merit Unit Citation.

Hummel’s civilian life was largely spent trucking and farming, and he finally retired for good at the age of 85, a mere 4 years ago. He married the love of his life, Rita, on Aug. 2, 1952, and she died on March 14, 2020. They raised five children, and there are now 16 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Besides spending time with family, Hummel volunteers at the Leydig Center and Meals on Wheels, and is involved with activities at Grace United Methodist Church, of which he has been a member since 1941. He was a trustee for more than 40 years, and is part of a crew that does small repairs at the church each Tuesday.

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Museum staff finds a way to reconnect WWII gunner with his war-time wings PERU – In August 1945, Bill Miller got into a B-17 for his first mission in World War II. “Hundreds of B-17s were heading for Tokyo,” said Mary Miller, Bill’s wife.

“While they were in the air they got a radio message that the mission was scrubbed.

They all turned around and went back to Hawaii. They went into a hangar and some officers came in and Bill Miller said, ‘Gentlemen, we just dropped the atomic bomb.’”

After serving as a radio operator and gunner on a B-17, Miller returned to the Illinois Valley to raise a family with Mary – who he’s been married to for 68 years – and to work at Westclox for more than four decades.

When the B-17 “Yankee Lady” was scheduled to appear at the Illinois Valley Regional Airport in Peru on Sept.

19-20, staff from The Yankee Air Museum planned to surprise Bill with

a ride in the plane.

Unfortunately, Bill had to be hospitalized at Illinois Valley Community Hospital just before the B-17’s visit.

However, another plan was hatched.

“We had hoped very much he would be able to take the flight,” said Dave Callanan, a public relations executive for the B-17. “Unfortunately, he took ill and needed to be hospitalized before we arrived. The idea came up that if he can’t come to the airplane, we’ll take the airplane to him.”

Calls were made and it was arranged for hospital staff to bring Bill to the roof of the parking garage so the B-17 could circle, giving him the chance to see the plane.

“When he saw that plane, he lit up so much,” said Casey Schertz, a CNA at IVCH who helped bring Bill to the roof.

“It warmed my heart. He was honored by it. That’s all he kept saying was how he felt so honored.”

The plane made two low passes around the hospital for the 94-year-old veteran.

“We live in the senior citizens complex and I stood out in the driveway and saw that beautiful plane right over

head,” Mary said. “I felt like I could almost touch it. It was such a beautiful gesture.

“He was so elated. He was so happy that they would do such a thing.”

Although Bill wasn’t able to ride in the plane, Mary was able to see the B-17 at the airport.

“They took me to the plane later on and showed me where he sat, where he

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We Proudly Salute Our Resident Veterans

Robert Woodworth Merrill “Mugs” Baeza

Don Johnson

We are thankful for all Veterans and the time they dedicated to our Country.

Ian Katamay Marion Giesecke Eugene Anderson Missing from photo: John Minnier www.hw-sterling-slf.com 2205 Oak Grove Ave, Sterling (3 blocks N. of W. LeFevre) 815-625-7045 Managed by Gardant Management Solutions

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1560 Franklin Grove Rd. Dixon 815-288-5165

of Sterling

Gene Sanders

gave the Morse code and where the gun was,” Mary said. “They were just wonderful.”

Callanan said veterans like Bill are a big reason why The Yankee Museum keeps the B-17s in flight.

“It’s an honor for us to be able to take an aircraft – particularly one that a person has served on – and give that person due respect with a flyover.”

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Booking Holiday Parties, Weddings, Birthday Parties, and Baby Showers

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kchlum@shawmedia.com

SALUTE TO VETERANS SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

Some Yankee ingenuity gives vet a smile

17

SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

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18

Thank You To All Who Have Served, Especially Cpt. James Meyer.

We Love You, Dad!

Lee thanks his fellow Veterans for their service, and invites you to call him for all your real estate needs, including VA Loans.

CHANDRA MEYER 815-632-7909 RYNE HOWARD 815-915-6022

LEE BARDIER 815-716-3604 Sauk Sauk Valley Valley

Sauk Sauk Valley Valley

110 E. LYNN BLVD., STERLING, IL 61081 • (815) 625-3722

110 E. LYNN BLVD. STERLING, IL 61081 • (815) 625-3722

In memory of Dale Brownlee, WWII Army Veteran 11/13/1925-10/8/1994 Thank you to all Veterans for your service and sacrifice for our freedom Vickie Gutierrez (815) 973-4444

Honoring all who have served our country

Ed Yingling US Army 1951 - 1957

Pat Yingling Nursing Corps 1946 -1950

Nancie Dempsey, Realtor 815-973-2585

Lawrence Yingling US Army Air Force 1942 - 1946

815-285-3444 124 E. Boyd St., Dixon www.crawfordrealtyonline.com

In Honor of All Who Have Served Our Country and Who Are Serving Now Bill Dempsey Realtor 815-631-4295

Thanking all men and women who have served honorably during times of

With the greatest respect to all area Veterans.

war and peace.

Matt Hermes

Karen Didier Realtor 815-973-2686

Managing Broker

815-288-4648

815-288-4648

In Memory of Master Sergeant Hal Moroney September 28, 1945 - September 8, 2011 Thank you to all Veterans for your service and giving us our freedom!

815-288-4648

Kirsten Crawford, Designated Managing Broker: (815) 973-0841 Tim Crawford: (815) 535-3444 Vickie Gutierrez: (815) 973-4444 Patti Shoemaker: (815) 994-8794 Andrea Ragan: (815) 973-4033 Cynthia Adcock: (815) 677-0934 Vicky Turner: (815) 973-5548 Lindsey Kerley: (815) 285-3444 Dan Yates: (815) 440-9524

815-285-3444 124 E. Boyd St., Dixon www.crawfordrealtyonline.com SM-ST1826347

To all of the Veterans for your sacrifices, God bless and thank you.

Troy Morse Realtor 815-973-2585

815-288-4648

Tracey DeCrane 815-677-2164 Saluting All of the Men & Women Past & Present that are Serving our Country Vicky Turner - Thank You! (815) 973-5548

Sauk Sauk Valley Valley

110 E. LYNN BLVD. STERLING, IL 61081 • (815) 625-3722

19

WE THANK YOU.

Judy Powell

Ed Hook

815-716-7450

815-499-4848

Jenni Dace

John Dorenbos

815-716-7675

1922 Tower Rd. Sublette, IL 61367 815-535-6295

511 E. 3rd Street, Sterling, IL 61081

Designated Managing Broker

Mary Lovgren Broker

815-994-1449

Lisa Maher

Sal Bayron

773-459-5472

312-952-3409

Marcia Kosowski

Justin Wiley

815-582-2381

815-849-5390

Broker

Broker

Broker

Broker

1688 Brandywine Lane Dixon, IL 815-288-0998 WWW.BIRDREALTYSELLS.COM

Eric Bird

Managing Broker 815-973-6768

Thank you for supporting a Veteran-owned business!

Kevin Considine

Broker Associate /Auctioneer 815-739-8155

Tina Demay Broker Associate 815-718-0956

Cynthia Adcock 815-677-0934

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Floyd Thomas Sr. served in the U.S. Army from 1951-1953

email:jerrylancaster@ruhl-ruhl.com

Thank you Veterans for your bravery and sacrifice.

Andrew Brockwell

Thanks to all that have served!

Charles Thomas Jr. serves in the Army National Guard 2000-Present.

He also served in Operation Iraqi Freedom

309-743-8057

815-626-7450

We Salute Your Service!

Bonita Willis

Jerry Lancaster 815-626-8146

815-718-0956

www.erbes-realty.com

Any Type of Property, Any Time of Year 815-849-5476 WWW.WOODHAVENLAKES.COM

Remembering those who gave and R sacrificed in the name of peace.

Charles E. Thomas Sr. Lieutenant Colonel U.S. Army.

Served from 1978-2006.

Supported Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, and Bosnia

Broker Associate 815-440-8214

Doug Weber Broker Associate 815-222-5806

Don Potts Served in the U.S. Air Force 1958 - 1978

Thank you Veterans!

Vicky Turner 815-973-5548

815-285-3444 • 124 E. Boyd St., Dixon

815-285-3444 124 E. Boyd St., Dixon

SALUTE TO VETERANS SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

For Your Bravery, Sacrifice, and Dedication to Our Country,

Home of the Free Because of the Brave.

SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

SALUTE TO VETERANS

20

E-5 Petty Officer Eleanor (Schick) Fiser U.S. Navy Served 1989 - 1999

Chief Petty Officer Matt Fiser U.S. Navy - Seabees Served 27 Years 1994 - 2018

Lester E. Flaherty Sr. U.S. Navy Served 1951-54 Korea Served 1945-47 WWII Passed away 3/13/2016

Herb Fordham Navy E3 Seaman

Lester E. Flaherty Jr. (Mike) Navy - Sea Bees Served 1973 -1977 Passed away 2/26/2016

U.S. Army Served 1952 -1954 Passed Away 8/31/1998

U.S. Army - WWII Served 1942 - 1945 Passed Away 4/4/1982

David T. Fritts U.S. Army Served 2 Years

Brady Foose U.S. Army Served 6 Years

Dan L. Ford U.S. Army Served 1966-1968

U.S. Albany Missile Cruiser

Served 1968 -1971

Jesse Fordham U.S. Army 1944 - 1946 Passed Away 9/25/97

Scott D. Freeman Army 1993 - 2001

Mark Friday Chief Petty Officer U.S. Navy Served 26 Years

Tanner Friday Senior Airman U.S. Air Force Served 2016 to present

Taylor Friday Master At Arms U.S. Navy Served 2015 to present

David Gail Gardner U.S. Army-Air Corps Served1942-1946 Passed Away 6/15/1984

John Garrison U.S. Army WWII Served 2 Years

John (Jack) Furr Marine 1967 - 1971

1st Class Kayla (Disher) Gamester U.S. Coast Guard Currently Serving (13 Years)

Hugh E. Flynn Sr.

Robert J. Fox

Guillermo Bill Garza U.S. Army Served 1949 - 1952

21

Vincent A. Glowacki U.S Air Force Served 1966-1970 Vietnam 1968 - 1969

Richard A. Gebhardt U.S. Army Served 1956 - 1958 Passed Away 4/10/2014

Darrell J. Gray U.S. Army Served 1951 - 1952 Passed away 8/10/2017

David R. Geil U.S. Army E-5 Served 1966-1969 Vietnam 1967-1968

S/SGT. Kennard Green U.S. Air Force Served 1952 - 1956

John L. Gilbert U.S. Navy Seabees Served 1971-1973

Vernon Gittleson U.S. Army 1953 - 1955

Sgt. Amanda M. (Dempsey) Hacker David C. Gugerty U.S. Army Served 1956-1958

Illinois Army National Guard 2001 - 2008 Operation Iraqi Freedom 2004 - 2005

Everette D. Hardin U.S. Navy Served 1944 - 1945 Passed Away in 2010

Sr. Chief Randy D. Hardin U.S. Navy Served 1972-1992

CW2 Robert W. Hardin U.S. Army Wiesbaden, Germany Served 2006 - Present

Cecil E. Harrison U.S. Army Served 1955 -1957

C.M. 2nd Class Clifton Hartman U.S. Navy Served 1944-1945 Passed Away 10/26/83

Gene Hartman U.S. Marine Corp.

Served 1952-1960 Passed Away 10/21/11

1SG Kyle Hacker Illinois Army National Guard 1999 - Present Operation New Dawn 2011-2012 Operation Iraqi Freedom 2004 - 2005

Douglas E. Harms U. S. Army 1968 - 1970

Frederick L. Hamburg U.S. Marines Served1944 - 1949 Passed Away 10/26/2000

Gordon E. Harris Sr. Army/Vietnam Vet 1970 - 1976

SALUTE TO VETERANS SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

Gunther Gassner Navy 1989 - 1993

SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

SALUTE TO VETERANS

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Ronald Hartman U.S. Army Served 1953-1955

Warren Heuck U.S. Army Served 1963 - 1965

Orville E. Hodge U.S. Air Force

Served 1961-1965 - Vietnam

Guillermo (Bill) Hurches Army CPL Korea Served 1950 - 1952 Passed Away 1/30/2010

Wallace Hartman U.S. Navy Served 1950-1953 Passed Away in 1999

SSGT. Harold Higby U.S. Army Served 1941-1945

3rd Class Terry L. Heeren U.S. Navy - Vietnam Served 1966 - 1969 Passed away 4/6/2018

Passed Away 1/21/1988

Eugene G. Hill U.S. Army Infantry Served in 1946 Passed Away 10/05/01

Melvin Hohn U.S. Navy Served 1960 - 1964 Passed Away 3/4/13

Jimmy R. Jackson

U.S. Navy Served 1958 - 1961

Robert Heinze U.S. Navy Served 1948 - 1952

S. SGT. Lyle R. Hendryx U.S. Army Served 1944 - 1946 Passed Away 11/30/2005

Senior Operations NCO with the 330th Medical Brigade 18 years

Staff Sgt. Adam G. Hodge U. S. Air Force Served 3 Years

Clarence L. Hopkins U.S. Army Served 1952-1953

Elmer L. Hopkins U.S. Army Served 1945 - 1946 Passed Away 2/4/1946

Donald Hose U.S. Army Served 1952 - 1954

Devin Jacob

Keith V. Jaquet U.S. Army Served 4 Years Passed Away 10/21/2009

Jason A. Johnson U.S. Army National Guard 1644 Transportation Co. Served 1999 - 2011

U.S. Army Served 2002 - 2005

Ryan William Hill Army Sergeant 1st Class

23

Passed away 10/05/1960

Louis King Army Specialist 3 1954 - 1956

2 Lieuenant Brett Knutson nd

U.S. Army

Harold Julifs U.S. Marine Corps Served 1957 - 1959

Elmars Kalnins Army 1951 - 1953

Col. Michael E. King

Staff SGT. Charles W. (Jake) Kness

U.S. Air Force Served 1968 - 1994 Passed away 2/27/16

Chief Petty Officer Rick Knutson U.S. Naval Reserves

Glen R. Kuhlemier U.S. Marine Corps.

Served 1953-1955 Served 1953-55 Korea

Sgt. Kenny Knutson

U.S. Army

J.D. Lahman CWO U.S. Air Force Served 1955-1967 U.S. Army Served 1967-1975

U.S. Army Served WWII Passed Away 4/30/12

Jack D. Koehler U.S. Navy Seabees 1951 - 1955 Passed Away Dec. 29, 2019

Larry Lahman U.S. Air Force Served 1970-1975

Passed away 1/10/2017

Lori Lahman Kaser

Terry Kaser

U.S. Air Force Served 1984-2004

U.S. Air Force Served 1981-2001

Bruce Knipple

Petty Officer 2nd Class Jana (Johnston) Knutson

U.S. National Guard Served 1948 -1951

Navy HM2 (SW/AW) Served 2001 - 2007

Donald Lee Kohl

Nicholas Todd Kohl U.S. Army

U.S. Navy Served 1955 - 1957

Served 1995 - 1997, 2005 - 2006

Paul Lahman

U.S. Army Served 1957-1960 U.S. Air Force Served 1961-1978

Robert Lahman

U.S. Air Force Served 1968-1972

SALUTE TO VETERANS SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

Russell H. Johnson U.S. Army Served 3 Years

SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

SALUTE TO VETERANS

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U.S. Marines Served 1951-1953 Passed Away 7/25/2012

Cory L. Lance U.S. Air Force Served 1993 -1997

U.S. Marine Corp Served 1954 - 1957

Leslie E. (Pete) Lansford U.S. Air Force 1942-1945 Passed Away 12/8/1980

Sylvan J. Leffelman U.S. Army Served 2 years 1951-1953

SFC William J. Lemmer U.S. Army Reserve Served 9 Years

Spec. 5 Dale W. Letcher U.S. Army - Vietnam War Served 1968 -1972

Craig E. Lewis Air Force - Tech. Sgt. Served 1974-1994

Russell Lahman

Roger Landreth

Joseph LeBlanc III U.S. Army Served 2 Years

Randy J. Lilly U.S. Air Force Served 3 Years

Brandon Love

Navy 3 Years Jackie Marvin Linton U.S. Army Served 1951-1953 Passed Away 4/3/2009

Alfred S. Lopez U.S. Navy Served 1945-1947

Lt. Zachary Lyth and Warrant Officer Emily (Hoffman) Lyth U.S. National Guard - 1 tour in Afganistan each Both have served 14 Years

Jesse P. Lopez U.S. Army Served 1963-1966

Joseph M. Mango U.S. Army 4 Years

Vincent S. Lopez U.S. Navy Served 1943 - 1945

2017 - Present

Kathryn A. (Faivre) Manion Navy Served 1997 - 2004

Harold Marshall U.S. Army Air Force WWII Served 1943 - 1946 Passed 10/31/2008

Passed away 2006

Blue Star marker along Route 2 in Ogle County was installed 50 years ago SVM Staff Report It looks like someone didn’t have much respect for some military top brass along state Route 2 in Ogle County.

A sign that had honored America’s service members for five decades has gone missing, likely stolen.

State Route 2 was designated a Blue Star Memorial Highway on Nov. 4, 1970, and a Blue Star Historical Marker was placed in a picnic area off the highway, just west of Meridian Road near the Winnebago County Line.

Now, that marker is missing; all that remains is a signpost.

According to an Oct. 23 column in the Oregon Republican Reporter by local historian Otto Dick …

“The Blue Star Memorial Program started with the planting of 8,000 Dogwood trees by the New Jersey Council of Garden Clubs in 1944 as a living memorial to veterans of World War II. In 1945, the National Council of State Garden Clubs adopted the program, and eventually the program was expanded to include all men and women who had served our country.

A large metal Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker was placed at appropriate locations across the United States. Later, the program was expanded to locations such as national cemeteries, parks, veterans’ facilities, and gardens.

I was informed that this sign and the Banditti Sign located in another picnic area were missing.

These signs were probably melted down and sold for brass.

It’s a shame that these are destroyed by someone who wants to make a few dollars.

Another Blue Star memorial sign was stolen just months after it was installed in Harbor City on the Pacific Coast Highway.

“It took 14 years for the San Pedro Garden Club to get approval to install a Blue Star Memorial Highway sign on Pacific Coast Highway in Harbor City.

Now in less than three months, its gone. One of the people who helped install the plaque drove by on Sunday and as he always did looked for the sign, he said. ‘No more sign’, only the pole was left.”

I intend to talk to Rep. Tom Demmer and hopefully he can convince the State Highway Department to re-install our Route 2 Blue Star plaque.

The price of a new plaque is $1,465.

On May 17, 2014, the Rock River Garden Club and the Dixon Veteran Memorial Commission erected a Blue Star Historical Marker at the Veterans Memorial Park, 668 Veterans Parkway, in Dixon.

This Veterans Parkway is a wonderful memorial to the men and women who served. I encourage you to visit the Dixon Memorial Park and view the Blue Star Memorial Plaque.”

Honoring the Best & the Bravest

For their courage, hard work and dedication to their country, we salute the men and women of our Armed Forces past and present. It is because of their sacrifice that America remains the land of the free, and we thank them for protecting our citizens and our country.

Submitted

This Blue Star Memorial Highway marker that stood in a picnic area along state Route 2 in Ogle County, just west of Meridian Road near the Winnebago County Line, is missing. It was installed 50 years ago, and sponsored by the Illinois Garden Club’s Blue Star Memorial Fund, in cooperation with Dixon’s Division of Highway and the Illinois Blue Star Memorial chairman.

Thank You For Serving Our Country.

Please give us a call to find out more about our discounts for veteran’s and first responders.

Wishing all of our veterans and soldiers a very happy Veterans Day.

Assisted Living Community 403 Sc Scenic ic Str Street, tr t, Morrison, M ri IL • (815) 772-4031 772-40 4031 31 • www.windsor-manor.com/morrison

107 1st. Ave. Rock Falls, IL 61071

(815) 564-9000 SM-ST1827281

SALUTE TO VETERANS SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

Sign honoring veterans is MIA

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Jerome (Jerry) Martin

U.S. Army Served 1966 - 1968 Passed away 6/24/2018

John E. Martin U. S. Army 1981 - 1983 Natl. Guard 1985 - 1993

Sgt. Ray Martinez

S/Sgt. Theodore R. Maves U.S. Army Served 1952 -1954 Passed Away March 2006

Gene McCaffrey

Patrick McCaffrey U.S. Marines Served 1954 - 1957

Passed Away 7/16/1995

Captain Tilghman R. McLemore

Master Gunnery Sgt. Robert J. Mena, Jr.

Dean Patrick McCaffrey U.S. Army Served 1965 - 1967

U.S. Marines Served 1989 - 1992 Passed Away 8/16/92

Kenneth McCracken U. S. Army 1944 - 1946

PFC James “Peanuts” McDaniel U.S. Army Served 1944-1945 Passed Away 1/2/88

T. F. Sgt. Anthony E. Mercer

Sgt. 1st Class Isaac M. Mercer U.S. Army - 2 Years

Larry D. Mayberry

U.S. Air Force Served 8 years

1Year in Korea 6 Years Reserves 2 Years Active Duty

William L. May

U.S. Army - WWII Served 1941 - 1945 Passed Away 4/9/1989

U. S Army Served 1965 - 1968 Passed Away 2011

Roger McCaffrey U.S. Army Served 1961 - 1964

Joseph E. McGraw Army Served 1966 - 1969 Passed Away Nov. 6, 2018

Michael Keith Mercer U.S. Air Force (E4) Served 1976 - 1980

U.S. Army Airborne Rangers 1956 - 1968

U.S. Army

Served 1961 - 1964

Passed Away May ‘68 Kia Vietnam

U.S. Marines Served 30 Years

Steven L. Mercer U.S. Marines 2 Years Active 4 Years Inactive

William Midgett Navy 20 Years Passed Away 2015

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Nicholas Richard L. Miller U.S. Army 2010 - 2014

Merrill “Bud” Mohr U.S. Navy Korean War Served 1949-1953

Gearld (Jerry) Moser Eldon Moser Air Force Served 4 Years

Joseph J. Muhleback U.S. Air Force Served 1948 - 1952

Marian Nerstheimer U.S. Army Served 1960 - 1963

Air Force Served 4 Years Passed Away 5/29/1996

Capt. Edward S. Murphy MD U.S. Army - 1941-1946 Passed Away 09/1987

Carlyle Hulger Newman U.S.Navy/USS Mount Vernon Served 1917-1919 Passed away 6/28/1958

Kenneth Moser Air Force Served 4 Years

Dennis P. Morath U.S. Army - Spec. 4 Served 1957 - 1960

Lt. Charles E. Muhleback U.S. Air Force Served 1945-1951 Killed in Korea 1/9/1951

K.J. (Bub) & Clarence Morath U.S. Army, Air Force & Army Served 1943-1945 Passed Away 1984 & 1997

Frank E. Muhleback U.S. Navy Served 1944 - 1946 Passed away 2017

Louis K. Nagy Frank Nagy Marines 2 Years

PFC William Collins Newman U.S. Army Served 1942-1945

Killed in Manila 2/19/45

U.S. Navy Served 1943 - 1947 Passed Away 11/23/2005

Steve Nagy Army - 2 Years Passed Away 3/7/20

Cpt. Charles E. Noffsinger U.S. Army - Korean War Served 1943 -1946 Passed Away 11/2/1997

Calvin R. Nutt Petty Officer E-4 U.S. Navy Served 1973 -1977

SALUTE TO VETERANS SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

Ronnie L. Miles U.S Army 82nd Airborne Served 1960 - 1963 Passed away 6/10/2016

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Sgt. Marvin J. Nutt U.S. Army Served 1966 -1969

ETR3 Robert Lee Nutt U.S. Navy Served 1958 -1962 Cuban Conflict Passed Away 2/26/1962

David J. O’Brien U.S. Army Military Police K-9 Unit Served 1967-1968

Edwin Burdell O’Neil Army 96th Infantry Served 1942-1946 Passed Away 9/8/2009

Jack E. Ohare U.S Army Airborne - WWII

Duane Olsen US Army - Korean War Served 1950-1953 Passed away 9/15/19

Felicia (Eldon) Oltmanns Air Force 2015 - Present

Pvt. David Parrot U.S. Army Served 1965-1967 Passed Away 9/24/2009

Served 1942 -1946 Passed away 6/3/2018

Loren A. Oltmanns Army Engineers Served 1952-1954

Thomas J. Paschal U.S. Army Served 1967-1969 Passed Away 1/20/1994

Gregory L. O’Brien U.S. Army U.S. Army Guard - Iraq Served 2007- 2013

Ronald J. O’Brien U.S. Army - Military Police Served 1964-1967

Daniel Lee Oltmanns U.S. Navy Served 1977-1981

Eldon D. Oltmanns U.S. Navy Served 2014 - Present

Charles Oster U.S. Army 19 mos. in Germany 1954 - 1956

Larry “Erdmier” Overbey Army National Guard Served 1963 - 1989 Passed away 1/19/2017

Michael L. Parker U.S. Army Vietnam War

Richard L.Percycoe U.S. Navy Served 1963-1967

Robert E. Personette U.S. Marine Corps.

Korean War Served 1952-1954

Sgt. LaVerne N. Pessman Army - 1st Inf. Division Served 1965 - 1967

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U.S. Marines Served 1956 - 1960 Passed Away 10/24/1983

Henry Pizarro Jr. U.S. Navy Served 1951-1953 Passed Away 5/17/1992

Terry Powell U.S. Army - 2nd Surveillance & Observation Battalion

Served 2 years - Germany

Spec. 4 Frank J. Reeverts U.S. Army Served 1956 - 1959

Raymond R. Peugh U.S. Army Served 1961 -1963

Passed away 7/1/2016

SGT. Kyle D. Pletsch U.S. Army Served 2000 - 2004

Nathan Prince Army 1962 - 1975 Passed Away 2016

Kenneth L. Reglin, Sr. U.S. Army - WW II Served 1940-1946 Passed Away 5/8/2011

Anthony D. Pizarro U.S. Air Force Served 1951 - 1954

U.S. Air Force Served 1951 - 1961

Robert Pfeifer Jr. “Butch” Army 1970 - 1972

Passed Away 1/15/2009

Charles Popejoy US Army WWII Served 1943 -1945 Passed away 2/12/2017

Wayne W. Postada Army 1963 - 1966

Gerald M. Potts U.S Army Served 1963-1965

Lyle R. Reap

Allen D. Reece U.S. Army - Vietnam Served 1969-1970

Robert E. Peugh

Manuel M. Ramirez, Sr. U.S. Marine Corps.

Served 1953-1956 Passed Away 3/6/91

David H. Ricklefs Air Force Served 1967-1971 Passed Away 12-29-1998

U.S. Army

Served1967-1969 - Vietnam

Ronald S. Ridenhour U.S. Army Served 1966 - 1968 Passed away 8/24/2014

Vincent G. Ridenhour U.S. Army Served 1941 - 1945 Passed Away 9/2/1993

SALUTE TO VETERANS SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

Charles Peugh

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Doing her patriotic duty Sometimes, veterans just need a place where they can pull up a seat and talk; now they have one – and it’s a barbers chair place to get a trim. Dietrich wants it to be a place where veterans can talk about their experiences in the service.

When Erin Dietrich watched the 1997 film “G.I. “The barber shop isn’t about me,” Dietrich said.

Jane” in high school, a thought entered her mind.

“It’s to honor others and love on people, especially “I was like, ‘I could do that,’” she said. “I had a veterans, so they’re not forgotten. Not everyone will difficult time in high school and I was athletic. share, but they’ll have the chance to.”

That’s the way I wanted to be.”

She also wants to feature service photos of cliDietrich enlisted in the Army after graduating ents’ friends and families on the wall. from Oregon High School in 1999 and went to Fort “I think through osmosis, they’ll be able to come Leonard in Missouri for military police training. alive and talk about things,” Dietrich said. “And I’ll From there, she signed up to be a parabe able to relate. That’s one way it’ll help trooper and ended up at Fort Bragg in me. They could see a friend on the wall.

North Carolina. During her five years in But sometimes, finding those photos is the service, she would spend time in Patriot Barber Shop easier said than done.

Kosovo, in 2000, and in Afghanistan after 114 N. Fourth St., Dietrich has met some veterans who the 9/11 terrorist attacks..

Oregon don’t even have their pictures. Why? Now a mother of three – Houston, 15, 815-732-7700 Because, she said, some weren’t always Coralynn, 8,and Daniel, 6 – Dietrich tries Online: Find it on welcomed home with open arms after to instill in her children the lessons she Facebook their time in the service, and some have learned in the service even been mistreated, especially Vietnam “I think just don’t give up,” Dietrich said. “Don’t vets. She hopes she’ll be able to provide an open and quit. Persevere. You go through physical fitness, accepting place for veterans. especially as a paratrooper. Discipline, treating peo“Barbering is not all about the cut,” she said.“A ple well, the whole thing.” lot of it is conversation.”

Dietrich recently took ownership of Short Cut When the idea of running a shop came up, DietBarber Shop at 114 N. Fourth St. in Oregon, taking rich’s mother told her she’d be great at it. Dietrich over from Cherie Slack, who had run the barber- has been a stay-at-home mom since she got out of shop in three Ogle County towns during the past 35 the Army. That night after the conversation with years. her mother, she went home and set up a Patriot BarDietrich will reopen it as the Patriot Barber ber Shop email address – and the rest is history.

Shop, a nod to her time in the Army. She Veterans Day has a special meaning for Dietheld a grand opening Nov. 3. rich. She thinks of her family members who The shop will be more than just a served and the people she served with.

“It’s a lot,” Dietrich said. “I think of all the people that sacrificed more than I can even fathom. I think it’s important for families and veterans. I know it isn’t Memorial Day, but I feel like it is. I remember the guys I lost from my unit. I think about my grandfather who got shot down in World War II. They saw things I can relate to, but not fully. I’m just grateful.”

BY JEFF HELFRICH

jhelfrich@oglecountynews.com

Dietrich has many memories of the civilians she met overseas, some fond and others that bother her, like the treatment of women and girls over there.

More info

“It looks right out of biblical times,” Dietrich said of some of the places she saw while serving in Afghanistan.

Dietrich plants to put some of her own military memories on display in her new barbershop in Oregon.

Patriot Barbershop owner Erin Dietrich wants her shop to be more than just a place to get a trim. It will be a place where her fellow veterans can talk about their experiences in the service if they want. “The barber shop isn’t about me,” she said. “It’s to honor others and love on people, especially veterans, so they’re not forgotten.” Here, Erin, who joined the Army right out of high school, displays a photo of her as a fresh new recruit in 1999.

Photos Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com

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U.S. Navy Served 1959 - 1963

Nathan Roe U.S. Navy Petty Officer E-4 Served 2001-2006

Donald C. Schafer Navy Served 4 years Passed Away 8/16/08

Ola John Schipper Army/Air Force 20 Years Passed Away 2010

Cruz Joseph Rivera U.S. Army Served 1953 - 1955

Lt. Col. James E. Rogers U.S. Air Force Served 1951 - 1988 Passed away 7/4/2016

Phillip Scheffler

Keith Robison (Robbie) U.S. Air Force 1950-1953 (Roswell, New Mexico) Passed Away 10/19/2014

Randel G. Rodriguez Army 2015 - Present

Jerold Roth

Gary G. Rumbolz

U.S. National Guard Served 1960 - 1966

Passed Away 11/1/2000

SGT. Douglas R. Schick E5 - U.S. Army - Vietnam Served 2 Years

John M. “Mike” Scholl Army Airborne (82nd) 1954 - 1956

C. David Scudder Navy 1955 - 1957

U.S. Army Special Forces

Served 1963 - 1966

U.S. Navy Served 1996-1970

Corporal John L. Schick

Melissa Macklem-Roe U.S. Navy Served Jan. 2001-Jan. 2005

Spec. 4 Jerry Lee Sanders U.S. Army Served 1963 - 1967 Passed Away 12/12/2005

U.S. Marines Served 1954 - 1957 Passed away 2016

Corporal William (Bill) Schick U.S. Marines Served 1959 - 1962 Passed away 2014

Terry Scudder Air Force 1965 - 1967

S/SGT James D. Sears U.S. Air Force Served 1999 - 2007

SALUTE TO VETERANS SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

EM 3 Alex Rios

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U.S. Air Force Serving 1999 - Present

John Shank U.S. Air Force Served 1982-1992

Delmar Eugene Sitter U. S. Navy 1944 - 1945 Passed Away 2/18/10

John E. Sloter U.S Army Military Police Served 1967 - 1969

Ron Smith U.S. Army Served 1966-1969

Willard Gail Smothers U.S. Navy Air Corp.

Served 1954 - 1957

Donald Sondgeroth Army Air Corps Air Transport Command Served 1942 - 1946

Richard W. Stangeland U. S Army Served 1961 - 1964

Tech/SGT Trenner D. Sears

Passed Away Dec. 18, 2009

Kenneth L. Sharkey U.S. Army Served 1960 -1962

Sergeant Curtis Smith U.S. Air Force Reg. AF Air Craft & Engine

Served 1970-1974

H. Oscar Snyder U.S. Army Infantry Served 1918 - 1919 Passed Away 1958

Terry Stephenitch Army Served 1966-1968

Clarence R. Shumaker U.S. Navy Served 1941 - 1945 Passed away 6/24/2015

Gary L. Sinderman Sr. U.S. Army Served 1972 - 1975

Harold J. Smith Air Force 1966 - 1971

PFC Jessie Smith U.S. Army Served 1943-1945 Passed away 2/19/2014

James L. Snyder

Army Served 1958 - 1959 Passed Away 10/5/12

Charles J. Stern U.S. Army - WWII Served 2 1/2 Years Passed Away 6/1/2012

Richard E. Snyder U.S. Army - 5th Army Served 1955 - 1958

Edward B. Stover U.S. Army (Vietnam) Served 1964 -1966

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U.S. Army - Silver Star Served in WWII Passed away 4/18/2016

SPEC 4 James Torres

HM 3 Ray Torres

U.S. Army Served 1986 - 1989

Robert L. Strenge

Clarence M. (Bud) Toms U.S. Army Served 1942 - 1945 Passed Away 1979

Served 1952 - 1954 Korea

PFC Sam Torres

U.S. Navy - Vietnam Served 1966 - 1970

U.S. Army Served 1953 -1955 Passed Away 6/16/2013

Donald D. Trent

U.S. Army (World War II) Passed Away in 1987

Army-Airborn Served 3 1/2 Years

Juan Trujillo U.S. Army Purple Heart Recipient Served 2009 - present

John Underhile U.S. Army - Germany Served 1971 - 1974 Passed away 2019

William Underhile U.S. Marine Corps - Korea Served 6 Years Passed away 1986

Carlos Urrutia III U.S. Army 82nd Airborn Served 1983-1986

Anthony O. Tranka

Sgt. Robert A. Toms Sr. U.S. Army

SPEC 4 Tony Torres Jr. U.S. Army Served 1985 - 1988

Ted Trulock U.S. Navy Admiral’s Staff, San Diego, CA

Served 1952 - 1956

A/2C Ren VanDerLeest U.S. Air Force Served 3 Years Passed Away 10/9/11

Floyd A. Toppert U. S. Army Served 1953 - 1955 Passed Away 5/21/14

PFC Tony Torres Sr. U.S. Army Served 1951-1954

David Underhile U.S. Army Served 1964 -1967

Sgt. Jeremy Vondra

Army Infantry, Fort Lewis, WA

Served 1997 -2003

SALUTE TO VETERANS SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

Doug Strehlow U.S. Marines 1993-2001 U.S. Army Reserves 2004 - 2012 2 Tours of Iraq

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The Van Oosten Family Left to Right: Russell Blaze, Andy & Jessica with Spc. James VanOosten, Frances VanOosten, Sgt. Marvin VanOosten, Cpt. Jeff VanOosten, Cpl. Steve VanOosten, SSgt Dagan VAnOosten & SSgt. Jennifer VanOosten with Briggs, Riley & Madison, SSgt. Dane VanOosgten

Richard J. Wagner U.S. Army Served 1952 - 1954 Passed Away 10/9/2008

Ralph Weidel U.S. Army

Served 1954 - 1956

Johnny L. Walls Army 1968 - 1970 Passed Away 7/24/74

Ervin A.Walters U.S. Army Served 1942-1945 Passed away 5/18/2008

Claude “Mick” Welker

Don A. Wellman U.S. Navy Served 1952-1956 Passed Away 1/14/2015

U.S. Marine Corps Served 1942-1946 Passed Away 12/27/1983

Sgt. David L. Wagner U.S. Army Served in Vietnam

505th Inf. 82nd Abn Served 1968-1970

Allan J. Weber U.S. Marine Corps Served 6 Years

Joshua Weber Navy 2011 - Present

Howard Wayne Wellman Jr.

Howard Wayne Wellman Sr.

Army - Korean War Passed away 3-27-90

U.S. Navy - WWI Served 5 Years Passed away 4-17-74

Michael K. Williams U.S. Army

Dale R. Wharfield U.S Army Served 1953 -1955

Passed away 4/22/2017

Served 1968 - 1988 Charles L. White II U.S. Air Force 4 Years

Charles M. White U.S. Army - POW WWII Passed Away 4/10/08

William Widolff U.S. Army Served 1953 - 1955

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Roy F. Wolber Army 1966 - 1968

Colt Younger

U.S. Air Force Served 2008

Rodney Yount Army 3 Years

Cpl. Joe Wilson U.S.M.C. Served 1960 - 1964

Richard Wilson Army Served 1963 - 1966 Passed Away 2008

Jordan M. Yardley Army 2003 - Present

Marvin E. Younger

U.S. Marines Served 1948 - 1952

Donald Lee Zinke U.S. Army Served 1966-1969

Butch “Erdmier” Wines U.S. Army Served 1970 - 1975

Russell E. Wittenauer Tec 5 U.S. Army WWII 2 Years Passed Away 2/22/03

Joshua K. Yardley Army 2002 - 2012

Delbert Yocum U.S. Army - Vietnam Served 1966-1968

Brandon Yount

LaVerne W. Yount

Navy

Army

4 Years

3 Years

Richard W. Zinke U.S. Army Served 1969-1971 Passed Away 4/5/2005

Urban W. Zurliene Army 1942 - 1946 Passed Away 9/29/74

SALUTE TO VETERANS SaukValley.com • Saturday, November 7, 2020

SSGT Steve Williams U.S. Air Force 1968 - 1972 Passed Away 3/22/14

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DAY HONORING ALL WHO SERVED Sterling High School Class of 1970 - Sterling, IL - Veterans Arden Meyer ‒ US ARMY Bill Ehman ‒ US ARMY Bill Rohr ‒ US NAVY Bill Searing ‒ US ARMY Bruce Ellmaker ‒ US ARMY Carol (Bibeau) Burhans ‒ USAF Craig Reigel ‒ USAF Curt Smith ‒ USAF David Brown ‒ US ARMY Dennis Porter ‒ US ARMY Don Parker ‒ USAF Elmer Linboom ‒ US ARMY SM-ST1825218

Floyd Matera ‒ US ARMY Frank Murray ‒ US NAVY Gary Janssen ‒ US ARMY George Biszak ‒ US MARINES Gina Zolli ‒ US NAVY Jack Morgan ‒ US NAVY Jim Forder ‒ US MARINES Joe Guerrero ‒ US MARINES John Cruz ‒ US ARMY Ken Teachout ‒ US ARMY Mark House ‒ IL NAT’L GUARD Mark Lewis ‒ US MARINES

Mike Broderick ‒ US NAVY Mike Hendrix ‒ US ARMY Mike Love ‒ US NAVY Ray Handel ‒ USAF Ray Salazar ‒ US ARMY Rich Shaffner ‒ US ARMY Rick Stoudt ‒ USAF Robert Hocking ‒ USAF Robert Voss ‒ US MARINES Steve Martindale ‒ US ARMY Ynes Vasquez ‒ USAF