By John Montesano The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club’s July 2021 Veteran of the Month is Paul Issak. He was born October 17, 1940 in Chicago, was graduated from Sullivan High School in 1958, and briefly attended Wright Junior College in Chicago. He joined the Air Force January 1, 1960.
The First Division Museum at Cantigny Park in Wheaton continues its acclaimed Date with History series with a virtual program featuring Vietnam combat aviator Hugh L. Mills, Jr., co-author of “Low Level Hell: A Scout Pilot in the Big Red One.” Mills’ presentation (through Zoom) will be Thursday, July 1,
By John Montesano In January 2020, I departed from the usual Veteran-of-the-Month format to bring attention to the sacrifice our young men and women made in Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). It was time to turn our attention to the loss of life
he long parade in downtown Naperville reveals the occasion Monday for Memorial Day with music, veterans who marched, Boy Scouts, and officials.
A Civil War cannon belches flame and smoke Sunday at the West Aurora Cemetery during the 55th annual Memorial Day tribute to veterans.
Participants in the Montgomery VFW Post 7452 annual Memorial Day ceremony assume their places at the start of the remarks and placement of flowers.
The Middle East Conflict Wall of Honor arrives in Oswego with an escort from the state line of frontline worker vehicles including fire, police, public works and a motorcade of veteran motorcyclists. The Middle East Conflicts Wall of Honor represents fallen heroes from 2001 through 2016. As of February 2017,
St. Charles veterans, Duane Buttell and Andrew (Andy) Balafas, dedication to country and community has earned them recognition in the national Veterans of Foreign Wars #StillServing campaign. The campaign honors veterans who continue to serve in their community following active duty. Both are members of and volunteers with VFW which
Nathan “Nick” Macejak shares a big and prolonged welcome home hug with his son, Will, Saturday at AMVETS 103 in Aurora.
April 11, 2021Dear editor; Since opening in 1999, the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery (ALNC), in Elwood, 11 miles south of Joliet, more than 60,000 brave men, women, and family members have been honorably buried there. This hallowed ground should remain as is and the integrity and serenity must be respected
The First Division Museum at Cantigny Park continues its acclaimed Date with History series with a virtual program focused on Operation Desert Storm. Colonel (Retired) L. Scott Lingamfelter will present “Desert Redleg: Artillery Warfare in the First Gulf War” through Zoom at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24. The program is
The First Division Museum at Cantigny Park continues its acclaimed Date with History series this month with a virtual program about Operation Desert Storm. Author and historian Jim Corrigan will present “Desert Storm Air War” on Zoom at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14. The program is free, but registration is
The Aurora Navy League Council 247 will hold its in-person monthly dinner meeting Tuesday, Jan. 19, on the third floor of the former Aurora Library, 1 East Benton Street, Aurora, which is a very large room. Body temperature checks and social distancing will be practiced for seating. A choice of
In recognition of and a memorial to the Japanese attack on the Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Hawaii: “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (12/7/1941)
The Aurora Navy League Council regrets the cancellation of its annual Pearl Harbor Day Luncheon and Bratton Awards public recognition. For those interested we shall gather informally at noon 07 December 2020 at the American Legion Post 84 office at 1 E. Benton in Aurora to commemorate the attack on
By John Montesano The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club named Carlos Aguirre the November Veteran of Month. Carlos was born November 7, 1978 in Aurora, where he lived until 1996 when he was graduated from West Aurora High School. Because of being one of six children, with many cousins, family
From the vault, April 28, 2016 (revised): Some time ago, I read an article on the internet about families who went grocery-shopping, not at a supermarket but at the dumpster behind the supermarket. They picked out all of the packaged goods which had been discarded after the use by date
One in a continuing series Concerning the further adventures of PFC Chas: The Third Armored Medical Company, a.k.a. the “Third Herd,” in the land of door handles (Germany) was logistically a MASH (mobile army surgical hospital) unit, but we never performed similar to a MASH unit. We were too busy
By John W. Whitehead “I don’t need invitations by the state, state mayors, or state governors, to do our job. We’re going to do that, whether they like us there or not.” —Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf’s defense of the Donald Trump Administration’s deployment of militarized federal police to
