Tag: Veteran of the month

Veterans’ organizations perform important duties

By John Montesano The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club Herschel Luckinbill Veterans of the Month for August 2022 are the many veterans serving in military service organizations; the veterans who continued their service as civilians in support of veterans, their families, and the community. The main organizations are: American Legion

Tom Warner’s Air Force years early foundation

By John Montesano The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club named Tom Warner the July Herschel Luckinbill Veteran of the Month. Tom was born July 7, 1947, in Chicago. At age 10, the family moved to Lockport in Will County, where his father, Richard, was a State Trooper. Tom attended Joliet

Ken Drennen: Navy service led to woodworking, genealogy

By John Montesano The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club has named Ken Drennen the June 2022 Herschel Luckinbill Veteran of the Month. Ken was born November 12, 1946 in Aurora, Ill.. He attended East Aurora High School from which he was graduated June 6, 1964. In high school, he played

Donald Gatske: Five years in the Navy paved the way

By John Montesano The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club named Donald W. Gatske the May 2022 Herschel Luckinbill Veteran of the Month. Don was born June 25, 1946 and grew up in Aurora. He played in Boys Baseball of Aurora and Aurora Pony League baseball. He was a sousaphone player

Ted Clinnin: Marine duty one of varied work experiences

By John Montesano The April 2022 Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club Herschel Luckinbill Veteran of the Month is Ted Clinnin. Ted was born January 21, 1947 and grew up in Summit, a southwest suburb of Chicago. At Argo High School, he participated in football, cross country, swimming, and tennis. After

John Oleson: Seven good Navy years; then family first

By John Montesano The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club has named John Oleson the March 2022 Herschel Luckinbill Veteran of the Month recipient. John Oleson was born September 12, 1944, in Aurora, Ill.. In 1948, when his mother died, his father sent John and his older brother to Mooseheart to

Tom Banning: U.S. Air Force to full safety engineer

By John Montesano The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club Herschel Luckinbill Veteran of the Month for January is Tom Banning. Tom, born March 10, 1945, grew up in St. Clair, Mich.. He lived just a few blocks from downtown and the St. Clair River. He played high school basketball, football,

Gary Hanson, man of various jobs, and a classic car

By John Montesano The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club has named Gary Hanson the December 2021 Herschel Luckinbill Veteran of the Month. Gary was born December 19, 1939 in Ottawa and grew up on different farms in the Somonauk and Sandwich area until 1954 when his father sold the farm

Maurie Misner cavalry veteran of the Vietnam War

By John Montesano The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club has named Maurie Misner the November 2021 Herschel Luckinbill Veteran of the Month. Maurie was born in Blythe, Calif. March 28, 1944. Later in the year, Maurie’s mom brought him to Aurora. He was graduated from East Aurora High School in

Richard Bee survived horrific war scenes in U.S. Army

By John Montesano The Fox Valley Breakfast Club Herschel Luckinbill Veteran of the Month for October 2021 is Richard Bee. Rich was born October 15, 1947 in Aurora. His father died of cancer in 1962. Being one of six, he quit school to work and help pay the bills. He

John Hodgson’s military experiences varied, decorated

By John Montesano The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club Veteran of the Month henceforth will be named the Herschel Luckinbill Veteran of the Month, in memory of the man who was president of the Fox Valley Breakfast Club for 12 years and who was a continual friend and advocate for