By Al Benson With a prayer and toasts, a dozen Aurora veterans held an informal Pearl Harbor memorial Monday, the 79th anniversary of the attack by Japan. Roosevelt-Aurora American Legion Post 84 was host to the event at its 1 E. Benton Street office. The memorial, sponsored by Navy League
By David Mercer My wife and I have a strong desire to give back to our community, and because I am a retired Air Force veteran, programs designed to give honor to our fellow veterans hold a special place our hearts. Therefore, it was our greatest honor to participate in
By Sarah Mansur Members of the State Senate Veterans Affairs Committee had pointed questions for officials with the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs about the agency’s response to an outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home that resulted in at least 27 resident deaths from COVID-19-related complications. The committee called for
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
By John Montesano The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club named Thomas Laue October 2020 Veteran of the Month. Born June 24, 1970, Tom Laue grew up on a farm in Humboldt, S.D.. In June 1988, he joined the South Dakota Army National Guard (ARNG) in Sioux Falls while in high
Jim Butler of Aurora, right, reports to Navy League Aurora Council members Tuesday, Sept. 15 how Fisher House provided housing for his son, Thomas, a Marine and Army veteran, during a hospitalization.
I began writing this piece because I was appalled by what Donald Trump had said about our veterans, calling them “losers” and “suckers.” In the back of my mind I had an inkling it might be old news by the time it made it into print, because another Trump scandal
The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club next will meet at 7 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 1 at 1 East Benton Street, the former Aurora Public Library building in Aurora. The group will gather downstairs where there is plenty of spacing available between individuals. Breakfast will be served in prepared boxes. Donations
Names of U.S. military veterans who received Quilts of Valor from Rita Pennington’s group and the Veterans Assistance Commission of Kendall County: Alvin Keith Chrisse; Ed Wolsfelt; Nancy Judge; Norman Meier; Ronald Lambe; James Hill; Chad Lockman; Jim Harvey; Phil Solecki; Edward Ohligschlager; Ed Kurz; Mike Wilson; Rebecca Ropp; Michael
By John Montesano The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club named David Luna the August Veteran of the Month. He was born June 6, 1971 in Aurora and grew up on the East Side and attended East Aurora High School. He stopped after two years in June 1987. At age 17,
The American Legion Riders Post 181 from Sandwich ride in a veterans parade in DeKalb County earlier this month.
“Wow, it’s been a long five months,” wrote Herschel Luckinbill, president of the Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club, based in Montgomery. “We will have our first meeting since March, at 7 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, One East Benton Street, Aurora, in the former Aurora Public Library building, lower level.” The
Veteran Dick Miller of Aurora celebrates his 94th birthday Friday, June 26, sponsored by the Roosevelt-Aurora American Legion Post 84 at One East Benton building in downtown Aurora.
By John Montesano May, marked officially as Military Appreciation Month, is a special month for both those in and out of the military. Not only do we pause on Memorial Day to remember the sacrifice and service of those who gave all, but the month holds several other military anniversaries
Activities planned for Oswego Honors Veterans, a 10-day series of events and observances on and around Memorial Day, has been postponed until 2021 to protect our veterans, volunteers, and the public, while the COVID-19 pandemic continues. The series of events organized by the Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club and the
By John Montesano In light of the current COVID-19 crisis that we are all going through, I will not present a Veteran of this month. Instead, for those veterans who may need assistance, the following is for them. Veteran Assistance Commissions are county governmental agencies operated by and for veterans.
The April 21 meeting of the Batavia American Legion Post 504 has been canceled due to the COVID-19 virus situation. For more information and Legion updates, please visit the post’s website bataviapost504.org. — Batavia American Legion Post 504
Deputy mayor, Chuck Nelson honors some of the many city of Aurora government employees who served in the United States military.
By John Montesano The Veteran of the Month for February is Cliff Oleson. Cliff Oleson, born June 12, 1948, was raised by his grandparents on a farm outside of LeRoy, 15 miles southeast of Bloomington. He drove his first tractor at age 10. After graduating from LeRoy High School in
Major Bill White served in World War II, survived the Battle of Iwo Jima island in 1945, and has lived a long life, is 104 years old. During the Battle of Iwo Jima he received a Purple Heart when he led his Marines toward the front lines under heavy fire
