Thanks for support of memorial road

On behalf of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), the successor to the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), I wish to express our deep gratitude to the following for their efforts in designating highway U.S. 12 in Illinois as "The Iron Brigade Memorial Highway":

State Sen. Carole Pankau, who, when serving as a state representative in the 93rd General Assembly, introduced H.R. 688, "Iron Brigade Memorial Highway".

State Rep. Franco Coladipietro, who upon my request to find a place to mark this designation, took steps above and beyond what was asked.

And to Cory Juscius of the Illinois Department of Transportation, who worked with me to design an appropriate sign and saw to it that the signs were manufactured, delivered and installed along U.S. highway 12.

The Iron Brigade consisted of the 2nd, 6th and 7th Wisconsin, 19th Indiana and 24th Michigan Infantry Regiments. The states of Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan have previously named their portion of U.S. 12 The Iron Brigade Memorial Highway. The Illinois connection is that the 24th Michigan served in Springfield in 1865 and was an honor guard at President Lincoln's funeral.

Bob Kurek

Bloomingdale