Carol Stream to dedicate new memorial to veterans

Carol Stream will dedicate a new memorial to fallen veterans during its commemorative services Monday.

The new onyx statue is currently being built at Memorial Park. The current memorial, with names of three former Carol Stream residents, will be donated to the historical society. "We decided to redo the memorial at the park in light of Leonard Gulczynski passing away last year," said Bob Mellor, assistant village manager for Carol Stream.

The 19-year-old private first class was a graduate of Bartlett High School. He died in Baghdad after being involved in an accident.

Gulczynski's name will be added to three others: Edward T. Mangels, a Keeneyville firefighter who died in 1963; Corporal Richard L. Blasen, who died in 1967 in Vietnam while serving in the United States Marine Corps; and Sgt. Steven J. Oczyk, a member of the Air Force Reserve, who died in a 1982 plane crash.

The Carol Stream VFW Post 10396 will have its Memorial Day ceremony during the dedication as well; the post has been holding a ceremony and gun salute in the park for more than 20 years.

The Gulczynski family will be present for the Memorial Day events; other families of veterans have also been invited, Mellor said.

"It's a fitting event to honor our war heroes," Mellor said. "It's to honor the soldiers that have died, and the families also. A lot of times, the families are forgotten."

The services will be held 11 a.m. Monday at Memorial Park, located on Thunderbird Trail, between Seminole Lane and Silverleaf Boulevard.

For more information, call village hall at (630) 665-7050.