Vernon Hills to honor vets

When a volunteer group contacted Vernon Hills police to help find World War II veterans in town, the results were surprising.

"We thought the number would be between four and 10 and they just keep coming and coming," said Deputy Police Chief Jon Petrillo.

Indeed, one Vernon Hills veteran is on Honor Flight Chicago's lengthy list to be flown to Washington for a day to visit memorials. But Petrillo and others thought something should be done locally to honor the rest.

"We found there were between 50 and 75 residents in Vernon Hills who were veterans of World War II," Petrillo said. "For our ceremony, about 50 are coming."

The department has developed a network of contacts through the "Blue Line for the Front Line" program and cast the net through word-of-mouth. Contact also was made with the Hawthorn Lakes and The Park retirement communities as well as the local American Legion post.

So in what will be a first for the village, veterans will be escorted from three locations in town to the Vernon Hills Memorial Arbortheater for a special ceremony at 10 a.m. May 27.

Besides the police department, the Countryside and Lincolnshire-Riverwoods fire protection districts and the American Legion are participating.

Veterans will board buses at the village hall and two retirement centers and will be led by either a police car or fire truck as an escort. There will be a roll call and each will be recognized to include a bit of information on their experience.

Afterward, those who wish to can socialize at an adjoining memorial area, where five flags from the various branches of service are flown.

"It's going to be something to remember," Petrillo said. "It's going to be very colorful."

Any World War II or Korean War vet who wants to attend and would like his or her name read at roll call should contact Ed Sychta, president of the Vernon Hills seniors' club, at (847) 548-2808. Special arrangements are being made at Hawthorn Lakes (847) 367-2516 or The Park, (847) 793-7009.

Honor Flight is a volunteer charitable group that flies World War II veterans to Washington D.C. to visit the World War II memorial and for a day of honor. About 80 to 90 veterans are on each of the 10 flights scheduled for 2010, according to Bette Nahas, veteran coordinator.

There are more than 1,200 veterans on the waiting list even as the numbers dwindle each year.

"There's still so many World War II vets who don't know about this opportunity," she said. Those interested should visit honorflightchicago.org.