Rolling Meadows marches and remembers

While Rolling Meadows veterans marched proudly in a parade Saturday, Memorial Day is not about them, said Mayor Tom Rooney, who served with the U.S. Marines.

“This is Memorial Day, and we veterans who stand here today are the lucky ones — we don’t need to be remembered because we’re still here,” he said.

“You see so many of us at these celebrations all over the country for a very simple reason … We’re the brothers of those whom Memorial Day really honors.”

However, the veterans were the best part of the parade, said Kim Osburn, of Hanover Park, who came with her daughter, Brandi Brown, and grandchildren Brittani, 5, and Trenton, 2. That’s even though other features included a marching band from Rolling Meadows High School and firetrucks, Trenton’s personal favorite.

“I love how many veterans from all wars were walking,” said Osburn. “They are so proud to be out there walking.”

One of those walking was Jack Hyneman, of Rolling Meadows, who was in the U.S. Navy at the very end of World War II and witnessed the explosion of nuclear bombs in 1946 at the Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

His friend, Jack Grady, who was a co-pilot in B-25s that flew low-level strafing missions in the Pacific region for the Army Air Corps, decided to ride this year because of a sore knee.

“I like all of the holidays that we celebrate in the United States,” said Hyneman. “Honoring the country and those who served is all wrapped up together. It’s a gift of the Lord that had us here. That gives us more responsibility to reach out and to do as much good as we can.”