Local World War II vets get to see monument model
Mary Loechner joined the Army as a nurse when she was 21 years old, arriving at Pearl Harbor right before the Japanese attacked in 1941.
Loechner planned to go to Washington, D.C. to see the National World War II Memorial last summer, but the 89-year-old Elgin woman had to cancel the trip because of heart problems. Sunday, she got the chance to see a scaled version of the monument during a Pillars of Honor ceremony at Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin — the next best option to the nation’s capital.
“I still kind of hope to go there but if I don’t, I have this,” Loechner said.
Pillars of Honor is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing the 800 pound model monument to as many World War II veterans as possible. In less than two years, the group has held 17 showings throughout Illinois with more planned in the next year in Michigan, Wisconsin and Kentucky.
Jerry Skwerski, vice president of Pillars of Honor, described the monument to an overflowing crowd at the library before unveiling the model, showing pictures from Washington, D.C. The monument recognizes the more than 400,000 United States soldiers who died in the war in the Atlantic and Pacific arenas with two arches, 56 granite pillars, 24 bronze bas-relief panels, a freedom wall of gold stars to commemorate the fallen, and a central pool with bursting fountains.
Skwerski said there is a fine line between celebrating and glorifying the events.
“Wars must be remembered but never glorified,” Skwerski said.
About 30 World War II veterans attended the program Sunday with spouses, friends and family members.
Like Loechner, the Pillars of Honor ceremony was the first chance Joe Amodio, 85, of Mount Prospect, had to see a model of the World War II Memorial. Amodio was 18 years old and in the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division when his group landed in Normandy on D-Day. When his superior needed a replacement gunner on the 81 millimeter, Amodio volunteered, saying he could judge distance because of his experience on the football field.
Laughing, Amodio said any good football player can judge 25, 50, 75 and 100 yards.
Sunday’s ceremony also included musical selections, a color guard and presentation of flags, the placing of a battlefield monument and a speech by keynote speaker U.S. Navy Lt. Kevin Milligan of St. Charles. Milligan called the veterans American heroes who set the bar of service for later generations to follow.
“We never forget the sacrifices of Americans past,” Milligan said. “We honor them and we honor you.”
The next Pillars of Honor event will be held March 25 in Elk Grove. Visit pillarsofhonor.org for details.