Waukegan National Airport unveils new Veterans Memorial
The Waukegan National Airport recently held a dedication ceremony to unveil the new Lake County Veterans Memorial located on the airport's property.
The ceremony honored the sacrifices, courage and valor of all veterans and their service to the United States with speeches from U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, U.S. Congressman Brad Schneider, and Terry Prince, the acting director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs.
Duckworth, a U.S. Army veteran herself, delivered a keynote speech honoring those who have served.
"Our veterans put country over self and redefine bravery time after time, tour after tour," Duckworth said.
"The truth is that we can all do more to honor them when they get home. They deserve more than just an ovation on Veterans Day. They deserve to be honored the other 364 days of the year as well.
"The Illinoisans who have worked tirelessly to make this Lake County memorial happen understand how critical this support is, and I'm so pleased to have this permanent reminder here every day of our veterans' sacrifices and heroism."
The dedication ceremony began with a recognition of Lake County veterans by Prince. Each military branch was recognized and asked to stand, followed by the recognition of Gold Star, Blue Star and White Star families. Prince also spoke on the local resources available to military veterans.
"Congratulations to those who created and built this space for people to reflect on the service of men and women," Prince said. "We appreciate your partnership and will continue to work with Lake County veteran organizations to ensure that veterans in this region receive their earned benefits and services."
Attendees of the event included Lake County veterans, residents, and prominent state and local leaders, including Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor, Captain Jason Williamson of the Great Lakes Naval Station and Sandy Hart, chair of the Lake County board of commissioners.
Highlighted by an F-111A Aardvark that is prominently displayed in a parklike setting at the airport, the memorial is designed to honor both past and present veterans and educate future generations about the costs of freedom.
The General Dynamics F-111A Aardvark was a supersonic, medium-range tactical attack aircraft that also served as a strategic bomber and provided aerial reconnaissance. It was the first aircraft to have production movable swept wings and the first to have turbofan engines, which gave it the power to fly supersonically at low altitude and the efficiency to fly to Europe without refueling.
The aircraft proudly served in Vietnam; as U.S. front line nuclear defense during the Cold War; in the raid on Gadhafi's Libyan headquarters; and in Desert Storm. The aircraft was retired by the U.S. Military in 1996.
The Waukegan National Airport has partnered with local elementary schools to develop curriculum around aerospace. With the new Veterans Memorial, the airport and Lake County Veterans Memorial Board will extend this strategy with visiting schools to engage in civic and science-based curriculum.
The Lake County Veterans Memorial organization offers families the opportunity to memorialize a veteran's memory by donating a brick with the veteran's name as part of the plaza.
The Lake County Veterans Memorial will be open 24/7 to all visitors who wish to visit. More information is available online at www.lakecountyveteransmemorial.com.
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