Good News Sunday: Suburban Ghost Army veteran receives Congressional Gold Medal
This is Good News Sunday, a compilation of some of the more upbeat and inspiring stories recently published by the Daily Herald:
For more than a half-century, Hoffman Estates resident Bernard Bluestein’s World War II heroism was a military secret.
But recently, the service of Bluestein and two other surviving members of the “Ghost Army” finally received overdue recognition, when they were presented with the Congressional Gold Medal at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Bluestein, 100, and fellow Ghost Army veterans John Christman and Seymour Nussenbaum, both of New Jersey, accepted the newly created honor from House Speaker Mike Johnson during an event attended by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other dignitaries.
“The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest honor that this body can bestow upon any group or individual,” Johnson said.
Johnson later read from the Army’s declassified report on the group’s activities. One line reads, “Rarely, if ever, has there existed a group of such few men which had so great an influence on the outcome of a major military campaign.”
“These previously classified units were instrumental in helping American troops achieve key victories in Germany and Italy during World War II,” Johnson added.
Bluestein was the only Ghost Army member who spoke during the ceremony. He thanked Rick Beyer, president of the Ghost Army Legacy Project, which brought attention to the secretive unit.
“If it wasn’t for Rick, I wouldn’t be up here along with my comrades here,” Bluestein said. “He took the initiative when the information was released from the government and immediately decided to let the world know that we did exist.”
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‘Mint condition’ restored Barbie van in Volo offers fun, fashion and plenty of pink
Anyone considering purchasing Volo Auto Museum’s Barbie camper should know one thing before proceeding: There is no haggling.
The fully restored pink, mint-condition, 1975 Volkswagen camper costs $124,998, according to the museum website.
“We’re firm on the price,” said Volo Museum marketing director Jim Wojdyla explaining that the four-cylinder, four-speed, 38-horsepower camper bus is “priced for quality and craftsmanship.”
“It's fully restored,” he said, “as if you were to buy it new, off the showroom floor.”
The vehicle runs like new, said Wojdyla. And while it can “hold its own on the highway,” the Barbie van won’t win any races.
“It’s a great conversation piece,” Wojdyla said of the van, which is flanked by a pink flamingo and a life-size Barbie look-alike at the museum. “It's the perfect blend of fun, fashion and function.”
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Naperville named country’s best city to live in
Naperville is once again at the top — this time as the country’s best city to live in, according to the website Niche.
Though Naperville has ranked high in listings, it is the first time it has topped Niche’s “Best City to Live in America” list. Naperville edged out other communities such as The Woodland in Texas, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Arlington, Virginia; and Plano, Texas.
Niche, which has been rating cities for the last 10 years, reviewed 229 cities in compiling this year’s rankings. Naperville also topped Niche’s rankings for “Best Cities to Raise a Family” and “Cities with the Best Public Schools.” It ranked third on Niche’s list of “Best Cities to Buy a House in America.”
“I think being named the best place to live in America, the most family-friendly city in America and having the best schools in America is a reminder of all that we’ve accomplished together as a community,” Naperville Mayor Scott Werhli said Wednesday. “This is a time for all of Naperville to celebrate.”
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