Wauconda honors town's veterans with new banners downtown
Wauconda officials and members of the local American Legion Post 911 are honoring 14 former military personnel from the village by displaying banners bearing their names and photographs.
Soldiers, Marines and pilots who fought in World War II, the Vietnam War and even the Spanish-American War in the late 19th century are depicted.
Seven of the honorees died in combat. The others survived the wars in which they served.
"It's a great field of veterans," Mayor Lincoln Knight said.
The banners went up Thursday on light poles on Main Street, north of Route 176.
The project originated with local resident Laurel DeBoer, who saw a similar effort in Pennsylvania last summer and shared the idea with Knight.
"I know a lot of people who served in the armed forces, and I thought this would be a way to honor them," DeBoer said. "Anyone that serves in any of the armed forces goes up on a pedestal for me."
A committee chose the 14 honorees. The selected servicemen are:
• Andrew Cook, who served in the Spanish-American War.
• Mike Barnas, who served in the U.S. Army in World War II and was a prisoner of war.
• John De Hesus, who served in the Army in World War II.
• Alvin Fehlman, who served in the Army in World War II and was a prisoner of war.
• Richard "Bud" Froelke, who served in the Army in World War II and was killed in action.
• Wayne Knigge, a member of the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II who was killed in action.
• Kenneth Kruger, who served in the Army in World War II and was killed in action.
• Ex-Mayor John Kuester, who served in the Army in World War II.
• Bob Peterson, a pilot during World War II who went on to become American Legion Post 911's first commander.
• Arnold Potter, who served in the U.S. Army in World War II.
• Frederick "Fritz" Thomas, who served in the Army in World War II and was killed in action.
• Richard Anderson, who served in the Army in the Vietnam War and was killed in action.
• Michael Quick, who served in the Army in the Vietnam War and was killed in action.
• Ronald Schumacher, who served in the U.S. Marines in the Vietnam War and was killed in action.
The banners are sponsored by local businesses, civic groups and residents, so there's no cost to taxpayers.
Each veteran's photo is superimposed over an image of the U.S. flag. His name, service information and the name of the banner's sponsor also appears.
One of the posthumous honorees, Knigge, was a cousin of former Wauconda Mayor Mark Knigge. The soldier was killed in 1945.
"Although I did not know him, I cannot measure the amount of pride I have being related to that heroic young man," Knigge said. "His sacrifice has enabled all of us to enjoy the freedoms we have today."
The banners will remain up until Veterans Day in November. Knight envisions honoring more veterans next year.
"We want this to be an annual event, with different veterans going up next year, hopefully by Memorial Day," he said.