Chicago Bears & Boeing Military Salute to honor local WWII veteran Nov. 16

On Monday, Nov. 16, the Chicago Bears will hold their "Salute to Service" game brought to you by Cigna.

During the game, the team's virtual Boeing Military Salute will honor World War II veteran Sgt. Vernon "Vern" Breen, who was born in Chicago in 1925.

Raised in Oak Park, Breen graduated from Fenwick High School and was inducted into the U.S. Army in 1944.

Breen served in the 42nd Infantry Division, which arrived in France in December 1944 and was first engaged in combat on Dec. 24. In January 1945, as the Battle of the Bulge was underway, the 42nd Division was ordered to reposition and was at high risk for being outflanked and overtaken by the German offensive in Northeast France; Breen was among a group of a dozen soldiers who held off an advancing convoy of German troops and trucks.

Armed with only their M1 rifles and one machine gun, they held off the Germans long enough to allow 1,000 U.S. soldiers and equipment to safely move north during blizzard conditions.

That April, Breen was among the liberators of the Dachau concentration camp. He achieved the rank of sergeant and was awarded the Bronze Star, Combat Infantryman Badge and Presidential Unit Citation. He was honorably discharged in June 1946 and for the past 66 years has lived in Glen Ellyn where he and his late wife, Helen, raised three kids; he now has six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren as well. A lifelong Bears fan, his favorite player was Walter Payton.