A different kind of Memorial Day

By: 
STAFF REPORT

American flags lined the village’s main street while smaller versions were planted in Coal City’s Campbell Memorial Park and around the town’s veterans monument in honor of Memorial Day, but this year the observance was anything but typical.
The community did not join together to salute the men and women who served in defense of our nation and paid the ultimate sacrifice for the country’s freedoms, the first time in years.
In response to the pandemic and executive orders in place through the end of the month, the annual observance could not be held in its traditional format. A decision was made early in the month by the local veterans groups to forgo the ceremony for this year.
Although there was no gathering with speeches and songs, or the placement of a wreath and gun salute, individuals across the country observed the day in their own way.
The lack of a community ceremony did not diminish the meaning of the day, one set aside to honor those to gave their lives for their country.
Nine of the 24 local soldiers called to serve among the 4.7 million in World War 1 never returned home. Those men were William Bridle, Peter Cantu, John DeCco, Rudolph Hajek, Benjamin Kaplan, John Pavlis, Frank Schaw, Joseph Sistek and Andrew Tallman.
Local men were once again called to serve in WWII. By wars end, 14 of the 381 called were killed. Those men were Albert Baima, Lane Bookwalter, Oresti Bottari, Bruce Campbell, Dominic Ciluffo, Ralph Girot, Edward Grinrod, Nicola Groff, Lester Johnson, William Krause, Raymond Murphy, Andrew Sabol, Glen Viano and Elmer Willis.
Five years later when the Korean War broke out, 5.7 million soldiers were sent into battle, 48 were from the local community and each one returned home safely.
Paying the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam was Cecil Russell, a U.S. Marine. He was one of 85 local residents called to serve in the war that was fought by 8.7 million American soldiers.
The names of the community’s honored war dead are read during each year’s ceremony.
The names of these men, as well as the men and women of the community who have served in both times of war and peace are engraved on the Community Veterans Monument located on the campus of Coal City Intermediate School.
The names of 14 individuals who served the nation will be added to the monument later this year, according to local veterans officials.
There is no charge to have the name of a qualifying veteran placed on the monument.
Applications for name placement can be obtained at the Coal City Public Library and the village halls in Coal City and Diamond.
The history of Memorial Day dates back to three years after the Civil War ended, May 5, 1868, when the head of an organization of Union veterans established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers.
Major General John A. Logan, of Illinois, declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30. It is believe that date was chosen because flowers would bloom all over the country. The lift large observance was held that year at Arlington National Cemetery. The ceremonies centered around the mouring-draped veranda of the Arlington Mansion, once the home of General Robert E. Lee.
It was not until after WWI that the day was expanded to honor those who have died in all American wars. In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress and set as the last Monday in May.