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Heritage Days 2014 Schedule of Events Rain Location WIU Union Grand Ballroom
Thursday, June 26 - Opening Night 5:00 p.m. - Opening of Heritage Days 2014 Mayor Mike Inman 5:00 p.m. - Canival Opens-Wilson Family Show 5-6:00 p.m. - Macomb Municipal BandMain Stage 6:30-8 p.m. - Little Miss and Master PageantMain Stage 7-10:00 p.m. - Carnival Arm Band Day 8:30-10 p.m. - Mac's DJMain Stage All weekend - Big Idaho Potato Truck N. Lafayete St. near Chandler Park noon - Illinois National Guard Rock Wall - Chandler Park
Friday, June 27 9a.m.-4p.m. - Library Book Sale - Library Annex Lot 10 a.m.-4 p.m. - Genealogical Resource Center Open 201 S. Lafayette St. Noon - Craft/Vendor Booths Open - Chandler Park noon-1:00 p.m. - Project Dance Company - Main Stage 12:30-2:30p.m. - Special Needs Carnival (pre registration required) noon - Illinois National Guard Rock Wall - Chandler Park all day - Amtrak Display - Chandler Park 1:30-2:30 p.m. - Susan Romano & Dickie Bent - Main Stage 3-5 p.m. - Marietta M. Loehrlein - Main Stage 5:00 p.m. - Carnival Opens 5:00 p.m. - Walk Around the Square - (view windows on Square) - Courthouse Square 5:30-7:30 p.m. - Patsy/Jim Reeves/Johnny Cash Tribute Show - Main Stage 6-8 p.m. - Flower Show at CNB - Morton Community Bank-(Citizens) 7:00 p.m.-???? - MHS all Class Reunion including AdairBardolph & Western - American Legion 8-10 p.m. - Bryce Dexter and The King Graffiti Band Main Stage
Saturday, June 28 7:00 a.m. - John Bliven's Memorial Run/Samaritan Well Old Dairy 9 a.m.-4:00 p.m. - Library Book SaleLibrary Annex all day - AmTrak DispayChandler Park 10:00-? - Parade Downtown and Square 11:00 a.m. - Carnival Opens 11:00 a.m. - Classic Car ShowDowntown and Square 11 a.m.-4:00 p.m. - Genealogical Resource Center Open 11:30 a.m. - Richard Barbuto, PHD speak “Battle of Plattsburgh” - Western Illinois Museum 11:30-12:30 p.m. - Rona Jean & John Brierton noon - Beef Raffle drawing - Main Stage 12:45-2:15 p.m. - Jayme Larson's Dance - Main Stage 2:00 p.m. - John Hallwas: “The Memory Shall be Ours” 19th-century Decoration Day re-enactment, with Civil War music by the Macomb Band,” Oakwood Cemetery 2:30-4:00 p.m. - Heritage Days GamesMain Stage 4:30-6:00 p.m. - On Stage BandMain Stage 6-8:00 p.m. - YMCA Fun Night admission charged $2.00 pp or $5.00 for familyYMCA Gymnasium parental supervision for under 8 years old 6:30-8:00 p.m. - Andy Avery-Journey TributeMain Stage 7:00-10:30 p.m. - BB/BS Music Trivia American Legion 8:15-? - Hot Country 104.7 Country ShowdownMain Stage
Sunday, June 29 7:00 a.m.-noon - Colchester-Macomb Lions Fly-in/Drivein Pancake Breakfast Macomb Airport 1:00-4:00 p.m. - “Taste of Macomb” - Chandler Park 1-1:30 p.m. - Drive Dance Co. - Main Stage 2-4:00 p.m. - Barnyard Steve - Main Stage YFC “kid's games” - near Gazebo 2:00 p.m. - YMCA Plastic Duck Race YMCA Swimming Pool
*We apologize for any errors or ommissions.
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Macomb’s Military Heritage by John Hallwas
The theme for Macomb’s Heritage Days festival this year was selected because several war-related anniversaries are being noted in 2014. First, this is the 200th anniversary of the climactic year of the War of 1812, the second war in which some men who later lived in the Macomb area had served. (A few Revolutionary War soliders also spent their closing years in our county.) That conflict with Great Britain officially began on June 18, 1812, soon led to fighting in several states (and the British invasion of Washington, D.C.), and closed with the Treaty of Ghent, on December 24, 1814. Veterans who came to western Illinois commonly did so because they received a 160acre land grant from the U. S. government, for a parcel located here in the Military Tract, between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. Very proud of that connection to the War of 1812, Macomb was known for generations as “The Hub of the Military Tract.” Also, the Civil War Sesquicentennial is continuing, and 2014 marks the 150th anniversary of the high tide of death and carnage during that horrific national struggle. Some 2,700 McDonough County
men served in that war, fighting in now-famous battles at Chickamauga, Stones River, Vicksburg, and other places. Oakwood Cemetery alone has some 270 graves of Civil War soldiers. For generations, the Macomb Decoration Day ceremony at Oakwood drew huge crowds, and had deep meaning for area residents, as I point out in “The Decoration Day Tradition and sacred Unity in Macomb,” in my book Here to Stay (2012). On the afternoon of parade day, June 28, at 2:00, the Macomb and, directed by Michael Fansler, along with Civil War re-enactors of the 114th Regiment, from Springfield, will portray a traditional ceremony of that kind at Oakwood. The public is invited to that free event, of music and military remembrance. This year also marks a century since the start of World War I, in 1914. America did not become involved, by declaring war on Germany, until April 6, 1917. Then hundreds of local men enlisted or were drafted. In general, American men went into that war with high ideals, “to make the world safe for democracy,” only to find the combat, facing machine guns, grenades, and poison gas, more awful than their wildest imaginings. Letters from soldiers, printed in the Macomb Journal, often recount
The Veterans Section of Oakwood Cemetery, established after World War I, includes soldiers from that war as well as World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
horrific battle conditions. The worldwide influenza epidemic in 1918 also killed many soldiers before the war finally ended on November 11. This is also the 75th year since Germany invaded Poland, in 1939, starting World War II, and the 70th year since the famous D-Day Invasion by the Allies. Of course, America joined that vast conflict after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Hundreds of men from the Macomb area served, in either the European Theater or the Pacific Theater, and dozens of them died. Germany finally surrendered on May 7, 1945, and Japan surrendered four months later, on September 2. Aside from those conflicts, Macomb area soldiers were
also involved in the Black Hawk War (1832), the Mexican War (1846-1848), the SpanishAmerican War (1898-1899)— which also led to conflict with Philippine nationalists—the Korean War (1950-1953), the Vietnam War (1965-1973), and the recent wars in Iraq (20032010) and Afghanistan (2001present). Macomb has a remarkable heritage of military participation. The articles in this booklet provide more specific information and include photographs of some soldiers and grave sites, as well as of the community’s various monuments. The many participants in this year’s Heritage Days festival are pleased to continue Macomb’s long tradition of appreciation for local soldiers.
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The War of 1812 and Our Local Heritage By Marla Vizdal
Later this year, on December 24 to be precise, the 200th anniversary of the signing of the treaty in Ghent, Belgium, will take place. This document ended the War of 1812 in America. England and the United States had been at war for over two years when the treaty was signed. Even though this war occurred in a part of our country outside of the boundaries of Illinois (which did not attain statehood until 1818), two heroes of the War left their impression, or rather names, on McDonough County. The county’s name came from Commodore Thomas Macdonough, and the city of Macomb from General Alexander Macomb. Both of the men were heroes in the Battle of Plattsburgh, toward the end of the War of 1812. Macdonough was a naval officer who was responsible for damaging the British flagship the HMS Confiance, and forcing its surrender. When the flagship was damaged, American forces were able to destroy or capture the rest of the fleet. General Macomb, a military man from the age
of 16 on, was promoted to the rank of colonel and appointed to command the newly organized 3rd Artillery Regiment at the beginning of the war. Working with troops outnumbered seven to one by the British, Macomb commanded his men to create fake roads leading away from the forts in Northern New York. His strategy was successful and the British troops, under the leadership of Lieutenant General George Prevost, were misdirected and became easy targets for the Americans. About this same time, Prevost learned of the defeat of the British troops in Lake Champlain at the Battle of Plattsburgh, and as he was depending on a number of these troops for his planned advances, Prevost abandoned his plans. The British troops retreated back to Canada. Macomb and Macdonough both became respected heroes of the Battle of Plattsburgh. Macomb was then promoted to the rank of Major General, and subsequently, both he and Macdonough were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. On May 6, 1812, Congress passed an act setting aside bounty lands which would be
used as payment for those men who volunteered in the War of 1812. This land was part of the territories which would eventually become the states of Arkansas, Michigan and Illinois and were usually awarded in 160-acre parcels. The area of Illinois, known as the Military Tract, was bordered by the Mississippi River on the west and the Illinois River on the east. The southern point was where the two rivers converged, and the northern border was a line running off what is now Rock Island County’s southern border. The military tract contained just over 5.3 million acres, of which 3.5 million acres were set aside for military bounties. McDonough County lays almost dead center in the middle of the Military Tract. Many of the soldiers of the War of 1812 who received their land grants never used them. The land was often seen as too far west to be bothered with, and the veterans could easily sell their tracts to land speculators were anxious to purchase them for an agreeable price. Some men, however, did come west to claim WAR on page 6
General Alexander Macomb led the land forces at the Battle of Plattsburgh, defeating the British there in the War of 1812, while Commodore Macdonough led the nearby naval forces. The pioneers named Macomb in honor of this great national hero.
Commodore Thomas Macdonough, who defeated British naval forces at Lake Champlain in 1814, became a revered national hero of the War of 1812. The county was named for him.
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their land, a few in McDonough County. Later, other veterans came to claim land for a number of reasons. A “Sketch of the Military Bounty Tract of Illinois,” written in 1839 by the Secretary of the Illinois Land Commission, outlined the benefits of moving to the Military Tract. According to the booklet, the soil here was of the richest kind and virtually stone free, except by the rivers. Crops that could be planted, such as sugar beets, would be bountiful and profitable, recouping the cost of the land in a short time period. Illinois cattle produced some of the best beef to be found in the world, and other domesticated animals in the state produced fine meat also. There were plenty of birds to shoot and trap, bees to benefit from, deer to hunt, and small game
Heritage Days 2014 to snare. The booklet also stated that the winter season started in December and lasted only to the middle of February, a desirable feature for those trying to establish themselves in a new land. The booklet goes on to point out many more enticing aspects of the region. Approximately 20,000 War of 1812 veterans moved to Illinois, lived out their lives, and are buried in the state. According to government records, just over 3,000 of these burial sites have been documented, with more being found every day. The Illinois War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission has called upon volunteers throughout the state to locate these burial sites. Approximately 40 gravesites of 1812 veterans have been located and documented in McDonough County, with about another dozen soldiers buried in the county in unmarked, or lost, graves. Of these soldiers, the majority
of them served in the militias of Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio, with others hailing from Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Maryland and North Carolina. Their burial sites can be found in over two dozen cemeteries throughout the county, with seven gravesites located in Macomb’s Oakwood Cemetery and three more, of which two stones have been located, in Old Macomb Cemetery. Many of these veterans’ surnames are familiar to McDonough County residents. These list includes Brooking, Roswell, Bacon, Hainline, Munger, Hire, and Craig, while others are just a name on a tombstone, such as Peak, Sarles, Walrath, and Fields. And sadly, there are those like David Glenn, thought to be penniless, who was sent by a family member to live in the poor house, only to die 6 hours after arriving. He is buried in the Blandinsville area, in the “old village graveyard,” his burial site yet to be located. Needless to say, all of these veterans proudly served during the War of 1812, and their service to this country, like the men who served and/or fought in subsequent battles and wars, is now being remembered, recognized, and preserved. Members of the McDonough County Genealogical Society are continuing to research the lives of the veterans of the War of 1812 so their gravesites can be located and documented, and their stories preserved.
The grave of George Iseminger, who served in the 1st Maryland Militia during the War of 1812, is one of seven veterans of that early war who are buried at Oakwood Cemetery.
One of approximately fifty War of 1812 veterans buried in McDonough County is Mickey Hammond, who served in the East Tennessee Militia. His grave is at the Pennington Point Cemetery.
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Our Civil War and SpanishAmerican War Soldiers By John Hallwas
Although Macomb men did serve in the Black Hawk War and the Mexican War, none saw combat or died in those conflicts. The Civil War had just the opposite impact, resulting in significant loss of life and injury for local soldiers, and the Spanish-American War, which closed the 19th century, also had some local men on the battlefield. During the Civil War years (1861-1865), Macomb and McDonough County men were especially numerous in the 2nd Cavalry and in the 16th, 28th, 78th, and 84th Illinois Infantry regiments. They fought in such noted battles as Chickamauga, Shiloh, Stones River, and Vicksburg. As the war progressed, several men emerged as notable local heroes, and they provide good examples of what the soldiers in general accomplished and endured. Captain David Wells, for example, who had also served in the Mexican War, developed a group of Union Army volunteers called the McDonough Guards, which became Company B of the 16th Illinois Infantry. The much-admired captain of that company, Wells was the first area soldier to die during the
The 78th Illinois Infantry Regiment included many soldiers from McDonough County and was commanded by Colonel Carter Van Vleck from Macomb. This shows a portion of that regiment.
war, on April 7, 1862. (He died of lung trouble stemming from a railroad accident while on duty in Missouri.) A celebrated hero was G. L. Farwell. In the summer of 1863, near Jackson, Mississippi, his regiment, the 28th Infantry, suffered more than 100 casualties. As Macomb: A Pictorial History indicates, “G. L. Farwell of Macomb was wounded and left for dead during a rebel attack. When word reached Macomb, the whole town was saddened. However, Confederate soldiers discovered that he was alive and sent him to be treated by
their physicians. He eventually arrived home, where he lived for many years after the war, a much-admired hero.” Another notable hero was C. V. Chandler, who had been raised in Macomb and became a lieutenant in the 78th Infantry. He was wounded in the legs at Chickamauga in September 1863. After the war he became the richest man in McDonough County, and his most notable gifts to the town were the park that bears his name and the Civil War soldiers’ memorial, which was dedicated in 1899. CIVIL WAR on page 8
This 1863 drawing shows local hero G. L. Farwell, who was the much-celebrated captain of Company D in the 28th Infantry during the Civil War. He is buried at Oakwood Cemetery.
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The 84th Infantry Regiment was organized in Quincy during the late summer of 1862 by Macomb lawyer Louis H. Waters, who became the colonel. Under his command, the regiment fought in many battles, including Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge. The most important engagement for them was the Battle of Stones River, which began on December 31, 1862. The 84th Infantry did much to turn the tide of battle, suffering 228 casualties in the process. The heroism of Colonel Waters was noted by several soldiers who later wrote about that battle, and he was revered locally for the rest of his life. The highest ranking local soldier to die in combat was Colonel Carter Van Vleck, whose death on the battlefield came at Atlanta, on August 11, 1864. His funeral was a huge public event, and many townspeople contributed money for his headstone, a round obelisk draped with a flag, which is located in Oakwood Cemetery. By the war’s end, a few hundred other local men had also died, and Macomb was committed for decades to holding huge Decoration Day ceremonies, to remember and honor them. As I mention in Here to Stay, “local residents had a strong sense of meaningful experience in connec-
Heritage Days 2014 tion with that war,” and the community felt “connected to the destiny of the nation and unified by a collective sacred memory.” The Spanish-American War, which closed the century, was not as crucial to American ideals, and in fact, many people opposed it. The actual fighting against Spain in Cuba and the Philippines lasted only from mid-April through mid-August of 1898, but it touched off a lingering guerilla war with Philippine nationalists. Altogether, there were only several hunded American combat deaths, but thousands of soldiers died of disease. One of them was William Simmons of Macomb. He enlistd in 1899 and served for most of three years in the 23rd Artillery. During the fall of 1901 he was wounded in the Philippines, and he died of disease in the early spring of 1902. He was the only Macomb loss during that conflict, and his funeral was a huge community event, for which all the stores were closed. A hundred former soldiers escorted the wagon with his casket to Oakwood Cemetery. The most notable local soldier of the Spanish-American War was Captain George F. Chase, who had been raised in Macomb, He was an 1871 West Point graduate who first served in various Indian wars in the West. During the Span-
William Simmons was in the 23rd Artillery during the Spanish-American War and was the only local soldier to die in that conflict. He is buried at Oakwood Cemetery. This photograph shows Colonel Louis H. Waters, who led the 84th Illinois Infantry during the Civil War. A great hero in the Macomb area, he later moved to Kansas, to continue his law career.
ish-American War he commanded a squadron of cavalry that captured the Philippine communities of Bongabong and San Fernando de Union. By 1906 he was the colonel of the 15th Cavalry, and he retired from the army as a brigadier general in 1912. As these brief comments suggest, Macomb had much to be proud of in the service of its Civil War and SpanishAmerican War soldiers, and local residents developed a strong tradition of military remembrance, before the massive conflicts that came along in the twentieth century.
Captain George Chase was a cavalry leader in the Spanish-American War, and he later retired as a brigadier general. He is buried in the cemetery on the grounds of the military academy at West Point.
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Macomb Soldiers in Post-NineteenthCentury Wars By Kathy Nichols
Some twentieth-century wars have had significant involvement by local soldiers. World War I and World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War were the most notable, because of the loss of lives that resulted but also because of the social and cultural changes they brought. This year we are recalling the 100th anniversary of the onset of World War I, which before it was over would involve more than twenty-seven nations and claim more than thirty-seven million lives. Of course, U.S. participation, as of the spring of 1917, had profound impact on Macomb, as it did on communities nationwide.
An April 16, 1917, Macomb Journal article announced that local enlistment was slow but steady, with ten Macomb men recently signing up to take their preliminary examination and their oath of duty. As the war continued, and the public became increasingly concerned, more and more men signed up. Only males were required to register, but women were encouraged to do so, including by Governor Lowden of Illinois in an item that appeared in newspapers throughout the state. Within a month, more than 1,400 Macomb women responded to the governor’s plea, volunteering to perform services such as knitting, doing housework, gardening, keeping books, gardening, caring
A group of Macomb men at the Fort Sheridan training camp in 1917, during World War I. From left to right: O. J. Neece, G.W. Norman, Earl Flack, Ax Leander, and Harry Aldredge.
for children, and driving automobiles. Surely the most generous offer, however, came from a widow who said to the registrar, “I’m a widow, and my children are grown and can care for themselves. I have one son in the service. My
health is good and I too want to help. I can sew, knit and go anywhere I’m needed. Yes, I could cook in an army camp, do ordinary nursing, and say, if it is ever necessary, I could shoulder a rifle.” Macomb’s first loss in the SOLDIERS on page 10
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war was Emmons John Towle, a seventeen-year-old high school student who died during the sinking of the U.S.S. Alcedo by a German torpedo some hours after it had left its French port. The county’s first battlefield death was Fleming Foresman, the twenty-four-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. John Foresman of Bardolph, who was killed in France May 19, 1918. It is not know how many soldiers the people of Macomb and McDonough County lost before World War I ended on November 11, 1918. Casualty notices were received daily by the Macomb Journal and reported by state as opposed to county or community. What is known is that the number was substantial and that frequently weeks lapsed between the time when families were notified that their loved one was missing and when it was determined that he had died or been wounded. After the end of World War I the focus of Memorial Day was broadened from the Civil War to include soldiers who served in all wars, and local people marched to Oakwood on May 30 to remember and honor their growing number of war dead. Soon after the outbreak of World War I, British author and social commentator H.G. Wells published a series of articles in London newspapers in which he argued that only the defeat of German militarism could be an end to war. His view came to be crystallized in the phrase, “the war to end all wars.” As we now know, World War I failed to achieve that purpose. In the fall of 1939 the Allied and Axis Powers found themselves at loggerheads as they struggled once more over the balance of power in Europe. That war involved the majority of the world’s nations, and resulted in
During World War I, a unit of local soldiers marches into the square from North Lafayette Street.
In March, 1941, the National Guard Regimental Band, 123rd Field Artillery, commonly played “Reveille” in the morning and “Retreat” in the evening, on the Macomb square. Soon called into active duty, they served in Europe during World War II. Included in the group were Ellis Leighty, Glen Sticklen, and Alan Walker.
an estimated fifty to eighty-five million fatalities, including for the first time mass civilian deaths via the Holocaust and the bombing of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan.
The United States joined the hostilities after the bombing at Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. The Macomb Journal told of the tragedy and its impact in a series of front page articles under the
Heritage Days 2014 headline, “War Declaration Voted: U.S. Loses Two Warships, 3,000 Dead and Wounded in Surprise Attacks by Japanese.” On page two of the newspaper, it stated, “War talk prevailed everywhere in the city with the conversations suddenly taking a pro-war trend. Macomb High School and Western Teachers College classes, in some cases, were interrupted for the students to listen to radio accounts of the war.” A June 27, 1946, Macomb Journal article stated that according to the War Department a total of sixty-five McDonough County men had lost their lives while serving their country, excluding those in the navy, marines, and coast guard. Several local people served in both World War I and World War II, including WIU faculty members Harold Ave and Ray Hanson. Born in 1900 in Cleveland, Ave graduated from high school in 1918, when enlistments in World War I were
Page 11 at a peak, and he briefly served in the army. After he completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees, he coached at Eastern Illinois State Teachers College and served as Athletic Director and Assistant Dean of Men at Eureka College until 1939, when, as John Hallwas states in Here to Stay, he joined the Army Air Force. As a member of that unit, he served in Shanghai with the China Air Service Command, first as a captain and later as a major. As a result of his work as a Special Services and Information officer, he was awarded a Bronze Star. In 1946 he was hired to coach football and wrestling at WIU. Still dedicated to the service of his country, he remained active for many years in the Air Force Reserve and joined the American Legion and the VFW. When he died in 1986, his body was donated to medical science. However, he is memorialized by a plaque in the veterans’ section of Oakwood Cemetery, near the mau-
Harriet (Knappenberger) Wanamaker served as a WASP (Women’s Air Force Service Pilot) during World War II. She flew B-17 and Mitchell planes, among others, for her work in military training. She died in 2005 and is buried at Oakwood Cemetery.
soleum. After graduating from Red Wing High School in Vasa, Minnesota, Ray Hanson worked for a year as railway secretary and in 1916 enlisted
Grace (Myers) Baker served in the WAVES during World War II, working in Naval Intelligence in Washington, D. C. Not only her father but her mother as well had a military background, having served as a “Yeomanette” during World War I.
in the Marine Corps. The unit he was assigned to was the legendary 96th Company, 1st Replacement Battalion, Sixth SOLDIERS on page 12
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Regiment. Hanson survived the Battle of Belleau Wood, near the Marne River in France, and was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism in saving the life of a fellow Marine who had been seriously wounded. Hanson also was awarded a Silver Star citation for bravery, a French Croix de Guerre, and a Purple Heart. He was hired in 1927 by President Morgan to head the Physical Education Department for Men and in that position coached football, basketball, and baseball. During World War II he served as a non-combat Marine lieutenant colonel. Like Ave, he remained in Macomb after his retirement from Western and is also buried at Oakwood Cemetery. While not sent overseas until toward the end of World War II, women provided important services, including in
Heritage Days 2014 the Army and Navy Nurse Corps, the WACs, the WAVES, and the WASPs, or Women Air Force Service Pilots. While not officially part of the military, WASPs were required to wear uniforms and obey all military rules, and they were the first women in history trained to fly American military aircraft. Of the 25,000 women who applied for admission into the WASPs, only 1,830 were accepted. One of those was Harriet Wanamaker, who later taught second grade at Logan School in Macomb for many years. An outgrowth of the settlement of territory in southeast Asia at the culmination of World War II, the Korean War (1950-1953) also resulted in the deaths of local people. The first was twenty-two yearold Private First Class Albert Peters, who at the time of his death was serving with the 25th infantry division in the battle zone in Korea. He died of sleeping sickness. The second death was twenty-year-
old Sergeant First Class Robert Roger Hillyer, who was attached to the 27th Infantry, 25th division, and who was killed in action. Another veteran of the war was LieutenantWon Moo Hurh, who later studied at Monmouth College, earned a Ph.D. at the University of Heidelberg, and was a professor for many years in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at WIU. In addition, he wrote a moving account of his experience as a teenager in the war entitled I Will Shoot Them from My Loving Heart: Memoir of a South Korean Officer in the Korean War (2012). As John Hallwas says in a November 3, 2012, “On Community” article, “Although he was a brave and committed soldier, Hurh eventually became a critic of war, feeling that, all too often, leaders resort to military action when other approaches to resolving conflict need to be attempted.” Dr. Hurh died April 12, 2013. The Vietnam War (19651973) was part of a greater containment strategy, with the stated aim of stopping the spread of communism throughout the world. According to the domino theory, which propelled U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia, the spread of communism to one state automatically meant that other states in the region would follow suit. The North Vietnamese fought to reunify Vietnam under communist rule, viewing first the French and then the Americans as
This newspaper photograph shows Private Albert Peters, who served in the 25th Infantry Division in Korea and died of illness. He was the first local soldier to die during that conflict.
colonists attempting to establish a puppet government. Disillusionment with the war by Americans led to the gradual withdrawal of U.S. forces and the official end of the war April 29, 1975. As the memorial near the fountain in Chandler Park attests, a considerable number of local soldiers died during
Heritage Days 2014 the Vietnam War. The earliest casualty was Sergeant Jerald Pendell of Macomb, who died when the U.S. Marine helicopter he was flying in crashed in the jungle 330 miles north of Saigon in early October, 1962, long before the war officially began. The most decorated of them was Lieutenant Richard Sly, an infantry platoon leader who was killed in action near Kontum City during early May 1969 and who earned three Silver Stars and two Purple Hearts. The last casualty was Army Specialist 4 Robert Lee (Bobby) Frakes. He had graduated from Macomb High School in June of 1971, joined the army in October of that year, and been sent to Fort Lewis, Washington, for his basic training. He was also a crewman in a helicopter, which was shot down about 100 miles east of
Page 13 Saigon. He was among the last of American soldiers to die in Vietnam and the final one from Illinois to lose his life. He died January 26, 1973, just hours before the cease-fire took effect. Fortunately, American casualties in the recent Afghanistan and Iraq wars have been light. The local names listed on the marker in Chandler Park are John H. Stein, Ryan G. Carlock, Josh Palmer, and Cheyenne Chris Willey. This year, on Heritage Days, there will be many veterans from several wars who will be in town, some of them visiting from outside the county. And with this year’s festival, the people of Macomb will have an opportunity to express to all of them our profound appreciation for their service to our country.
Roger Barclay, who now lives on West Jefferson Street, was in the Air Force during the Korean War. He served as a weatherman in the 23rd Division. This photograph shows Marilyn Monroe with him on February 17, 1954, at a helicopter base during a USO show.
Army Specialist 4 Robert Lee Frakes was among the last few Americans to die in the Vietnam War, on January 26, 1973, just hours before the ceasefire. This shows his burial ceremony at Oakwood Cemetery.
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Macomb’s Military Monuments Kathy Nichols
Macomb has nine memorials to soldiers. Four are located in Chandler Park, including our earliest one, erected in 1899 in memory of the men from McDonough County who fought in the Civil War. The others are scattered throughout the community. In addition, there is a special Veterans Area of Oakwood Cemetery located to the west of the mausoleum, a photograph of which comes earlier in the booklet.
Civil War Memorial in Chandler Park
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Granite memorial in Chandler Park
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Macomb and McDonough Memorial in Chandler Park
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Memorial Bench in Chandler Park
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Entrance to Veterans Park
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VFW memorial
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WIU memorial
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Cenotaph in Oakwood Cemetery
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American Legion Memorial
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A return to 'Heritage Days' Macomb combines military theme with annual series of activities By Nick Draper Staff Reporter
MACOMB — Heritage Days is an event known throughout the region for its fun carnivals, food, music and celebration of community. This year’s theme, “Macomb’s Military Heritage,” is a special celebration of the military persons that would go on to find and live their lives in McDonough County. “It’s the 200th anniversary of the climactic year of the War of 1812,” said John Hallwas, a local author who
Editor’s note: A version of this story formerly appeared in a GateHouse Media Regional Summer Travel Guide. pitched the idea to the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, via email. “The year in which General Macomb and Commodore Macdonough had their victory at the Battle of Lake Champlain, for which we want to commemorate that military achievement.” This year also falls into the ongoing Civil War Sesquicentennial, Hallwas explained. Additionally, America continues to honor the
FILE PHOTO BY JACKIE SMITH/THE VOICE
Michelle McClure and her then-2-year-old niece, Madison, smile and wait while a clown assembles a balloon animal in Chandler Park during the third day of Macomb's 2013 Heritage Days.
Heritage Days 2014 last of our World War II veterans that are at a high age. To commemorate the event, Civil War re-enactors will be present at the parade, typically held on the third of four days during Heritage Days festivities, and will perform a scripted re-enactment entitled, “The Memory Shall Be Ours,” at Oakwood Cemetery on the afternoon of the parade, Hallwas said. Many soldiers involved with the Civil War and the War of 1812 are buried in the historic Oakwood Cemetery, making it a fitting setting for the reenactment. Jan Armstrong, of the Macomb Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, said that this year’s Heritage Days celebration will be better than ever, with new and many returning attractions. “We don’t have a county fair in McDonough County, so this is our answer to that,” Armstrong said. “This event
Page 23 brings a lot of visitors because of family reunions and school reunions. It’s a free event for families.” Returning to the event will be an even larger carnival, according to Heritage Days Co-Chair Kassie Courson, meaning kids can yet again ride ferris wheels, merry-gorounds, the zipper, the orbiter and other rides to their heart’s content. The car show will also see an increase in size, food vendors will return with favorites such as funnel cakes and frozen lemonade, and the little Miss and Master will be crowned as well. The Texaco Country Showdown, a country music style competition, will also make a return despite their smaller amount of venues this year, according to Courson. A new addition to Heritage Days will be the appearance of the Big Idaho Potato truck, a semi hauling an enormous
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spud across the country. “The giant spud travels through the United States,” Armstrong said. “It’s massive, you’ll have to Google it.” According to the Big Idaho Potato website, the potato would take more than 10,000 years to grow, two years and nine months to bake, would make 30,325 servings of mashed potatoes and would easily make more than 1.5 million french fries.
Another favorite at the show will be the inclusion of a local flea market. Vendors will sell all varieties of items including books, art, musical instruments, trinkets and more. Musical attractions are still being added, with a musical variety that will include swing, jazz, rock and pop music, ensuring there will be something for everyone to enjoy.
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Fly-in/Drive-in Pancake Breakfast June 29 Historic WWII aircraft, tractor show to be on display at Macomb airport Submitted Content
MACOMB – Plans are complete for the Macomb Airport 2014 Fly-in/Drive-in Pancake Breakfast held in conjunction with Macomb’s annual Heritage Days celebration. The event, which annually attracts several hundred attendees, continues the weekend "Tribute To The Military" and takes place on Sunday, June 29, at the Macomb Airport located three miles north of Macomb and one mile east of U.S. 67. Special to this year’s event will again be a visit by the Commemorative Air Force Missouri Wing’s historic 1944 World War II B-25J Mitchell
Bomber “Show Me." Area residents, and aviation buffs alike will have the opportunity to see and fly in the bomber made famous by the legendary Doolittle Raid on Tokyo four months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. In addition, two more WWII aircraft will be on display. The Gruman TBM-3 Avenger Torpedo Bomber played a pivotal role in many battles in the Pacific theater and was the type of plane that future President George H. W. Bush piloted when he was shot down in September 1944. The 1941 Aeronca L-3 was pivotal in all theaters of WWII. These unarmed small
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Brady Scalf, then age 6, of Macomb (top, right) and his mother, Lisa, laugh as they look out the window of a plane while flying over Macomb June 30, 2013.
planes were invaluable for sance missions. spotting enemy troops and According to CAF Col Bob supply concentrations, liaison, Moore of the Missouri Wing, and short-range reconnais- the B-25J will remain on
Heritage Days 2014 display and be available for visitors to purchase rides from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the airport. Those interested in taking a ride are advised to book early as seating is limited. Call 314-486-1205 to book a flight in advance. Rides may also be purchased at the CAFMO booth before a regularly scheduled flight if seating is available. Payment can be made by cash, check or credit card and is tax deductible. The Commemorative Air Force, founded in 1957, is a non-profit organization made up of more than 70 wings, detachments and units throughout the U.S. and four foreign countries. Its primary mission is to acquire, restore and preserve in flying condition historic U.S. combat aircraft for the education and enjoyment of present and future generations. For more information visit
Page 25 their website at www.cafmo.org. Also in conjunction with the breakfast is the third annual American Farmer Tractor Show. Classic antique farm tractors of many makes and models will be on display for the public. A People’s Choice Trophy will be awarded at noon as visitors will be able to vote for the tractor they like the best. The public will have the opportunity to observe a variety of antique and modern aircraft as the fly-in continues throughout the morning. Awards will be given for the oldest pilot, oldest antique airplane, best spot landing and pilot that traveled the longest distance on that day. Airplane rides in a Cessna 172 are available for purchase 7 a.m. to noon from Cobb Aviation Service and the public may register for many free rides to be given away. The free rides are sponsored by
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Pancakes are cooked at the 2013 breakfast.
many local businesses and friends of the airport. The pancake and sausage breakfast is served in the new corporate hanger. The breakfast is cooked and served by the Colchester Lions Club from 7 a.m. to noon. The cost is $5.50 in advance and $6.50 at the door, and $3.50 for children ages 4 to 10. Proceeds go toward the
support of the Lions Club service activities. Advance tickets for the breakfast will be sold at the Macomb Airport and any Colchester Lions Club member. Admission and parking at the airport is free. For more information on the breakfast, contact the airport at 309-833-3324, or for the tractor show, contact Bob Chatterton at 309-833-5697.
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14th Annual John Bliven Memorial Walk/Run MACOMB — The 14th annual John Bliven Memorial Walk/Run will be held June 28, 2014 during Heritage Days. Registration begins at 7:00a.m. at the Old Dairy, 210 South Lafayette Street, Macomb. The Run will start at 7:30 a.m. There will be a one mile Walk/Run for ages 12 and under. The two and four mile Walk/Run will begin after the completion of that race. Pre-registration is $20. On-site registration is $25. Ribbons will be awarded to winners in each age group. Walkers are welcome. Registration forms may be obtained at the Macomb Area Convention & Visitors Bureau; online at www.samaritanwellinc.org. and by contacting the Samaritan Well at 309837-3357 between 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Samaritan Well Women’s and Men’s Homeless Shelter and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
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Brad Deason escorts his 3-year-old daughter Elly and 8-year-old younger brother Kaden Moon off a ride during last year's special needs carnival. This year the time period reserved at the carnival for those with special needs and their families will be Friday, June 27 from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required to attend this event.
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