 Bob
McCue, American Legion Post 447 commander, introduced recently
re-elected Mayor Jim Fuhrer; Phyllis Beccue, scholarship chair for
the Mount Pulaski American Legion Auxiliary; and Pastor Christopher
Decker, who gave the invocation and benediction at each site.
McCue and the newly elected commander, Ken Buckles, barked out
orders to the combined Mount Pulaski American Legion Ryman-Fuiten
Post 447, Veterans of Foreign Wars Scroggin-Gee Post 777 and
American Legion SAL Squadron 447 firing squad in their three-round
"Salute to Our Fallen Comrades" outside the Legion Hall and in
Steenbergen Cemetery.
Taps was played by Alan Roos, of Chestnut, longtime bugler and
former Post 447 commander.
At the Vonderlieth Living Center, 19 veterans were grateful for
the group's appearance and short service there, just as the visitors
were so ever grateful for the veterans' services to our country. The
great room was filled to capacity with wives and relatives of the
veterans and with other residents who had had husbands, sons,
daughters, brothers, sisters or loved ones in the service of our
country.
Each member of the Mount Pulaski veteran units, including members
of SAL Squadron 447, shook hands with each veteran and thanked them
for their service to our country. Pastor Decker gave a short talk
and provided a benedictory prayer accompanied with a blessing.
The Memorial Day speaker at both the Mount Pulaski American
Legion Post 447 Hall and in the chapel at the Mount Pulaski Steenbergen Cemetery was
Mount Pulaski native Lt. Col. Stan Manes, of the Illinois National
Guard Operations Department.
Manes began with a reference to Gen. George C. Patton, who once
said: "It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we
should thank God that such men lived."
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Manes went on to thank all
those who have served our country in various military and
military-related capacities: American Legion and VFW Women's Auxiliaries, Sons of American Legion fathers and
grandfathers, firefighters, police, emergency services personnel,
and all those who are or have been engaged is some direct military
or military support efforts, whether at home or abroad.
He proudly recounted remembrances of participating in Memorial
Day marches down to Mount Pulaski Cemetery for services in his
youth. He excitedly explained how thankful he was to be asked to
speak for the observances Monday and that he is so very grateful for
being able to serve his country for 19 years thus far.
He has been ever mindful of a former Mount Pulaskian, Lt. Col.
Steve Holmes, who had retired but was asked to return to service in
the first Iraqi war, to which he could have said "no" but instead
answered the call to arms.
Manes has served all over the world, in Korea, Afghanistan and
lately in Poland as part of an Operations Readiness team to help the
Polish military in their support of coalition forces in Afghanistan.
He gave special recognition to the fine Polish military, who
represent a country that is so thankful for American aid in all wars
and military conflicts -- for the American spirit of democracy and
freedom now and in the past.
He gave a touching account of a Polish teenager of 17 who escaped
the jaws of the Nazi encroachment by way of a small sailboat and
eventually immigrated to America, settling in the Polish-named town
of Mount Pulaski. Anthony "Tony" Skielnik went on to learn English,
became educated in mechanical engineering, worked and instructed in
mechanics for many years, and made several inventions along the way
in his adopted country.
Manes concluded with his favorite Bible passage: "There is no
greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." -- John
15:13
[Text from file received from Phil
Bertoni]
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