 The
Memorial Day guest speaker was Col. Paul A.
Fanning, who lives with his wife, Lora, and
their four children in nearby
Chestnut. Fanning currently serves as joint
logistics officer on the joint operations
staff of the Illinois National Guard. His
previous assignments included deputy
commander to Task Force White Eagle, a
Polish infantry brigade in Afghanistan;
deputy chief of staff information
management; commander of the 634th Brigade
Support Battalion; and operation officer of
the 66th Infantry Brigade. In addition to
Afghanistan and Poland, he has also served
overseas in Honduras, Italy, Iceland and
Bulgaria.
Fanning holds a master's degree in
strategic studies from the U.S. Army War
College, which is located at Carlisle
Barracks in the Susquehanna Valley,
Pa. Carlisle Barracks is one of our nation's
oldest military installations, started in
1757, offering pioneering concepts in
military training and innovative education
measures in preparation for a changing
world. Fanning informed us that Gen. George
Washington was one of the primary movers in
establishing Carlisle Barracks.
Fanning has been highly decorated,
receiving many military awards and
decorations. Among these are the National
Defense Service Medal, Global War on
Terrorism Service Medal, Afghanistan
Campaign Medal, NATO Medal, Army
Commendation Medal, Meritorious Service
Medal, Bronze Star and a Polish Armed Forces
Silver Medal. Many of these awards have been
multiple decorations.
Fanning spoke of the many sacrifices that
men and women of our nation's military
forces -- and their families -- experience,
which unfortunately include the ultimate
sacrifice. He made reference to a soldier
from Mattoon who recently paid this ultimate
price for the defense of our country.
Fanning urged all of us to continue to
respect and support our men and women in
uniform. He was very impressed with the
outpouring of reverence for the deceased
veterans who helped preserve our nation's
freedoms. The Memorial Day service at Mount
Pulaski Cemetery was attended by one of the
largest crowds in recent memory.
The prayers of invocation and benediction
were given by Father Thomas Shaw. Following
tradition, the Memorial Day minister comes
from one of the local churches on a
rotational basis. For the past eight years,
Father Shaw has been the pastor of St.
Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Mount
Pulaski and St. Patrick's Church in nearby
Elkhart. He has also served as chaplain to
the Catholics and others at the men's and
women's state correctional facilities in
nearby Lincoln, which he visits on a weekly
basis -- giving counsel to them and saying
Mass for them.
Shaw will be leaving on June 15. His next
assignment will be in Walnut, Ill., and he
will also pastor the parish in nearby Ohio,
Ill. Mount Pulaskians wish him well in his
next assignments.
One of the speakers was Jim Fuhrer, mayor
of Mount Pulaski. Fuhrer is a member of
Mount Pulaski American Legion SAL Squadron
447. His father, Paul Fuhrer, is a World War
II veteran and former commander of Ryman-Fuiten
Post 447.
Every year, the presentation of flowers
is conducted by all boys and girls in
attendance, who come forward to lay flowers
at the base of the Veterans Memorial. In
addition, veterans conduct their laying of
the wreaths at the base of the memorial. The
wreaths are brought forward by members of
the local American Legion Women's Auxiliary
Unit 447, VFW Women's Auxiliary Unit 777,
Legion Ryman-Fuiten Post 447, VFW Scroggin-Gee
Post 777, SAL Squadron 447, the city of
Mount Pulaski, Boy Scout Troop 122, Girl
Scout Troop 1070 and Cub Scout Pack 122.
Lastly, a wreath is brought forward by the
Volunteer Phoenix Fire Department, which
celebrated its 90th year in 2010.
Assisting with the presentation of
flowers and the laying of the wreaths were
Ralph Beccue and Joe Lucas, both former
commanders of Legion Post 447. Lucas is a
retired lieutenant colonel of the Illinois
National Guard and currently serves as the
chaplain at all of the cemetery and funeral
home military rites for Mount Pulaski.
The honor guard and firing squad
commander is Bob McCue, who is also a former
commander of Post 447. Before him, Loren
Meister spent many years as commander of
this honor guard and firing squad. Meister
was also a former commander of Post 447.
The honor guard and firing squad is made
up of both military veteran posts in Mount
Pulaski -- Legion Post 447 and VFW Post 777
-- along with SAL Squadron 447. Phil Bertoni
is commander of Legion Post 447, Roger Bates
is commander of VFW Post 777, and Michael
Richner is commander of SAL Squadron 447.
The bugler for many years has been and is
today Alan Roos, a former Post 447
commander. Tom Romer has also served as
bugler and is another former Post 447
commander.
Post 447 military rites coordinator is
Wally Kautz, who also serves as post
adjutant. Gini Bertoni, a U.S. Navy veteran,
is the Post 447 finance officer.
Next, thoughtful reflection was given to
our locally deceased veterans -- those who
lived in and around Mount Pulaski at some
time in their lives -- who have died since
the 2010 Memorial Day service. The honor
guard and firing squad performed cemetery
rites for many of these men and women.
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Each year, SAL Squadron 447 conducts a
student patriotic essay contest. This
contest is successful because of the
encouragement and support of the
teachers. Two savings bonds, $100 for an
elementary student and $200 for a high
school student, are awarded by the squadron.
This year's elementary student winner is
an eighth-grader graduating from Mount
Pulaski Grade School, Julia Beccue, who is
the daughter of Jeff and Jeannie Beccue of
Mount Pulaski. The Mount Pulaski High School
winner is Alexandra Conley, daughter of John
and Lisa Conley of Mount Pulaski.
Alexandra's patriotic essay was chosen to be
read on Memorial Day. Since she was away
with her family at a wedding, Kyle
Pryzkopanski member of Boy Scout Troop 122,
volunteered to read her essay, doing his
"good turn" for her.
Following the salute to our fallen
comrades by the honor guard and firing
squad, taps was played beautifully by Roos
-- chilling many despite the 90-degree
temperatures.
The honor guard then dismissed and
re-formed at the local Vonderlieth Living
Center. There, they honored 17 veterans who
no longer can muster at their Memorial Day
cemetery rites. Col. Fanning gave a short
talk and Father Shaw a short prayer of
benediction. Then, in single file,
the honor guard along with Fanning, Shaw and
Legion Commander Bertoni went to each
veteran, shaking
their hand and thanking them for
their service to our country.
The honor guard then re-formed at
Steenbergen Cemetery, south of town, for the
second Memorial Day service. In the chapel
there, over 150 were in audience. The Mount
Pulaski school band played the national
anthem for the flag-raising, which was
performed by VFW Post 777 Commander
Bates. Joe Lucas, president of the
Steenbergen Cemetery Association, was master
of ceremonies. In addition to the prayers by
Shaw and the talk by Fanning, patriotic
music was played on the organ by Laura Lee,
accompanying singer Jennifer Wernsing.
Bertoni read the list of local veterans who
had died since last Memorial Day. As each
deceased veteran's name was read, his or her
branch of service was noted. Outside, the
honor guard and firing squad once again
conducted the salute to fallen comrades,
followed by taps by Roos.
It was announced at the end of both
cemetery services that, this year, the town
of Mount Pulaski is celebrating its 175th
anniversary (1836-2011). In celebration of
the 175th, there was a free luncheon at the
Legion Post 447 Hall. This luncheon was
co-sponsored by the Mount Pulaski 175th
Anniversary Committee, Legion Post 447,
Women's Auxiliary Unit 447 and SAL Squadron
447. Over 175 meals were served. Greg Maus,
leader of Boy Scout Troop 122, said grace
for the first sitting, and Father Shaw said
grace for the second sitting.
Following the luncheon, the Springfield
Vintage Brass Band performed at the
Mount Pulaski Courthouse bandstand. The band
was expertly led by Todd Cranson, a
professor at the University of Illinois
Springfield, who explained each piece and
its place in our mid- to late 1800s American
music repertoire, including several Civil
War-era pieces. Cranson made mention of
Benjamin Henry Grierson, who taught music
and conducted a brass band in Jacksonville
before the Civil War. Cranson had his
Vintage Brass band play one of Grierson's
brass band pieces.
Grierson's collection, some of which is
housed in the Illinois State Archives, is
the earliest collection of brass band music
in the United States, circa 1840. The
Grierson brass band performed in Springfield
during Abraham Lincoln's tenure in the
capital city.
Interestingly, it was in Jacksonville
that Grierson was hand-picked by Gen.
Ulysses S. Grant to lead an important
military mission, which would become known
as Grierson's Raid. This mission encompassed
600 miles in just 16 days -- a daring 1863
expedition through Confederate-held
territory that severed enemy communication
lines between
Vicksburg, Miss., and Confederate
commanders in the
Eastern Theater. Grierson then became a
career officer in the
U.S. Army, becoming a
cavalry general in the volunteer
Union Army during the remainder of the
Civil War. He later led troops in the
American Old West -- organizing and
leading the
Buffalo Soldiers of the
U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment from 1866 to
1888.
[By PHIL BERTONI]
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