Just 16 World War II vets remain in Tazewell County. Meet them this Memorial Day

Mike Kramer, Peoria Journal Star

How few remain.

Tazewell County has just 16 surviving veterans of World War II, with ages ranging from 95 to 106. One day, their voices will be silenced. But greater Peoria area residents have a chance to hear them at a Memorial Day event.

Morton High School will host a World War II Veteran Appreciation Event, scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday at the Bertha Frank Performing Arts Theater. The event is held in conjunction with the Tazewell County Clerk and Recorder of Deeds Office and the Tazewell County Veterans Assistance Commission.

Peoria restaurants: This new Washington cafe honors veterans from a unique location

“We’re one of the largest counties in Illinois, and we only have 16 World War II vets left,” said John Ackerman, the Tazewell County Clerk and Recorder of Deeds. “I believe there are counties in Illinois who don’t have any left. It would be a shame if the voices of our World War II vets were silenced forever, and nobody within the community noticed.”

Ackerman said 15 of the 16 World War II veterans are scheduled to attend and share their stories with the audience. At the end of the event, area residents will be invited to show their appreciation for the “Greatest Generation's” service.

“At one time, we had 16.2 million World War II veterans nationwide,” said Steve Saal, the superintendent of the Tazewell County Veterans Assistance Commission. “We’re down to less than 80,000. The Greatest Generation isn’t going to be around much longer, but the people at the event will have a chance to hear from them firsthand.”

Ackerman said the veterans will receive letters of thanks from various civic organizations and lawmakers. The mayors of the veterans’ respective communities will be on hand to read proclamations honoring them.

Eight of Tazewell County’s surviving World War II veterans are from Pekin. Three more are from Hopedale, while Washington boasts two more. The remaining three are from Morton, Tremont and Green Valley.

Peoria real estate: How the village of Morton became a destination for upscale home buyers

Tazewell County’s surviving World War II veterans

  • Robert Hacker, 95, Pekin

  • Carl Harris, 95, Pekin

  • Louis Steger, 95, Pekin

  • Raymond Bianchi, 96, Pekin

  • Allen Gale, 96, Pekin

  • Robert Lake, 96, Morton

  • Wendell Polson, 96, Hopedale

  • Walter McCabe, 97, Pekin

  • Ben Maurer, 99, Hopedale

  • Stuart Ruch, 99, Hopedale

  • William Waddell, 99, Pekin

  • Max Tessier, 100, Washington

  • William Elliot, 101, Tremont

  • James Johnson, 101, Pekin

  • Arthur Reynolds, 101, Washington

  • Richard Lohnes, 106, Green Valley

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: World War II veterans gather, speak at Memorial Day event in Morton

Advertisement