PATRIOTIC PEORIA, ILLINOIS

                                PATRIOTIC  PEORIA, ILLINOIS

                                        NORMAN   V.  KELLY

There is a small article in this issue of American Sports Outdoors about the Veterans Parade occurring in Downtown Peoria on November 11, 2014.  I hope I see you there.  It got me thinking about that very special day and just how patriotic this city really was.  We had evidence of that pride way back in the Blackhawk War when the Illinois Militia was called out our men in Peoria responded. The Spanish American War brought the same result and in fact the only naval death during the siege of the Cuban Bay was a Peorian named George Ellis.  World War 1 was a perfect example as this city got behind that war and its Doughboys sending over 5,000 of our young men off “To Fight The Hun.”

 

I was here to see my three brothers go off to serve their county, along with just over 20,000 men and women from Peoria, Illinois when WW11 broke out. Peoria was a great liberty town during that war and our war factories produced way beyond what they were asked to do. I was among the next generation that went off to answer our country’s call during the Korean War, or conflict or police action, whatever the hell the politicians called it. The tragedy of the Vietnam War and the terrible loss Peoria parents felt because of that war.  And…so it continued to the Gulf Wars and through out history we felt the sacrifices, lost our young people but maintained our patriotic spirit  through  out it all.

 

Peoria did not have a WW1 Memorial, the truth is there is one located in the city now, but then it was Averyville.  The park district went through the expense of dismantling that memorial and restoring it.  It shines now in all of its magnificent white glory there at the lower entrance to Grand View Drive.  The only catch was it had the Averyville men on it, and of course none of ‘ours.’    In the ten wards that were located politically across the city there were several memorials for public viewing which listed the men that died in that particular ward.  Today we have two marvelous monuments listing those that died in the city and out in our county.  They remind us that 662 Peorians died in WW11, and 211 died during WW1.  Over near Main Street is the Civil War Monument dedicated by President McKinley in 1899 and a massive crowd attended including nearly 30,000 Civil War Vets.  In 1866 the first Civil War monument was dedicated and placed within the Courthouse square.  I am not certain of this figure because I did not count them but I was told there are 505 names on that granite site from 1899.  Peorians called that tall, narrow monument with the Eagle on top ‘The Shaft.’  Robert Ingersoll was the chief speaker and we also had General ‘Blackjack’ Pershing leading that massive parade.  The county destroyed that monument with a promise to reconstruct it but that never happened.  Last time I saw it… it was laying in shambles out at the Detweiller Marina.

 

Just west of the WW1 and WW11 monuments will be the new monument honoring not only our heroes that died during the Korean War, but Vietnam as well.  I think in all there will be 106 names on that memorial.   The current ‘memorial’ within the courthouse for Korea lists 52 men killed and the Vietnam lists include 54 deaths. Of course you should participate in the endeavor to bring that memorial to the courthouse by purchasing a brick with your own personal heroes’ name imprinted on it:  Call the clerk’s office.

 

I know for sure that there are people in our town that think Memorial Day and Veterans Day are somehow the same day.  I hope we all know that Memorial Day is designated the day America honors the men and women that died while serving their country.  Veterans Day is the day we honor all U.S. Military Veterans.

 

WW1 ended on the 11^th hour, 11^th day of the 11^th month of 1918 and was called Armistice Day.  From what I read it was soon forgotten or so it would seem. On May 13, 1938 a Congressional Act made the 11^th of November “A day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be there after celebrated as Armistice Day.”  I can remember some rousing, gigantic Armistice Day parades in town and thousands of Peorians including me would not have even thought about missing one.

 

Now we call this day Veterans Day and it makes sense because the truth is Armistice Day referred to the end of WW1. Now we celebrate and honor all veterans of all our wars and conflicts.  It all seems more fitting to me. Congress amended all the Acts concerning this day on June 1, 1954, replacing ‘Armistice” with the word “Veterans.” Truth is they even moved the date, but why talk about that now?

 

I attend most of these memorials including the one for the police and firemen. I feel sad…hell…embarrassed that so many Peorians do not have a moment to come and show their respect for all these brave souls that have defended America over the years.  That’s why I mentioned the Veterans Parade on 11-11-2014 in downtown Peoria at ten in the morning.  You should make it your business to be there.

 

Editor’s Note:  Norm is a true crime writer and local historian and monthly contributor to ASO.     norman.kelly@sbcglobal.net