The sun shone brightly on Sunday afternoon as it illuminated the DuPage County Veterans’ Memorial. This significant sundial stands as a reminder of military sacrifices throughout history. The feeling of grief is timeless for the families of 26 county residents who died serving in the military, starting with the Black Hawk War in 1832. Many were under 30 years old at the time of their deaths.
U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Nicholas Larson was one such individual. After his 2003 high school graduation, he joined the military to fight in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He died in the assault on Fallujah on November 9, 2004, at the age of 19. “You expect to lose parents and grandparents, but losing a child is brutal,” said his father, Dave Larson, who attended a Memorial Day observance with his wife.
From Dave Larson’s neck hung a necklace with his son’s photo, capturing his quirky smile. “I saw his peers getting married and having children,” he shared, standing among the white steel crosses arranged in tribute.
Among the 26 crosses was that of Navy Commander Dan Shanower from Naperville, killed in the 9/11 Pentagon attack. Others died during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
“You see enough, and you hope to see the end,” said Dave Larson regarding the ongoing U.S.-Israel actions in Iran. This conflict has claimed lives in Iran, Lebanon, and among U.S. soldiers.
During Sunday’s ceremony, Gold Star families gathered by flagpoles hoisting the U.S., Illinois, DuPage County, and POW/MIA flags. Captain Anthony Catella of the U.S. Veteran Reserve Corps spoke, drawing inspiration from Johnny Cash, John Wayne, and President John F. Kennedy.
“Since this country’s founding, each generation has fought for freedom,” Catella said. “The enduring question remains: ‘Why does America march?'” He referenced conflicts from 1775 to the present.
“Mission accomplished. But not fully,” Catella continued. “History shows the struggle for peace and freedom is unending.” After a weapons salute, bagpipes played “Amazing Grace,” and the memorial raised the Gold Star service flag.
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