Danville in Vermilion County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
World War II Memorial
Vermilion County, Illinois
Upper - Center Panel
Lower - Center Panel
Nor deadly bombs go screaming down;
another river, now, the Rhine,
and Tokyo another town.
The bayonet now safely sheathed
that glinted once at Kasserine;
in Normandy are softly wreathed
shell-shattered trees in garlands green.
The V-2 bombs no longer fly
Nor air raid sirens blast the air.
No Mitsubishis take the sky
and Mars is driven to his lair.
A million Mothers kneel to pray,
a million lights gleam ever bright
to rival dawning of the day
that ends the long and hideous night.
But while the World gives happy voice
to bursting hearts Oerflowing. Yet
give pause awhile as we rejoice,
And soulfully pray. Lest we forget:
A ship once known as Reuben James.
The ammunition and the prayer:
Pearl Harbor, Wake, and other names.
Like Kelly, Wainwright, and OHare:
Manila and the March of Death
that crowned Carregidor. Bataan:
the Indies. And the fevered breath
of Burma jungles. And the man
who, when the days were dark,
spoke the words, “I Shall Return !”
Feeding tinder to the spark
that saw all Asia swiftly burn.
Midway, Tarawa, and Guam.
New Guinea and the Bismarck Sea:
Saipan, the Marshalls and the calm
Marines who paid a dreadful fee
For blood-soaked grains of sand.
Whose epitaph was well begun
“The situation is ... in hand !”
To thus eclipse the rising sun.
The sailors who won deathless fame.
Atlantic, Arctic, Solomons.
and helped enscroll each famous name
Like Nimitz, Halsey, and the ones
Who rest in countless ocean graves
far from the soil that gave them birth.
Their Requiem the ceaseless waves
that buffet all the shores of Earth.
The airmen, masters of the blue.
Doolittle, Spaatz - - and Richard Bong,
whose wings reshaped the World anew
with deeds for legend and for song.
The doughfoot slogging through the mud
of France and Luzon, mile on mile,
giving his tears and sweat and blood.
Chronicled by a man named Pyle. . .
Old Glory flies Oer Iwos Peak
and floats above each ocean deep.
Eternal Peace. The Nations seek:
Americans Neath Crosses Sleep !
Bob Wright
September 19, 1945
Names of Vermilion County's fallen heroes of World War II follow on several panels
Outer - Left Panel
- - Column One - -
Homer H. Abbott David R. Allen Donald H. Anderson Robert W. Anderson Samuel W. Anderson Herman F. Antonini Anthone Ark Jack W. Ashbo Earl W. Ashcraft Justin C. Attutis Frank Baer Floyd D. Bailey *Kenneth D. Bailey Charles Barker, Jr. Lewis E. Barrick Paul E. Bartley William C. Baumgart Lowell R. Bennett Peter Bessarab Mario L. Biava Arthur W. Birchfield Clyde J. Blair Jerome G. Bohland Billy J. Bradfield W. Lyman Brandenburg Wilbur L. Brewer Russell A. Brown Glen L. Burner Alvin G. Burr William H. Bush Raymond Butler Dewey F. Butterworth William H. Byram Howard E. Callaway Frank L. Calvert Glen Carder Eugene C. Carlson Donald Carpenter Ralph R. Carpenter Billie E. Carrigan Charles V. Carter Harold R. Casner Leo C. Cebulski Charles E. Chandler Walter R. Chandler
*Medal of Honor (Posthumous)
- - Column Two - -
Robert B. Chapman Donald J. Cheffer William E. Cherry Wilbur K. Chester Glen D. Chew Cecil R. Childs James V. Chittick George E. Cisco Joseph E. Clark William T. Clearwater John B. Clodfelder William O. Coe Orville A. Colby Francis X. Collignon Clifford J. Collins William E. Colvin George R. Connor Rufus G. Cook Stephen W. Cope Jack T. Corley Donald G. Cornell Robert L. Cory George P. Cosgrove Ralph W. Cox Raymond N. Cox Wilbur G. Cox R. D. Crawford Harry Cronkhite William R. Crooks George E. Crowder Harold E. Crowder Charles N. Cummins Ben Davis Paul G. Davis Owen L. Day Robert L. Day Achille Delanois Harold F. Delanois Archie Delay, Jr. Eugene W. Demlow Jack V. Dengler Clay Devins Virgil E. Devoss Frank H. Dickson Everett Dietrich
Inner - Left Panel
- - Column One - -
Richard E. Doggett William J. Dolan Clarence E. Donaldson William F. Donnell Rezin J. Dougherty Richard D. Dowiatt Richard I. Downey Burton Downing Charles M. Downs John I. Driver William J. Dukes George I. Dyar Dean P. Edgington John T. Edwards, Jr. Walter O. Edwards William P. Edwards Robert R. Egnew Wilbert R. Elder Clarence J. Elliott Jack D. Elliott Eldon E. Emory John M. Endzelis Wendell A. Erskine Ernest M. Falls Theodore V. Filicsky Carl W. Fliermans Herman J. Foehrer Lowell H. Ford Donald W. Forein John H. Foulk George Fowler Kenneth D. Franklin Harry C. Fredericks, Jr. E. O. Friese George H. Gardner, Jr. James Geades Billy J. Gerkin Thomas Gibson Eugene E. Gilbreath Ferris R. Gillen Charles M. Glaze Emil C. Golubic Roger A. Gooch Donald V. Gooden Lewis Gray
- - Column Two - -
Ralph E. Gray William Gray Russell M. Green Raymond R. Greene James L. Griffin Manfred C. Grimes Robert D. Griner Joseph E. Gritton Mack J. Groner Lewis E. Grubb, Jr. Alfred B. Guadagna Harry C. Guiltner Gene A. Guthrie Russell Guthrie Raymond R. Haas Wesley C. Hall William A. Hardesty Max C. Harry Roy Hayes Newton J. Heaton Everett L. Henderson John E. Hendrick Amasa J. Hendricks Carl C. Hendricks W. C. Hendrickson Harvey J. Henry Robert W. Hess Ronald W. Hiatt Marion O. Hickman Raymond C. Hill Thurman G. Hill Clyde D. Hillery John G. Holstine Victor E. Howard Ernest B. Howell Ernest Hubner George M. Huckstadt Kenneth D. Huffman Robert S. Huffman Homer G. Hughes Wilbur Hughes Robert D. Hunt Marion Hurst Gene Huskinsson Samuel Huskinsson
Inner - Right Panel
- - Column One - -
Gerald D. Ingle Leslie Irvin Robert L. Jinkins Franklyn R. Johnson, Jr. Harry M. Johnson Horace A. Johnson Howard V. Johnson Robert Johnson Woodrow C. Johnson Roger E. M. Jones Robert K. Jones Edward J. Jonikas George R. Jordan Charles Kaneen Kenneth L. Keller Henry P. Kerkes Robert E. Kerns Maxie E. Kessler Henry W. Ketzle Joseph R. Kietzman Carl H. Kilbury John V. Klacik Ralph G. Knight Joseph Kotcher Eugene E. Kuehner Harold L. Lackey Pete Laitas Charles A. Lane Thomas E. Lane, Jr. Norman H. Larrance Leroy S. Law Robert Lawrence Henry E. Lee Norwood Lee Reed A. Lewis Robert G. Liggett Donald R. Lucas Robert E. Lucas Roy J. Macklin, Jr. Fred Malo Howard D. Marshall Daniel L. Martin George K. Martin Ralph A. Martin Ralph I. Martin
- - Column Two - -
Jerome Mattingly Donald E. Mattocks Wayne V. Mauck Alexander Mazeikas Leo W. McCoy Norman R. McDaniel Donald O. McKee Richard W. McLain Harry N. McLaughlin Ernest L. McNeese Kenneth W. McVicker Frank L. Mead Herbert Menestrina Daniel H. Metcalf Leon H. Miller Julian G. Mitchell Ernest W. Moore Mitchell Moore Ambrose D. Morgan Herman M. Morris Paul Morris Russel Moser Ralph Mount, Jr. Herschel Mullins Frederick E. Murray Charles E. Nix Wayne M. Noblitt William P. Nolan John Nowling William H. Offutt Lambert L. Olson Perry Lee Olson Harold R. Oyler, Jr. Robert L. Palmer George H. Parrish Horace Payne Robert F. Phillips Eugene Pickett John H. Pitcock Amos H. Poland Harold H. Poland Charles E. Ponder Robert C. Potter Louis Poullos Robert B. Powell
Outer - Right Panel
- - Column One - -
William V. Powell Robert W. Pribble Harry D. Proffitt James L. Pruitt Fred A. Pugh Charles W. Quigle Otis E. Randall David F. Reagan Ralph P. Regan Lawrence E. Reitz John Revello Albert C. Reynolds Francis J. Reynolds Daniel J. Ribbe Anthony P. Ringus Ralph Ritter Todd Roberts Carl N. Rogers Paul W. Rogers Frank Rojas Robert J. Rothwell Charles F. Russell Frank E. Sallee Carl V. Schermerhorn David L. Scott Harold R. Scott Ralph J. Seianas William D. Sells Charles C. Shaffer Deloss H. Shambis Scott J. Shank Glen D. Sharp Robert Shea William Shelato Harvey M. Shields William Silverman, Jr. Orville B. Singleton Richard M. Small Harry L. Smith Milton H. Smith Freddie T. Snodgrass Phil Snyder Robert F. Songer Russell F. Sprouls Robert Stamey
- - Column Two - -
Robert G. Stamos George E. Stark Harlan F. Steele Archie L. Stice, Jr. Curtis L. Stine William Strainis William H. Swisher Richard C. Syers Alfred B. Talbott Thomas G. Tate Max A. Tevebaugh Eugene F. Tillotson James O. Thomas Ralph L. Thomas Jarrel F. Tuttle Homer E. Utterback Charles J. Valesky Marvin W. Van Dorn Harry E. Van Tuyle, Jr. Jack B. Vanzandt Berah T. Vibbeart Billy C. Virgin Curtis N. W. Vogt Charles S. Voyles William J. Walter Robert A. Ward Wilbert C. Waterstredt William R. Watters Frank E. Waymire Preston Weathers George D. Weaver Thomas Wiant Charles E. Williams Charles E. Williams, Jr. George Williamson, Jr. Forrest L. Wimsett Alfred Wise Ethan A. Wise Raymond C. Withers Lamoine D. Yager Edward J. Yarusinsky John C. Youhas John W. Zander William E. Zimmerman Robert Zorns
Dedicated December 7, 1991
(50th Anniversary of the Pearl Harbor Bombing)
Erected 1991 by Vermilion County.
Topics. This historical marker and memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World II. A significant historical month for this entry is September 2001.
Location. 40° 7.912′ N, 87° 37.733′ W. Marker is in Danville, Illinois, in Vermilion County. Marker is on North Hazel Street south of Cherry Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Danville IL 61832, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Workers Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Major Kenneth D. Bailey (within shouting distance of this marker); Vermilion County Korean and Vietnam War Memorial (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Two Trees Reach for Heaven (about 400 feet away); Women's War Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); American Revolutionary War Memorial (approx. Ό mile away); Lindley Sign Post Forest (approx. Ό mile away); The Temple / Danville USA (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Danville.
Additional commentary.
1. Oda Don Huffman is missing from the WWII inscriptions
Oda Don Huffman (US Navy,WWII)--his name is missing from the World War II memorial. He fought in the South Pacific throughout WWII and was stationed in China after the war (Tsingtao).
— Submitted August 27, 2012, by Kathleen Huffman Christensen of Baldwin Park, California.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on August 22, 2008, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. This page has been viewed 5,377 times since then and 17 times this year. Last updated on August 25, 2008, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on August 22, 2008, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.