Oak Park in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Gold Star Men of the World War

Photographed By Sean Flynn, August 7, 2023

1. Gold Star Men of the World War Marker

Inscription.
Walter C. Adams, 131st Inf. • Charles A. Gardiner, O.M. Corps • Frank J. Barnard, Med. Corps • Frank A. Howe, 28th Inf. • Elray A. Blake, M.T. Corps • Howard W. Jauch, 131st Inf. • Walter E. Capps, 6th Marines • Tom P. Kester, Engineers • Hedley H. Cooper, Y.M.C.A. • Albert H. Mayo, 123d F.A. • John H. Cranmer, S.A.T.C. • Theron Pardee, Engineers • Charles E. DeLacy, U.S. Navy • Eli H. Schultz, 131st Inf. • Gunnar K. Flodin, U.S. Navy • David A. Taggart, 5th Marines • Hazen A. Vaughan, 6th Marines

Erected 1921 by Women's Auxiliary of the American Legion.

Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World I.

Location. 41° 52.617′ N, 87° 47.054′ W. Marker is in Oak Park, Illinois, in Cook County. Memorial is on Ridgeland Avenue, 0.1 miles north of Jackson Boulevard, on the right when traveling north. This marker is on the western edge of Longfellow Park, not far from the playing fields. It is along the Ridgeland Avenue sidewalk about halfway between Jackson Boulevard and the entrance to the Longfellow Center building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 610 South Ridgeland, Oak Park IL 60304, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (within shouting distance of this marker); Longfellow Mosaics

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(approx. ¼ mile away); Staff Sergeant John Thomas Brennan (approx. 0.3 miles away); Oak Park (approx. 0.4 miles away); Oak Park Conservatory (approx. half a mile away); Austin VFW Post 2955 War Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); American Elm (Memorial to George Washington) (approx. ¾ mile away); Oak Park Spanish-American War Memorial (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oak Park.

More about this marker. The marker shows a fair amount of wear; some of the names are hard to read.

This marker is one of at least five similar monuments dedicated to "Gold Star Men of the World War" that can be found in neighborhood parks in Oak Park. The memorials were dedicated on November 11, 1921, along with individual elm trees that were planted for each of the men listed.

Regarding Gold Star Men of the World War. Two of the men included on this plaque are not included among Oak Park's war dead on the Peace Triumphant statue, located in the center of the village in Scoville Park: Charles DeLacy and Eli Schultz.

In

Gold Star Men of the World War Marker and Longfellow Center in the background image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Sean Flynn, August 7, 2023

2. Gold Star Men of the World War Marker and Longfellow Center in the background

addition to appearing on this plaque and on Peace Triumphant, Hedley Cooper is also honored with a plaque in Riverside, Illinois, about 5 miles southwest of this spot. He was the rector of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, about one-third of a mile west of here, and his father was pastor of St. Paul’s Episcopal in Riverside. He is believed to be the first American clergyman to die in World War I.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Gold Star Men of the World War image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Sean Flynn, August 7, 2023

3. Gold Star Men of the World War

Credits. This page was last revised on April 29, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 7, 2023, by Sean Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 65 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 7, 2023, by Sean Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.