Twenty-five years after dedicating Veterans Park, Naperville residents gathered there Tuesday to honor those who have served.
“We must not and we will not forget those veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice so that our nation’s ideals, freedoms could be protected and way of life enjoyed by all,” chaplain Richard Komarek said.
The annual Veterans Day ceremony included music from the Naperville Municipal Band as well as a moment of silence in remembrance of the armistice signed on Nov. 11, 1918, to end World War I.
Lee Lindberg, commander of American Legion Post 43, also called for special recognition of World War II veterans on Tuesday in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down.
“During World War II, thousands of American men and women helped conquer the Nazis and thereby convert Germany and much of Europe back into a free society,” Lindberg said. “But soon they erected that wall. The wall lasted for 28 years, but freedom prevailed and demanded the demolition of that wall.”
Komarek urged the group to pray for those still serving.
“Veterans Day also reminds us to continue to pray for our brave veterans’ safety as they are called upon to answer new threats to those who are dying for practicing their faith, a new savage and cowardly enemy who directs acts of evil and violence towards innocent women and young children,” he said.
The families of those serving in the military also deserve support, said Bob Bronson, commander of Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873.
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“We can’t forget every time someone puts on a uniform and goes off to serve, others serve with them. namely, the families,” Bronson said. “We have countless number of families here in Naperville that have seen their sons, daughters, spouses go off to war. Some have not come back.”
In addition to attending the ceremony, veterans from the area were scheduled to visit schools to speak to students about their experiences.
“We need to keep that history going and we need to make sure they understand these veterans have been in the service because they want us to live in a free country,” said Mayor George Pradel, a former Marine. “And so far it’s been a free country because of them.”