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The history of the

Lemont 22 Honor VFW Post 5819

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VFW Post 5819 was commissioned in February of 1946 in memory of the 22 men from Lemont who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country during WWII known as the Honor 22.  Their pictures and epitaph are proudly displayed on our Heroes Honor Wall in the VFW Post 5819 Hall.  Post 5819 membership had been 200 + but over the years has leveled off to 164.  We have members who have served from WWII through Afghanistan and Iraq. Post 5819 has enjoyed 100% membership dues participation​ for the last seven years.

Important dates.

Pearl Harbor Attacked - 7 December 1941

Germany Declares War on the United States - 11 December 1941

First U.S. Troops Enters WWII in North Africa - 7 November 1942

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The Honor 22

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Able Seaman Cyril F. Kabat                         Able Seaman John B. Ferry

U.S. Merchant Marines                                U.S. Merchant Marines

KIA - February 28, 1942                               KIA - February 28, 1942

Torpedoed - German U-Boat                        Torpedoed - German U-Boat

Fireman Samuel L. Jeffery                           PFC Raymond V. Chmielewski        

U.S. Merchant Marines                                U.S. Army Infantry

KIA – March 15, 1942                                  KIA – June 26, 1942

Torpedoed - German U-Boat                        Corrigedor

PFC Gilbert J. Endecavageh                        CPL Arthur E. Zielke

U.S Army Infantry                                         Infantry - 101 Air Borne Div.

KIA – May 11, 1943                                      November 24, 1943

Aleutian Campaign                                       European Theater 

 PFC Felix M. Kendzora                               SGT Frank E. Boula

 U.S. Army Infantry                                       U.S. Army Air Force

 KIA – December 9, 1943                             February 10, 1944

 Italian Campaign                                         European Theater  ​

 PFC Gilbert E. Sigman                                PFC Leonard J. Ekkert

 U.S. Army Air Force                                    U.S. Army Infantry

 June 24, 1944                                             KIA – July 12, 1944                                                                             Battle of the Bulge                                       Normandy

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PFC Raymond G. Kulpinski                         PFC Raymond V. Wankowski

U.S. Army Infantry                                       U.S. Army Infantry

KIA – July 14, 1944                                      KIA – August 9, 1944

Normandy                                                     Normandy 

PFC Emanuel V. Labicki                              PVT Homer F. Wheeler

U.S. Army Infantry                                       U.S. Army Infantry

KIA – September 10, 1944                          KIA – September 26, 1944

Normandy                                                    Italian Campaign

PVT Lawrence C. Heinz                              Coxswain John Donahue

U.S. Army Infantry                                       U.S. Navy

December 14, 1944                                     KIA – December 15, 1944

Normandy Ardennes                                   Philippine Invasion

PFC Donald G. Burnson                             PFC Stanley S. Wesolowoski

U.S. Army Infantry                                      U.S. Army 14th Armored Div.

KIA - January 18, 1945                               KIA – February 15, 1945       

Battle of the Bulge                                      Normandy

PFC Ralph J. Bahnick                                PFC Joseph W. Rogalski

U.S. Army Infantry                                      U.S. Army Infantry

KIA – February 17, 1945                            KIA – February 28, 1945

Philippine Invasion                                     Philippine Invasion

CPL Walter W. Kollman                              PFC Robert K. Bumber

U.S. Army Mech. Cavalry                           U.S. Marines Corps

KIA – March 10, 1945                                 KIA – May 24, 1945

Died in Service of his country                     Okinawa

Other Lemont Residents on the Honor Wall

Pre-WWII​

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PFC Sylvester M. Strzelecki

U.S. Army Infantry

November 12, 1941

Died in Service of his country

Post-WWII

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PFC Andrew R. Jakusz, Jr.                   Seaman 1st Class Ignatius T. Martinez

U.S. Marine Corp.                                 U.S. Navy Air Force

KIA – September 22, 1950                    KIA – June 15, 1951

Korean Campaign                                 Korean Campaign

PFC Richard C. Leffier                          CPL Elmer B. Olinger

U.S. Army Infantry                                 U.S. Army Infantry

KIA – September 12, 1951                    KIA – June 2, 1953

Korea Heartbreak Ridge                        Korean Campaign

SPC Tom Habada                                   SPC Gregory Allen Muszalski

U.S. Army Infantry                                         U.S. Army - 525 MI GRP

KIA – November 30, 1969                      Died in the service of his country

Vietnam                                                   Vietnam - February 5, 1968