
The history of the
Lemont 22 Honor VFW Post 5819
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
The Honor 22
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
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
PFC Sylvester M. Strzelecki
U.S. Army Infantry
November 12, 1941
Died in Service of his country
Post-WWII
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