Who will be next? Only time will tell

As we drive through our local parks we marvel at the trees and set-aside prairie. We might even get a glimpse of a turkey or deer. But this was the reality of our first area settlers, nearly 200 years ago. Nothing but nature!

The documented lives of pioneers Henry Little of Kewanee, George Bowen of Neponset and John Wood of Macon township are well known. Their faith in a better life, determination and sometimes good luck makes their stories a rich part of our local history. Their stories and two cabins have been carefully preserved by later generations. They must be the first Greatest Generation. But wait! Their children stepped up to a special challenge of an epic Civil War.

A 160 years ago, folks from Macon township, Ill. or Macon, Ga. put up their lives for what they thought was right. A local genealogical society member, Pat Hurd, recently shared a story of her great, great grandfather. Corporal Harrison Loop served with the 6th Michigan Cavalry and fought at Gettysburg, Pa. in 1863. Her focus, however, was his written account of the 50th Reunion held at the Gettysburg battlefield.

In 1913, he traveled by train and camped on the former battlefield, now a National Park. He joined about 53,000 former soldiers now in their 70s. Both north and south, both blue and grey, who 50 years earlier were determined to kill each other with rifle and bayonet. That day these old men came together as Americans, embraced their former enemies, determined to show everyone the time has come to unite as one country. Their past is remembered and respected by 1328 statues, monuments and plaques honoring both sides. President Woodrow Wilson’s reunion address summarized the spirit, “We have found one another again as brothers and comrades in arms, enemies no longer, generous friends rather, our battles long past, the quarrel forgotten — except that we shall not forget the splendid valor.” This must be the Greatest Generation!

But wait! In the 1940s our country was engaged in an epic World War. Our military was mobilized, our industries were mobilized 80 years ago. But more important our entire culture was focused on victory. Whether in North Africa, Europe or the Pacific, right and wrong was obvious and values became something to die for. In Kewanee, factories were working 12-hour shifts to produce war material. Major products included artillery shells from Walworth Co. and Machinery & Conveyor, bomb fins from Kewanee Manufacturing, military trailers from Martin Company (later Hyster) and mines at the Boiler Company.

Mrs. VanCoutren was honored in 1944 as the National “Mother of the Year” by the Mothers’ Day Commemorative League of America. Mr. and Mrs. Leo VanCoutren flew 12 service flags as three daughters and nine sons served their country in uniform. Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Peterson sent seven sons into the service. Six returned. Leslie Peterson was among the 88 Kewanee area residents killed in World War II. Their past is remembered and respected by the stories and statues.

And this Greatest Generation’s grit lives on. In 2000, a group of Navy veterans were determined to locate, refurbish and return a WW II LST (landing ship, Tank- 330 foot, 5410 ton displacement) to the U.S. They located a tired LST 325 in Greece and with minimum help from the Federal government made the ship seaworthy. It took months! They did get 500,000 gallons of diesel fuel donated by BP Oil Co. A 65-man volunteer crew, average age 72 made the 6,500-mile ocean trip in three weeks. Every man did his duty, and then some. A normal war time crew is 170. It was winter and Atlantic storms took their toll. The starboard engine failed, the steering failed and many 60-year-old welds cracked. The crew called the storm events “rock and roll.” They limped into Mobile, Ala. on one engine and the fuel gauge on empty. One man died of a heart attack, and one died of Stage 4 cancer three weeks later. They died believing in a mission.

In 2013, an Honor Flight of WWII vets from Mississippi were in Washington DC to see the sites. Top on their list was their new WWII memorial. But in 2013, the Democrats and Republicans were fussing over the budget. President Obama declared a government shutdown and closed all 401 National parks and memorials. These 80-year-old vets, who once had stormed the beaches of Normandy and Iwo Jima, took charge. They pushed down Obama’s barricades and enjoyed THEIR monument. It is difficult, from our contemporary perspective, to understand the passion that inspired these men in battle and in the sunset of their lives. This must be the Greatest Generation!

Time will determine the next Greatest Generation. No one else will. I’m pretty sure it won’t be the folks that insist there are more than two sexes. Or denies that the earth warms and cools in 10,000-year cycles. Or that thinks euthanizing 100,000 babies a year is acceptable and then pass laws to protect the butterflies in the same year (1974). How can a generation accept tearing down statues and changing school names of former presidents Lincoln, Grant and Jackson as progress? If you read their biographies, you won’t. It was by the grace of God these men stepped into our history. We now chose to replace those statues with an individual that was arrested several times for drug and theft charges and spent months in jail. Then spent five years in prison for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. As the father of five children from several relationships, he said he had bills to pay. We have permitted our society to cancel Dr. Seuss and Tom Sawyer and be replaced by critical race theories (CRT). Much of all this is reactionary, not enlightened. But as a society, it appears we accept and follow like sheep people. We are the generation following these three Greatest Generations. Why can’t we value their sacrifices and celebrate their struggles — learn from their lives and share their wonderful examples with our youth?

The next Greatest Generation will also unite for a common purpose, drive toward a common goal and will offer their lives to attain an ideal. Personal sacrifice will be the norm. I’m sure it will seem apocalyptic, as it did to all greatest generations.

LtCol Dick Wells (retired) has an undergrad degree and two master’s degrees. He served 28 years in the military, retiring in 1998. This article is dedicated to his father Richard Wells, Sr. He served on LSM 417 as Chief Petty Officer during WWII. This is article 7 of a 10-part series. Wells’ next focus will be on local underground railroad and pioneer religion.