Photos: Hometown Heroes in DuPage and Cook Counties, our 2023 salute to veterans

Downers Grove resident Charles Derer served in Vietnam where he led an infantry squad that conducted recon and ambush patrols. After discharge, he finished college and taught a basic art course at College of DuPage. While there, he and his boss at COD proposed a light sculpture at Fermilab. It was a mile high and made of light beams created by carbon arc searchlights. It was there for only one evening. This light sculpture was inspired by his Army experience. (Sandy Bressner)