Ottawa honors, learns from veterans’ sacrifices

On Monday, a cool, windy fall day at Washington Square Park in Ottawa, the fast-moving breeze was thick with three things: dried leaves of many colors, an abundance of bright sunshine and a substantial amount of love, reverence and gratitude.

The annual Veterans Day ceremony, put on by the Ottawa American Legion Post 33 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2470, consisted of speeches about acts of heroism by those present and others now passed, talks of the civic responsibility of those now free to ensure the veterans’ well-being and the shedding of tears for those remembered.

With La Salle County State’s Attorney and decorated U.S. Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War Joe Navarro acting as master of ceremonies, the program began with the invocation by Pastor Sherri Stevenson of Crossbridge Community Church.

That was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the rendering of the “Star Spangled Banner” and “America The Beautiful” by Lloyd Chapman.

Ottawa Mayor Robb Hasty, the guest speaker, spoke of Veterans Day being a time of appreciation for the sacrifices that had been made, but also a time to learn from the experiences of those resilient veterans.

“Veterans, you have lived through moments of great hardship, moments that tested your strength and character,” Hasty said. “You have experienced suffering, yet you have also shown us the power of resilience and determination. You have faced moments of fear, so you have also taught us what it means to be courageous, not just in battle, but in life itself.

“Today, we honor not only your service, but the lessons you bring back to us.”

Keynote speaker Hank Roe, a Marseilles American Legion post historian who served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1963, related the story of two veterans from that city, World War II veteran Charles Sapp and his son, Vietnam veteran Jon Sapp.

Charles Sapp, a natural flyer who flew the powerful Republic P-47 Thunderbolt Fighter and the North American P-51 Mustang in the Pacific theater during WWII, remained in the service after the war as part of the new U.S. Air Force Reserve before retiring in the 1950s.

Jon Sapp, an Ottawa High School graduate, idolized his father and his wartime exploits to the point that he too enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam. Tragically, his squad was lured into a North Vietnamese trap near Cambodia and was killed. There is now a segment of Marseilles Main Street named in his honor.

The ceremony later closed with veteran Gary Wood performing a version of taps.