In recognition of Patriot Day and 9/11, Plymouth Place Senior Living held a day of honor for its veterans Friday.
The Rotary Club of Western Springs in years past hosted a steak fry on Sept. 11 for hundreds of local veterans, police officers and firefighters. Such a large gathering is not recommended during the pandemic.
Instead Plymouth Place had a luncheon for the 35 or so veterans who live there, with speakers and the singing of the National Anthem. La Grange Park Fire Chief Dean Maggos and Deputy Police Chief John Strezo also were invited guests.
The Western Springs Rotarians watched via video conferencing from village hall.
The featured speakers were Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin and U.S. Air Force veteran James Bull.
Bull, who moved to Plymouth Place with his wife Karin about six years ago, after having a home in La Grange for 50 years, said Plymouth Place officials asked him to share some stories about his military experience and tell some jokes.
Bull said Thanksgiving 1951 in Korea, was the coldest he ever was. He said his Thanksgiving dinner was cold k rations with cold gravy over everything, including the dessert.
He served in military intelligence, maintaining bombing charts and briefing and debriefing pilots, Bull said.
Janet Roman heard about the Korean War from the letters her then friend Edmond Roman wrote her. Roman, who was serving in the Army, was responsible for surveying the enemy’s heavy artillery. It cost him his hearing in one ear, she said.
She was dating another serviceman and barely knew Roman when he was being sent to Korea and asked if he could write to her.
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When he was discharged in 1953, the same week her boyfriend returned from Germany, Janet Roman said she dated both men for several weeks, before telling her mother, “I made my decision.”
“You are looking at him,” Janet said, pointing to Edmond.
The Romans celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary on Friday, as did another couple, Bill and Sue Coates, who also live at Plymouth Place.
Janet Roman’s advice for a long marriage is to have a sense of humor and “don’t sweat the small stuff.”
