Memorial Day 2022  at the LZ Peace Memorial.

Thank you to all who came out to honor all America's fallen heroes. You helped us honor Col. Monty Piercefield, a veteran of three wars. I've never see so many medals on one person before. His son flew in from Texas to attend the ceremony with his dad. Our other honored guest was Capt. Jason Church, an Army Ranger, who at the age of 20, lost both of his legs below the knee from an IED explosion while serving our country in Afghanistan. Two very remarkable men. One in his 90's and one in his 30's. Thank you Col. Piercefield and Capt. Church for sharing with us ,and especially for your bravery and service to your country. God bless these true American heroes and all of our members of the military who have given us the freedoms we continue to enjoy. Below are links to over 200 pictures from this ceremony and the 4x6 photo Remembrance cards.

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Here's another link to the 287 photos we took of Memorial Day 2022 at the LZ Peace Memorial.

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Here's a link to the Rememberance 4x6 cards we gave on Memorial Day. Download if you want.

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UPDATED, Thursday morning, April 7, 2022.  Here's the link to Bob Theroux's obituary at Honquest Funeral Home. I put up some pictures.

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This is from Darrell and Linda Gilgan of Vietnam2Now.   We regret to inform you of the passing of our Chaplain, Pastor Bob Theroux, this morning, March 21, 2022. He passed peacefully, supported by his loving family. He was a patient at St. Anthony Hospital in Rockford IL, being treated for congestive heart failure.

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Bob's daughter Laura says the family will be making plans for a Memorial Service in late April or early May. We so appreciate her encouraging visits from his friends and fellow veterans during his final days, to say our goodbyes. It meant so much.

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Until we meet again, Farewell Dear Friend. God's speed on your final journey as you join Sharon and many others in the arms of our Lord.

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Take care everyone and support each other in our time of grief. 

Viet2Now Facebook site.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/231342000211200/

 

This is from this website editor:  Bob was a good man who believed in God and Country. We'll post more information as we get it. Rest In Peace. 

 

Tomorrow is promised to no one. The good die young, no matter how old they are.

 

 

Click here. Do you know a Vietnam veteran  who died from Agent Orange. Here's how to add their name to the Agent Orange Memorial.

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SPECIAL NEWS BULLETIN. CLICK HERE TO READ THE NEWSPAPER STORY.

The president of the Vietnam Veterans Honor Society, Nick Parnello (Blackjack-6), is a finalist for the Rockford Register Star "Excalibur Award." The Excalibur Award was established by the Rockford Register Star in 1971 to honor an individual whose outstanding service and commitment has made the Rock River Valley a better place to live, work and raise families. The winner receives a crystal Steuben Eagle. Go out and buy a copy for yourself.  

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Right now you can go online and get a 6 month online only subscription to the Rockford Register Star for only $6.00. There's a link at the top of their web site. Click the link below for the home page of the newspaper.

www.rrstar.com

 

December 15, 2021. 

Thanks to all those who braved the weather and came out to honor Captain Robert "Bob" Dole for his bravery in World War II and for serving Kansas and his country as a Representative and Senator. GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Thanks to Tango for the excellent pictues, as always.

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Click here to see WIFR-23 coverage and their interview of Nick Parnello, the President of the Vietnam Veterans Honor Society. Thank you WIFR. You're always with us.

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VETERANS DAY 2021

Thanks to all who came out to honor our American veterans. It was a beautiful day with a little rain, a little sun and lots of good people. Click to see 211 pictures taken today. See if you can stream it to your TV. There are hundred of pictures from other ceremonies on the SmugMug site, too.  Thanks to Scott Yates from the Rockford Register Star, WIFR-TV 23, and WTVO-TV 17 and a big shoutout to the kids and teachers from Spectrum School for their letters and the Lifesavers. You kids are great and keep learning and love your family, friends, teachers and America.

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Here's a link to all the photographs Scott took. I hope you have access to view them. He knows how to take a photograph not just a picture.  Our best wishes to Scott when he moves back home to Virginia and a new job with another newspaper. Thank you and the Rockford Register Star.

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Click this link for Veterans Day video from WTVO, channel 17.

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Click here. Thanks to the Rockford Convention and Tourism Bureau.  Go Rockford.

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Click to see a 60-min. video of the Agent Orange Ceremony. Thank you Todd and Todd and crew.

Veterans Fund Raiser at Army/Navy store, Click here to see pictures. Thank you.

Click here to see the pictures from 2021 Agent Orange Ceremony. The last picture is really a one-minute video we made Sunday morning. Thank you for caring.

Click here to see past events. lzpeace.smugmug.com

Click here for WIFR-TV channel 23, Memorial Day 2021

 

Robert Elof Carlson, age 98, was a B-17 pilot in World War II. He died on August 11, 2021. See all the clickable links at the end of the story.

 

Being the  editor of this website, I'm posting this story about Bob. His close friends call him "S.O.B." meaning "Sweet Old Bob".  I've known him since about 1966. He was quite a guy. Never bragged about anything except maybe his family. He was a good friend of my dad, Carl, through working together but to me their biggest connection was the War and both of them being members of The Greatest Generation: Those who served, fought, died, and lived through World War II.

 

His memorial service was held on Friday, August 20, 2021 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Rockford, Illinois. I want to thank all the members of the Loves Park VFW Honor Guard for their final 21-gun salute to Bob. Thank you to three Vietnam veterans I knew: Dan Jensen, John Tuttle, and Bugler Don Allen for blowing "Taps."

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Here's an interesting part of his life.  He was in the first graduating class of East High School in 1940. Bob enlisted in the Army Air Force shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, learned to fly B-17’s and became one of the youngest flight instructors to date. While stationed at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, Bob met our mom, Marguerite Heim, who worked in the communications office. He introduced himself as an Admiral in the Swedish Navy on special assignment. It was the beginning of a long and loving 73-year marriage and missed her every day since her passing in April of 2018.

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Robert "Bob" Elof Carlson, a member of the Greatest Generation, soared above us when he passed away August 11, 2021. Bob was born in 1923 and joined the Army shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was a B-17 pilot and was one of the youngest B-17 bomber instructors at the time in World War 2.

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They say once a pilot, always a pilot. In 2016 Bob hooked up with a traveling air show in Janesville, Wisconsin and was once again able to fly like an eagle. 

 

Here's what Rockford's WIFR-TV channel 23 had to say about it.

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DATELINE: July 21, 2016   JANESVILLE, Wis. (WIFR) – A one of a kind plane lands in Janesville and veterans are getting to look back on their battles from World War II.   The 2016 Heavy Bomber Air Show is showing off the planes that flew and giving us a chance to see some pretty unique aircraft.  Before the gates open on Friday, July 22, for the air show, veterans and their families had a chance to fly in planes they fought in back in WWII.  The B-29, B-17, and C-45 aircraft were all on the runway at the Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport and for veterans like 93-year-old Bob Carlson, being able to fly once again in the planes he flew during WWII was a special experience.

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Bob says, "I had the privilege of putting the wing tip down over my church and rode around three towns, pulled the props up and down and made a lot of noise. Nobody saw me,” said Carlson. The planes will be open to the public to view from Friday to Sunday.

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Thanks to WIFR for this great human interest story. As the editor of this website this is my salute to Bob Carlson, S.O.B.  "Sweet Old Bob"

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Click here to read his obituary.

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Click here for pictures of Bob's Memorial Service and the blowing of Taps.  Our SmugMug page contains thousands of pictures from ceremonies held at the LZ Peace Memorial. 

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Click here to see the story on channel 23, WIFR-TV

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Here's a story from AirshowStuff.com

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Here's a link to the pictures from Bob's Memorial Service on www.lzpeace.org

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If you have any comments or would like to add some pictures or whatever please contact me, Ken Nelson, aka "John Kennedy" at pugo46@yahoo.com.   Thank you for being our friend and may you Rest In Peace.

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Dateline: Thursday, July 29, 2021

Above:  Mayor Tom McNamara, Blackjack 6 (Nick Parnello), and LT Manny.

 

The LZ Smoke Brothers had the honor of giving Mayor Tom McNamara a tour of the LZ Peace Memorial, the grounds and many monuments. The memorial is located at the northwest corner of the Midway Village Campus, 6799 Guilford Road, between N. Mulford and Perryville. Blackjack 6 (Nick Parnello) and LT Manny showed the mayor around, two great tour guides.

 

Mayor Tom McNamara hadn’t been here before and he was heartened at what so many volunteers had done. His father, the former Mayor John McNamara had been an Army officer who served in the Vietnam War. Mayor Tom also had the pleasure of meeting a World War 2 Navy veteran who lives in Rockford.

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We hope his visit will help in the quest of making more people aware of this great memorial. LZ Peace is a tribute to all our veterans and it's one of many places to visit in Rockford, Illinois. There are over a million Vietnam veterans in Illinois and eight surrounding states.

 

Come on over and visit the LZ Peace Memorial. You might see the name of an old friend on the wall. Or you might hear the flags overhead blowing in the wind, or it could be the fluttering of angels' wings, watching over us. 

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PS.  The LZ Smoke Brothers are a bunch of mostly veterans who do what needs to be done at the LZ Peace Memorial. God bless all of our veterans.

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Thank you Mr. Mayor for coming out and thanks for the donuts.

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The Mayor's comments from his Facebook page.

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"I was humbled and honored to join veterans at the Vietnam Veterans Honor Society’s LZ Peace Memorial this morning. The memorial is an incredible asset to the city of Rockford, honoring those who served and paid the ultimate sacrifice for us in the Vietnam War. It was inspiring to see the strong relationships the veterans have and the support they show to one another."

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Below. On or about July 29, 2021  Mayor Tom McNamara, Nick and LT Manny after the mayor's tour.  

 

On or about August 6, 2021 Skipper and LZ Smoke Brothers welcomed his World War Two friend and his family. They gave them the Grand Tour. Thanks, Skipper, for doing this. Click here to see more on SmugMug.