Korean war veteran William Gaston, 86, of Aurora and WW II veteran Don Thompson, 84, of Montgomery, during the opening ceremonies for the Fox Valley Park District’s Veterans Day luncheon held Nov. 7 at the Prisco Community Center in Aurora. (News Bulletin Photo)

by Linda Girardi

Community remembers service with early Vet’s Day salute

The memories and experiences of battles are as vivid as yesterday.

“The war was an experience I will never forget,” World War II veteran Norman Rebenstorf said.

Rebenstorf, 91, served in WWII from 1943 to 1946.  He was assigned to the USS ABSD-2 and USS ABSD-4 floating dry docks, non-powered naval vessels deployed to combat zones for ship repair operations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.

“We repaired ships when they were hit,” he explained.

The floating dry docks were approximately three city blocks in length and capable of lifting 70,000 to 100,000 pounds. The Montgomery veteran enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 19.

“There wasn’t much to be afraid of at that age because we didn’t think about the future, at least I didn’t,” he said.

The Fox Valley Park District hosted its 10th annual pre- Veterans Day luncheon Nov. 7 at the Prisco Community Center in Aurora.  Some 225 attended the function, designed to pay tribute to veterans who served their country.  Guests were treated to a catered turkey dish, musical entertainment and a visit with Miss Illinois Marisa Buchheit.

Jennifer Huber, recreation supervisor, said it was the largest gathering of all the years.  “This is a way for the community to thank our veterans and express our gratitude for their service,” Huber said.

Rebenstorf has attended the luncheon for the past five years.  “This is wonderful,” he said.

Rebenstorf said the war also was an experience he would not want to relive.  “I lost buddies – every sailor is a buddy of yours.  We knew what happened to our men when some of those ships came in,” he said, surrounded by friends from the Aurora American Legion Post 84.

“War is hell,” he said.

The East Aurora Navy Junior ROTC presented colors, which was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem.  Miss Illinois, who studied opera in Chicago, Italy and Austria, thanked the veterans for their service, as well.

Navy veteran Herschel Luckinbill, the Fox Valley’s chief advocate of veterans who brought the Moving Wall and Healing Field to Aurora last year, announced the USS Illinois (SSN-786) nuclear submarine is currently under construction in CT.

“It will be the first Navy ship to be commissioned with the USS Illinois name since 1897,” he said.

The USS Illinois is a Virginia-class submarine that will “dominate” the world’s deep waters in various aspects of warfare, including special operation forces support, intelligence and surveillance, according to its website at USSIllinois.org.  High School students are invited to participate in a statewide contest to design the ship’s crest and submit their ideas.  The battleship is expected to be commissioned in December 2015.

Luckinbill, of Montgomery, said although he has overseen his final trip with Honor Flight, which takes WW II veterans to the memorial in Washington, D.C., he has taken on a new mission.  Luckinbill said he’s now the area coordinator for Vets Roll that takes WWII and Korean War era vets on bus trips to visit war memorials.

“Our veterans are very appreciative of the recognition,” he said of Friday’s luncheon.

WW II veteran Delmar Gerth served in the Army from 1944 to 1946.   “We received the call to move up to the front lines, but the next bit of news we received was the end of the war.  It was a blessing,” he said.

Gerth, 91, continued his military service in Europe as an assistant to the chaplain.  “We held services at various camps and helped to rehabilitate boys that disobeyed the rules, were court-martialed and put in jail.  We turned lives around with kindness,” he said.

“I missed the combat but I saw the ravages of war and saw what it did to people,” he said.