'American Heroes' exhibit showcases veterans' stories at O'Hare and Midway
CAROL STREAM, Ill. - A moving photography exhibit, "American Heroes: Portraits of Service," is on display at O'Hare and Midway International Airports this Veterans Day.
The exhibits are based on the work of Tom Sanders, who has been photographing veteran residents at Belmont Village Senior Living communities since 2008.
The photographs show veterans who served during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
"Honor wall" exhibits are also permanently displayed at some 30 Belmont Village communities across the country to preserve their legacy of courage.
"I was 17, and I was going to be drafted. I wanted to be in the Navy and not the army, so I joined for the duration plus three," said John Garland, a US Navy veteran who lives at the Belmont Village in Carol Stream.
"It was the thing to do. Everybody was very patriotic in those days and they would do anything they could for the war service. We did what we could. This is the greatest country in the world," Garland said.
George Mueller’s path to service in the US Army began after he was separated from his parents in Germany during the war. He would never see them again. His mother asked the then 15-year-old to care for his 5-year-old sister.
"The first time I encountered American soldiers was when I was way over in East Germany after the war in a place that was controlled by the Russians. A bunch of American soldiers came in to bring us back to the west. I was impressed. They all looked very sharp and they seemed like my saviors because I didn’t want to end up in Russia so I was glad they came and got me," said Mueller.
He added that he was proud he had the chance to later wear a US Army uniform himself. He and his sister settled in the Chicago area where they remained close until her death several years ago.
Bob Usiak, another Belmont Village resident, described a memory forever etched in his mind from his service in Korea.
"I was stationed at a radio shack on top of a very high mountain in Korea. I remember one night I was doing an all-nighter and I got up in the morning and looked out the window … And I couldn’t believe it. The clouds that are usually above me were nestled below me like an inversion layer. And all the mountains around me were poking through those clouds like little islands in a sea of clouds. It was almost breathtaking, and then the sun came out and hit the clouds with all these colors of gold," said Usiak. "As long as I live, I will never ever forget that sight."
The men and women who served were honored with a special breakfast this Veterans Day as a thank you for their service.