Citizens salute Servicemen during Pecatonica Memorial Day Parade

By Doug Schroder
Editor
and Chris Johnson
Reporter
PECATONICA – Applause greeted servicemen as they patrolled north along Main Street during the Memorial Day parade in Pecatonica on Monday, May 25.
Wave after wave of those who served, from their time in Korea to those currently serving, accepted ovations as they marched along Main Street, guiding the path for the scores of displays to follow.
Earlier rains had dealt some concern, but as the Memorial Day Parade’s start time got closer and closer, conditions changed, leaving partly sunny skies with temperatures hovering around 80 degrees.
Many of those in attendance commented on the conditions being perfect. One of those in attendance, Jerald Martin, who volunteered for service in the U.S. Army as the Korean conflict began to approach a cease-fire status, said he attended the Pecatonica celebration to remember.
“I had my best friend, Harold Thorn, who was killed in Korea; I was a pall bearer for him. My brother was also killed in Korea, so I figured it was time for me to go in, it was about 1956. I didn’t want to get called in, so I was in the Guard first. Then I went into the Army.”