A year-round troop tribute in Orland Park

Originally published July 5, 2015

Memorial Day, Veterans Day and the Fourth of July are occasions when we regularly ponder our freedom and honor our military and our veterans.

Bill Gagne had a vision to honor them with a memorial that people could visit every day. The result of that vision is in Orland Park, in the Nottingham Woods subdivision near 167th Street and 108th Avenue.

From 108th Avenue, the subdivision is practically hidden by trees. But pull in off of Grants Trail from 108th, and you will get a feel for the picturesque area, where the residents obviously are devoted to maintaining beautiful landscaping. The memorial is about a block in, to the south, at Grants Trail and Nottingham Court, on a plot owned by the homeowners association.

Gagne, an Orland Park resident for 11 years, takes great pride in the subdivision.

A union carpenter, he spends his free time riding his motorcycle, gardening, working in the yard, and working in his garage on wood projects. He also was driving force behind the memorial.

Creating and installing it did not come easily.

Gagne’s motivation stemmed from stories and lessons he learned from his father, Joseph Gagne, who served in Gen. George Patton’s division in the Army in World War II, according to Gagne.

His father was in Africa, France (Normandy, though not during D-Day) and Germany, Bill said. At one point, his father was a military policeman guarding prisoners, and he has a German dagger from a German soldier.

These stories and a desire to honor all veterans and military personnel convinced Gagne that there should be a memorial in the area.

Gagne was going to request permission to install a flagpole in his back yard, and approached the president of the homeowners association in December, 2006. A 25-foot-pole was approved at the next meeting to be installed instead in a common area, with residents, rather than the association, having to fund it. The cost of the 25-foot flagpole was $1,999 in 2007.

The pole now proudly displays a 5-foot-by-8-foot American flag and a 3-foot-by-5-foot POW flag.

The American flag is from Washington D.C., where it previously flew over the U.S. Capitol.

To obtain a flag that has flown over the Capitol, contact Sen. Dick Durbin or Sen. Mark Kirk, or visit: http://www.durbin.senate.gov/help/request-a-flag or http://www.kirk.senate.gov/?p=flag_requests. Instructions and costs/sizes/materials are available on the website.

“It takes a while to get the flag — it may take up to two months,” Gagne said. “It is best to put the order in under the name of the veteran. Our original flag came with a certificate, and it is signed by (then-)Sen. Barack Obama, back in July of 2007.”

The memorial project in the Nottingham Woods subdivision has continued to evolve. A bench has been added, along with a rock with a plaque engraved stating “A Heartfelt Thanks for all our Troops, Past and Present.” Finally, an eagle, carved by a northern Wisconsin woman, makes this quite a reflective place to honor our veterans.

Gagne did not to want to stop there while I spoke with him. He talked about his neighbors, relatives, friends and others who he hopes feel honored by the memorial. Some of them subsequently shared photos, memories and memorabilia with Gagne, who talked with them, thanked them for their service and shared some photos with me.

Veterans who are residents of the subdivision include Ray Leerar, Brian Regan and Eugene Kerstein (all Army), along with Ray Tamme (Air Force) and Frank McFarland (Navy Seabee).

If you visit the memorial, please be respectful, and reflect on those who served and those who are serving our country.