Paying tribute to heroes

VILLA GROVE – Drive into the downtown business section of Villa Grove and you'll see a jet plane on display, along with other war artifacts.

In 1950, the people of Villa Grove decided to honor local residents who fought, died and contributed to U.S. wars by creating a Veterans Memorial Park.

It features a series of flags honoring various branches of the military, a Korean War-era jet plane, a field howitzer, a ship anchor and several other symbols of military service.

The park also lists the names of the 17 men who give their lives during the war: Edwin Archibald, Earl Brewer, Clifford Carlin, Everett Dietrich, Paul E. Donley, Wilbert R. Elder, Robert Gillins, Burtlett E. Jones, Jesse R. Kindred, Ralph Lawless, O. D. "Bud" Martin, Donald Phillips, John Sidell, Kenneth Siders, Elmer L. Stevens, Wilbur H. Watts and Burton White.

Charles Knox wrote about the exploits of Douglas County veterans in a 2004 history book, "The Sound of Distant Drums. John Sidell, 23, was the first Villa Grove resident to die in the war. Another Villa Grove resident, Charles Rogers, who was an Army Air Force bombardier with Gen. Douglas MacArthur's group in the Pacific, dropped scores of bombs in New Guinea and was wounded in battle in the Philippines.

In 1943, a Villa Grove naval aviator, Malcolm Smith, took park in aerial attacks on enemy ships in Kiska Harbor and successfully protected the Alaskan coast.

James Sherrick served as an officer in the U.S. Army during World War II. He took part in the Allies' landing on the beaches of Sicily, and in February 1944 Sherrick was captured by the Italians and marched to a prisoner of war camp in northern Poland, where he stayed for 11 months. He was then forced to march again, this time in temperatures as low as 20 degrees below zero.

At nights he would sleep in a barn next to a cow and used the cow's body heat to keep him warm. One night Sherrick and a friend hid in a rabbit hutch and were left behind. Local farmers fed the two men until they were rescued by the Russians. Sherrick later returned to the U.S. forces and arrived in Boston the same day that President Franklin Roosevelt died.

After returning to Villa Grove, Sherrick served as a judge in Douglas County for many years.

"He was a tall, soft-spoken fellow and and outstanding hero," Knox said.

The Villa Grove VFW Post has been entrusted with taking care of the artifacts at the park, while the city is responsible for maintaining the property.