Raising the colors to remember

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Coal City Veterans of Foreign Wars color guard members Charlie Brown, Louis Ruffatti and Jerry McLuckie stand at attention as a wreath is presented during Memorial Day services in 2007. The color guard regularly participates in such ceremonies in not only Coal City, but also Diamond and Carbon Hill. (Photo courtesy of Coal City Veterans of Foreign Wars)

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COAL CITY – The Coal City Veterans of Foreign Wars color guard is widely recognized for its ceremonial march often seen at Coal City, Diamond and Carbon Hill events, but this group of veterans doesn’t do it for the recognition.

“We do it for the ones that can’t,” Bill Scerine, color guard member, said.

The St. Juvin Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1336 was formed in the early 1920s and currently has about 50 members. The original members named the post after a battle that occurred near St. Juvin, France, member Charlie Brown said.

As have many VFWs, the Coal City Post formed a color guard to properly carry and display the national colors and unit and departmental flags.

“What is unique about this group is just by chance all four branches of service are represented in our color guard,” member Jack Micetich said. “We have people from the army, navy, marines and air force.”

Of the color guard, Brown is a navy veteran; Micetich, Louis Ruffatti and Ray Onsen are all army veterans; Jerry McLuckie is air force; and Scerine is a marine.

The members do not go through extensive training for the color guard, as some do, Micetich said. The Coal City guard does parades and memorial ceremonies, but does not do funerals, which would require more than the basic march.

“We just march like regular soldiers,” Micetich said.

But every time they do that march it is in memory of those Americans lost in times of war. They march to make sure people remember and sometimes they get proof that it’s working.

“We’ve been surprised and someone will make eye contact with us and give us a nod or a salute,” Brown said.

The Coal City color guard performed at the Veteran’s Day Ceremonyat the Coal City Public Library, 85 N. Garfield St, during which a flag that once flew over the White House was raised.

The color guard ranges from five-year members to 33-year members.

“It is something we take pride in doing and we do the best we can,” Micetich said. “It’s been a tradition for so long and we want to keep it up as long as we can.”

CONTINUING THE TRADITION

As time goes on, the color guard is worried about the tradition not continuing. The VFW numbers have steadily gone down, which is causing its color guard to suffer.

“The count has been down for membership with all of the posts since they dropped the draft,” Brown said. “When I was in my 20s, 60 percent of males served in some way. But now, with it being volunteer, the numbers have dropped.”

There are requirements to become a VFW member, but Brown said people shouldn’t assume they don’t meet them. Brown said he didn’t become a VFW member until he was in his 50s because he assumed.

One requirement is you must be a veteran who served out of the country. There are also certain service dates required.

Micetich said he believes there is a common misconception that this generation’s soldiers cannot become members.

“We’re open to younger people,” he said.

The plan is to get more aggressive in recruiting younger members in order to keep the spirit of deceased veterans alive, and to continue a tradition of camaraderie and giving back to the community.

The VFW and the Coal City American Legion are currently working on upgrading the war memorial monument in front of Coal City Intermediate School at 305 E. Division St. The groups plan to dedicate it next Memorial Day.

The original monument was created in 1946 with two plaques for the names of WWI and WWII veterans.

In the 1970s, two more plaques were added for Korean and Vietnam veterans. It was then refurbished in 1982 and now marble slabs are being added so names can continuously be added to the memorial.

By the dedication, 100 new names will be added.

“It was difficult to add new names before because we needed to add whole new plaques,” Micetich said.

To donate toward the memorial project or to have a veteran’s name added, call Earl Allen of Earl Allen Insurance Agency at (815) 634-4313.

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