News

Chicago Chapter member Stan Gryga is celebrating his 99th birthday this Saturday, 23 August. Stan is a WWII veteran who participated in all ETO campaigns from "Casablanca to Berlin" and had been a very active member of our chapter until the pandemic hit. 

Stan currently resides at Ascension Living Resurrection Village in Chicago. While we celebrated with Stan in person last year, current conditions in Chicago have again restricted in-person visits. Because of this, I'm asking our Chicago Chapter to help celebrate this year by sending a card or letter to recognize his birthday. I know that he will greatly appreciate all the recognition. 

Mailing Address: 
Stan Gryga 
7260 W. Peterson Ave. 
Apt. #E-202 
Chicago, IL 60631

Airborne, All The Way!

Mark Mueller
Chairman  

Our Chicago Chapter meeting for August 2021, which had been planned for Sunday 08 Aug, is cancelled. Apologies for the late notice. 

Our next event will be a BBQ/picnic on Sunday, 12 September that will be held at my home in Winfield, IL. Casual and families welcome. I'll send out a separate email for that event.

Airborne, All The Way!

Mark Mueller
Chairman 

A historic Airborne moment -- a 100% female jump, aircrew included. Check out the video on Military.com. 

Airborne, All The Way!

Happy Birthday wishes to our Chicago Chapter members celebrating in July. Airborne, All The Way!

02 JUL Gardner Coughlen, 53, of Shorewood, IL

03 JUL Ronald Wheatley, 81, of North Las Vegas, NV

08 JUL Michael Marcukaitis, 75, of The Villages, FL

09 JUL David Kwon, 29, of Chicago, IL

10 JUL Bernard Janecki, 94, of Oak Lawn, IL

15 JUL Jacob Goldenstein, 38, of Danforth, IL

19 JUL Richard Fuller, 77, of Elgin, IL

22 JUL Brian Roscoe, 74, of Park Ridge, IL

25 JUL Theodore Gray, 74, of Merrillville, IN

Many thanks to the following Chicago Chapter members who have renewed their memberships: 

• David Hellrung of Highland Park, IL
• Christopher Israel of Seabrook, TX
• Julius "Jay" Siler of Grapevine, TX

Thank you for your ongoing membership and support of the Chicago Chapter -- Airborne, All The Way! 

On this 77th anniversary of D-Day, the start of Operation Overlord and the invasion of Normandy, we recognize the past Chicago Chapter members who participated in that legendary assault by air, sea and land. These brave men and their heroism shall not be forgotten. 

Raymond Fary, C/82nd Abn AA Bn
Hal Gallimore, 82nd Parachute Maint Co
Stan Gryga, HHC/82nd Abn Div
Donald Krause, B/508th PIR (Pathfinder)
Leo Linoski, 325th GIR
Chester Novak, D/508th PIR (Pathfinder)
Robert O'Connor, E/508th PIR
John Overling, 325th GIR
Manfred Steinfeld, HHC/82nd Abn Div
Matthew Wojtaszek, HHC/82nd DIVARTY

Likely, this is not an exhaustive list. If you know of other Chicago Chapter members who participated in D-Day, please recognize them in the comment section below. 

Airborne, All The Way!

Happy Birthday wishes to our Chicago Chapter members celebrating in the month of June:

07 JUN Stanton Serwitz 80 Crystal Lake, IL

09 JUN Robert Petersen 38 Chicago, IL

12 JUN Albert Krenz 77 Countryside, IL

12 JUN John Weston 34 Fayetteville, NC

13 JUN Roger Terry 64 Cary, IL

14 JUN Paul Siegfried 83 Bolingbrook, IL

16 JUN COL Paul J. Hettich 56 Antioch, IL

17 JUN Joseph Lash 51 Munster, IN

17 JUN David Mueller 51 Palos Heights, IL

22 JUN Thomas Harts 76 Mokena, IL

Airborne, All The Way!

Happy Birthday wishes to our Chicago Chapter members celebrating their annual milestones in May - AATW! 

02 MAY Lawrence Slavicek, 70, of Greenback, TN

03 MAY James McGinley, 75, of Naperville, IL

04 MAY Edwin Sly, 86, of Lockport, IL

05 MAY Kenneth Negley, 51, of Naperville, IL

11 MAY Rene Hernandez, 60, of Belvidere, IL

12 MAY Mark Mueller, 52, of Winfield, IL

17 MAY Antanas Surna, 36, of Forest Park, IL

Happy Birthday wishes to the following Chicago Chapter members celebrating in April. Airborne, All The Way! 

05 APR John Geraci, 81, of Wauconda, IL

12 APR John Tucker, 79, of Saxeville, WI

13 APR Daniel Carrick, 38

16 APR Joseph Vuich, 58, of San Pedro, Belize

18 APR Jeremy Hetrick, 46, of Henderson, NC

20 APR Aaron Pylinski, 43, of Chicago, IL

20 APR Jerry O'Meara, 62, of St. Simons Island, GA

24 APR Lavon Cuyler, 40, of Naperville, IL

29 APR Robert Bliss, 38, of Princeville, IL

Welcome to the Chicago Chapter, Chase Filkins! 

Chase ETS'd in December 2020 from B/1-319th AFAR (82nd Airborne Division) at Fort Bragg, NC. He earned the rank of Sergeant and served as a 13B. Chase is a veteran of Operation Freedom's Sentinel in Afghanistan. 

Chase lives in Lake In The Hills, IL. He is planning to start his education at McHenry Community College and then study Aeronautical Engineering at University of Illinois. And he will continue to serve his country in the IL National Guard. 

Welcome, Chase. Airborne, All The Way!