Peotone Legion Memorial Day Program Honors Heroes

By Andrea Arens

A beautiful, warm day was the backdrop for the Peotone Legion Post 392 parade and ceremony. A generous crowd was in attendance, and the Frankfort Brass Band, led by Peotone High School Band Director Kate Perry, played multiple patriotic tunes.

Peotone American Legion’s Memorial Day guest speaker was Senior Master Sergeant Robert Krueger, who is a retired Senior Master Sergeant in the U. S. Air Force (USAF), as well as a Vietnam Veteran of the U. S. Army.

 Krueger volunteered for the Army in October 1967.  He served in Vietnam from January 1969 through May 1970, serving with the 4th Infantry Division, 2nd Brigade Operations, Central Highlands of Vietnam as a Sergeant. Robert was Army Inactive Reserve from June 1970 through October 1973.

 Krueger joined the Air Force Reserve in February 1980. He was assigned to a Civil Engineer Squadron as a Production Control Specialist and Administrative Assistant.  

 In September 1986, Krueger was promoted to duty as Chief of Production Control, with the rank of Senior Master Sergeant. Also in September of 1986, Robert was appointed to the Civilian Position of Air Reserve Technician (ART).  The “ART” position mandated joint duty as both a reservist and civilian member of the Air Force Reserve. This was a stand-alone unit tasked with all duties for Deployed Base Recovering and Security. The 928th Air Lift Wing was disbanded in July of 1997. Krueger then was reassigned to the 482nd Fighter Wing, Homestead Air Force Base, Florida. Krueger retired in January 2001.

 Krueger is an active, Life Member of Peotone American Legion Post 392, where he has served as the Post’s Service Officer, as well as his current position of Sergeant-at-Arms.

Krueger is also a Life Legacy Member of the Frankfort VFW, Life Member of the DAV, Life Member of the 4th Infantry Division Association, and Life Member of TREA.

Krueger reminded the crowd our freedom is not a gift but a sacrifice paid for by the blood of our heroes. He quoted Reagan in saying, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”