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World War II veteran celebrates his 100th birthday at Oswego American Legion · Kendall County News - Shaw Local

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  World War Two veteran celebrates his one hundredth birthday at Oswego American
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  Legion. Written by Eric Shelkopf. This article is being read by an
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  automated voice, brought to you by Everlet. It
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  feels like ninety, he said, during a one hundredth birthday party for
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  him on october twenty fifth, at the Oswego American Legion Post, six
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  hundred and seventy five in downtown Oswego. He is the father of
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  former Oswego Fire Protection District Fire Chief Mike Vesling. Many family and
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  friends attended the party. Uh John Vesling Jr. Served in both World
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  War II and the Korean War, he said he was proud to
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  serve his country. Serving his country came at a sacrifice. Between World
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  War two and the Korean War He met my mom, and then
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  my mom got pregnant with my sister, Mike Vesling said, and he
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  shipped out before my sister was born. He didn't see my sister
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  until she was almost three years old. Veseling Jr. Saw extensive action
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  during World War II, He was a yeoman third class in the
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  U.S. Navy and was in charge of ship-to-ship communications. His ship earned
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  sixteen battle stars during World War two, Mike Vesling said. The were
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  in sixteen major battles. There were only two ships that earned more
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  than that. The stars denoted participation in a specific battle campaign or
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  wartime operation. Among the battles Vazlens Jr.
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  Was involved in was the Battle of Iwo Jima, when the United
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  States Marine Corps and Navy invaded and captured the volcanic island of
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  Iwo Jima from the Imperial Japanese Army. Vesling Jr. Was only 17
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  years old when he started at the U.S. Navy Boot Camp facility.
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  He had to get a note from his parents because He
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  went in before the normal age to go into the Navy. Mike
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  Vesseling said. He served a four year stint in World War II
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  and the became a U.S. Navy Reserve officer. When the Korean War
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  started in 1950, Veseling Jr. Volunteered to serve again. He spent three
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  and a half years in Japan, Mike Vasling said. He was in
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  charge of communications in The
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  Sea of Japan for the Navy. He was in charge of moving
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  the ships where they needed to go, giving the radio orders of
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  where they needed to go. Oswego American Legion Post Commander Chris Kearns,
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  who is a lieutenant with the Oswego Fire Protection District, laid Vesling
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  Jr. Is an inspiration to other veterans. Kearns served in the U.S.
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  Marine Corps from 1989 to 1993 and was part of Operations Desert
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  Shield and Desert Storm. The stories and things that he can share
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  with the younger generation, the photos that his family has here today,
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  it's just amazing what a legacy and a life that he has
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  lived, he said. As a veteran, I look up to those who
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  served before me because they laid the groundwork. Every generation before you
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  has a piece of that path that they've laid that you follow.
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  For someone from World War II, they laid a lot of groundwork
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  for younger people who served.