Town Of Byron Annual Memorial Day Salute Announced

Byron WI Town of Byron veterans will be honored at the annual Memorial Day tribute scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at the Byron Town Hall on May 30, 2016. Dave Wege, principal of Waucousta Lutheran Grade School, is the keynote speaker. His address will focus on “The Many Hats of an American Soldier.” As an educator for over 30 years, Wege has brought to life the stories of America’s history, with emphasis on the Civil War era.

The morning program also features the unveiling of 20 names added to the Veterans Memorial, a roll call of veterans buried in Town of Byron cemeteries, a firing squad salute, and an open house exhibit from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. The event, co-sponsored by the Town of Byron Veterans Memorial Committee and the Byron Historical Society, is open to the public.

Five sets of siblings from the Cowles, Kinyon, Steiner, Summers and Trewin families are among the 20 names of Town of Byron veterans added to the Veterans Memorial and featured at the open-house exhibit. The veterans and their times of service are: Christopher Divers, War of 1812; John Windecker, New York Militia 1820s-30s; Hans J. Bebow, Wisconsin National Guard 1904-1907; Gilbert J. Trewin and Roy R. Trewin, World War I; August O. Fink, World War I and World War II; Bernard M. Egan, 1920s; Marjorie E. Cowles, Ralph E. Cowles, Harold C. Ewald, Ysidro Gonzales, Donald K. Kinyon and Louis M. Kinyon, World War II; Wesley G. Cowles, 1950s; Neil R. Summers, 1954-1956; John J. Summers, 1959-1963; Richard P. Steiner and Terry M. Steiner(KIA), Vietnam;  Bruce E. Steiner and Robert A. Steiner,  Vietnam era.

Any of these veterans and their family members in attendance will be recognized during the ceremony. The Veterans Memorial Committee and the Byron Historical Society continue to research for names of veterans who lived or are buried in the Town of Byron.

Firing squads from Lomira’s Bintzler-Waehler Post No. 347 and Oakfield’s VFW Post No. 8092 will assemble at the Town of Byron Veterans Memorial for the event. The outdoor portion of the program will end with “Taps” sounded by members of the Lomira High School band and a bagpipe reflection performed by Dr. Joseph Haak.

The open house exhibit will feature Town of Byron military artifacts, a tribute to the veterans whose names were added to the Memorial in 2016, a collection of Homefront posters and documents, gravesite photographs and service information on each of the 91 veterans buried in Town of Byron cemeteries, and the story of Town of Byron Medal of Honor recipient Oscar Brookins.  In addition, the exhibit will include the Veterans Photograph Wall, an on-going project to collect photographs of Town of Byron veterans.

Town of Byron veterans in attendance at the open house will receive certificates of appreciation and a commemorative Veterans Memorial Pin. Veterans and family members are invited to bring photographs and memorabilia for display and discussion.

The Byron Town Hall and Veterans Memorial is located at N3097 Highway 175 in Byron.