Paying tribute to WW II veteran heroes who are no longer with us

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Edward Gosselin Jr.

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Updated: November 16, 2011 1:05PM

Quite a few World War II veterans here in the area have not been recognized for their service and commitment in keeping our country safe.

The Herald-News and the Joliet Area Historical Museum would like to recognize our World War II vets for all they have done. Some of them have told their story, but some are not here with us to tell their stories and we would like to share those with you today.

These guys have a lot in common. They all have different histories and backgrounds that one can learn from. Some you might even have read about in one of my previous columns.

Let’s meet some of our local World War II veterans:

Navy Ensign Edward Gosselin Jr. was there when the bombs started falling on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941.

Gosselin was 24 at the time and an engineering officer on duty in the engine room of the USS Arizona. Gosselin went down with the USS Arizona crew at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

T/Sgt. Sator “Smilin’ Sandy” Sanchez grew up on Collins Street in Joliet and was raised by his grandmother. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force at age 18 and was trained as a gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber.

Sanchez was assigned to the 8th Air Force bomber crews flying out of England.

He was nearly 24 when he was killed in action in 1945. Today, a Joliet Grade School District elementary school is named in memory of Sator Sanchez and a statue of him sits on Collins Street in Joliet.

Cpt. Dr. Samuel Klein, a 1936 graduate of Joliet Township High School and later the University of Illinois Medical School, served his country during World War II in the Army Medical Corps in the European Theater. Klein was a battlefield surgeon who landed on Omaha Beach, Normandy, on D-Day. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his military service. After his service, he practiced internal medicine in Joliet for more than 50 years.

Lt. Col. Carl Luksic served as an ace fighter pilot. He was the first American fighter pilot to shoot down five Nazi planes on one mission, a task he completed when he was just 22 years old.

He was assigned to the 352nd Fighter Group stationed at Bodney, England.

On May 8, 1944, Luksic made history by shooting down the five Nazi planes in one day.

On May 24, 1944, under intense fire, he parachuted to the ground and was captured by the Germans. He was a POW for 11 months and was liberated by American troops in April 1945. He stayed in the Air Force and was a C-130 transport pilot during the Vietnam War. Luksic retired in 1969.

Cpt. Dr. Richard Calosio enlisted in fall 1940 and went in with the initial invasion waves at Makin Island, swallowing a lot of water before reaching the beach.

He found himself surrounded by wounded and dying soldiers.

“My team had to do with what supplies we had carried in. We had lost the rest in the landing. It was mostly crude surgery.

There was no time to save limbs, just lives,” Calosio said.

The young captain received a Bronze Star for bravery under fire. An oak leaf cluster was added to that bronze star for his bravery on Saipan during the invasion in June 1944.

Honor flight for WWII veterans

We are losing our World War II Veterans at a rate of 1,200 men and women per day. Some of our World War II veterans have experienced the Chicago Honor Flight, while some have not.

Honor Flight Chicago provides the chance to honor our senior heroes by giving them a long-awaited day of recognition and gratitude. Honor Flight Chicago is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to honor and thank our veterans, especially World War II veterans. If you are interested in going on this free flight to Washington, D.C., call 773-868-6000 or visit www.honorflightchicago.org.

Jean Edwards would like to write your military column. She can be reached at 815-439-5312 or jedwards@stmedianetwork.com.