CHICAGO WHITE SOX KNOCK IT OUT OF THE PARK, ANSWER CALL FOR REPLACEMENT MEMENTO HONORING FALLEN SERVICE MEMBER

Photo By Barbara Wilson | Sue King-Wieczorek, the Gold Star mother of Army Sgt. Robert M. Weinger, places the Chicago White Sox mini helmet in the memorial display case March 6 at the Illinois Military Academy on Camp Lincoln in Springfield. For King-Wieczorek, the mini helmet is a remembrance of an afternoon spent at the ballpark with Weinger before his Illinois Army National Guard unit deployed to Afghanistan.  

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES

03.06.2026

Story by Barbara Wilson 

Joint Force Headquarters - Illinois National Guard Public Affairs

It may be a tiny Chicago White Sox helmet meant to hold ice cream at the ballpark, but for one Gold Star mother, it represents the memory of an afternoon at the ballpark shared with her late son, an Illinois Army National Guard Soldier who died in service to his country.

When the small memento went missing from a memorial case honoring the 34 Illinois National Guard service members who have died in service to their country since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Chicago White Sox knocked it out of the park and answered the call to provide a replacement mini helmet.

On March 6, thanks to the Chicago White Sox, Sue King-Wieczorek, the Gold Star mother of Army Sgt. Robert M. Weinger, was presented a replacement helmet to display in the memorial case at the Illinois Military Academy on Camp Lincoln in Springfield and in addition, was presented a shadow box containing Weinger’s medals and awards received during his service in the Illinois National Guard.

“We are honored to have you here,” said Brig. Gen. Lenny Williams, Assistant Adjutant General-Army, and Commander of the Illinois Army National Guard. “I remember taking my daughter to the ballpark and her eating ice cream from the mini helmets as well.”

Replacing the mini helmet was the least the Chicago White Sox could do for a Gold Star family.

“For generations, the White Sox have been proud to honor the service and sacrifice of the men and women who serve our country,” said Michael Gomez, Chicago White Sox Director of Game Presentation. “We recognize the incredible level of service and sacrifice that the members of the military and their families must give in order to keep us all safe.”

Gomez said the White Sox were humbled to play a small role in replacing the little reminder of good times past.

“White Sox baseball has always been so much more than a game. It’s been a place for families, like the family of Illinois Army National Guard Sergeant Robert Weinger, to make memories with one another,” said Gomez. “We’re humbled to play a small role to help keep those memories safe, even with a small memento like an ice cream helmet. We will always be grateful for the sacrifice of Sergeant Weinger and his family made.”

Williams said King-Wieczorek had asked for a ribbon rack of Weinger’s awards and medals, but the Illinois National Guard went the extra mile and provided the shadow box.

“It’s the least we could do to honor the memory of our fallen service member,” he said.

Weinger, of Round Lake Beach, Illinois, was assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment, based in Woodstock, when the unit was among more than 3,000 Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers activated for service in Afghanistan in 2008. On March 15, 2009, Weinger was among four service members, including three from the Illinois Army National Guard, who were killed in action when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device nearKot, Afghanistan.

The memorial case was displayed in the Joint Force Headquarters building on Camp Lincoln, but in recent months moved to the Illinois Military Academy so it could be viewed by everyone.

“Soldiers from all 54 states and territories, along with active-duty Soldiers come to Camp Lincoln for training and school at the Illinois Military Academy,” Williams said. “It was moved to here on purpose, so people can see it and that every generation that comes behind us sees them and remembers the price paid.”

King-Wieczorek was moved by the actions of the Illinois National Guard and the Chicago White Sox.

“I can’t thank you enough,” she said. “This means the world to me. Bob was my first-born son. He was a troublemaker. On March 15, he will be gone for 17 years, but it still feels like yesterday. I’ve been trying to get a copy of his medals for a while. I reached out to you (Brig. Gen. Williams) and to The Adjutant General and boom it’s done.”

• Date Taken: 03.06.2026
• Date Posted: 03.12.2026 10:12
• Story ID: 560366
• Location: SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, US