Route 150 Through Galesburg Dedicated in Honor of Fallen Illinois National Guard Member
Photo By Barbara Wilson |
The barrel of this Howitzer bears the name Kyle in honor of and as a remembrance to......read moreread more
Photo By Barbara Wilson | The barrel of this Howitzer bears the name Kyle in honor of and as a remembrance to Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Wehrly, an Illinois Army National Guard Soldier who was killed in action Nov. 3, 2005 in Ashraf, Iraq. Route 150 through the city limits of Galesburg was dedicated as the Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Wehrly Memorial Highway during a ceremony Sept. 4 in Galesburg. see less
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Route 150 Through Galesburg Dedicated in Honor of Fallen Illinois National Guard Member
Selfless. Natural leader. A man of great character. An American hero.
Those were words used to describe Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Wehrly at a highway dedication ceremony Sept. 4 in Galesburg, Illinois.
Wehrly, who served in the Illinois Army National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 123rd Field Artillery Regiment, was killed in action Nov. 3, 2005, in Ashraf, Iraq when an improvised explosive device denotated near his vehicle during patrol operations.
“As I came into town today from Rockford, I saw the road sign,” said Brig. Gen. Lenny Williams, Assistant Adjutant General-Army, and Commander of the Illinois Army National Guard. “I imagine in the near future a young person will see the signs as they’re traveling along Sergeant First Class Kyle Wehrly Highway, and they’ll look up who Kyle was.”
Williams said they’ll learn what the Galesburg community, the Soldiers who served with Wehrly, and his family already know.
“That he was selfless, a natural leader, a loving father, and a hero,” Williams said.
Williams said the highway signs help those serving in uniform keep their promise to never forget.
“Losing a loved-one in service to our nation is a sacrifice that changes a family forever,” Williams said. “What hasn’t changed is how deeply you love Kyle. Your strength inspires us. You carry a burden most of us will never understand.”
Williams said the Soldiers serving today are Wehrly’s legacy.
“He trained and mentored a generation of young Illinois National Guard Soldiers who are now the ‘old hats’ who are teaching and guiding young Soldiers,” he said. “That’s Kyle’s legacy.”
Williams noted the Howitzer on display at the ceremony and the importance of the name Kyle stenciled onto the barrel.
“Any 13B section leader worth his weight in salt has a name on their Howitzer,” Williams said. “By naming this Howitzer Kyle it keeps his memory alive and serves as a remembrance for future Soldiers serving in the battery.”
Lt. Col. Jeramy Miles was Wehrly’s platoon leader and deployed to Iraq.
“When asked to speak, I was nervous,” Miles said. “On one hand I am always afraid I won’t be able to say the right words to honor Kyle in the way he deserves to be honored and on the other hand, time is a thief. Twenty-one years later, do I remember the small details necessary to explain how much of an impact Kyle made on my life?”
Miles said as he thought it through, he realized it wasn’t so much about the small details but the huge influence Wehrly had on him.
“I was able to witness how he treated other people,” he said. “He genuinely cared about their well-being, their success, and the success of the unit and the mission.”
Miles described Wehrly as someone with a sharp wit, a quick mind, and quite possibly his native language was sarcasm.
“He had an uncanny ability to explain why you were wrong and make you laugh about it while he did,” Miles said. “For me, Kyle was a trusted sounding board and respite at the end of those long days in Iraq.”
Miles said Wehrly seemed to be equipped with an internal compass where he always knew where he was and how to get where he was going.
“He brought a sense of reassurance in an austere, unfamiliar environment. You could rely on him, and he wanted it that way,” Miles said. “He holds a place in our hearts, his sarcasm, devotion, character, it lives in all of us who had the pleasure and honor to know and learn from him. This highway dedication couldn’t be a more fitting tribute to the navigator of all navigators, continuing to help lead us down our paths.”
Galesburg Mayor Peter Schwartzman said while he never knew Wehrly, he learned a lot about him in casual conversations the past few weeks leading up to the highway dedication ceremony.
“He loved his family, Galesburg, and its people,” Schwartzman said. “We were very blessed to have had Kyle in our city. May we all remember him and his contributions.”
State Sen. Mike Halpin said Wehrly did what he thought he needed to do.
“He loved the Illinois National Guard,” he said. “He cared about the Soldiers he led. May this highway dedication remind others the young men and women we send into harm’s way are people just like us.”
Halpin said when a service member sacrifices their life, that loss is carried forever by the family.
“You bear the burden so the rest of us can enjoy the freedoms we have,” he said. “Every time you pass that sign, I hope you will always think about Kyle and every American who left home to serve and never came back. Remember their courage, their families who still miss them, and the freedoms we enjoy come at a tremendous cost.”
State Rep. Dan Swanson, who was Wehrly’s battalion commander from 1999 to 2001, said Wehrly was called to serve his state and country.
“As a young Soldier, Kyle was one of the battalion’s top gunners that year,” he said. “I knew he’d go far. Kyle had tremendous courage and devotion to duty. His medals tell us how Kyle served his country and state.”
Swanson said we all have a shared responsibility to remember those who sacrifice.
“We must remember those who defend freedom and make the ultimate sacrifice,” he said. “Thousands will travel this road in the years ahead and I hope they pause even for a moment to remember our freedom is protected and defended by real people from real families and communities like Galesburg.”
Swanson said the highway signs will ensure Wehrly’s name, service, and connection to the Galesburg community will remain visible for generations.
“These signs will stand as a lasting tribute to a great Soldier, a beloved family member, and a proud son of Galesburg,” he said.
Swanson thanked Wehrly’s family, including father, Pastor Peter Wehrly, mother Nita Cross, wife Janet Wehrly, and daughter Kylee Wehrly Brody, who was six years old when Wehrly was killed.
“Thank you for sharing him with our state and this nation,” Swanson said. “We are forever grateful for his courage, his service, and his sacrifice. It is up to us to continue his story, telling our children and our grandchildren what and who Sergeant First Class Kyle Wehrly was.”
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