Pictures is Kevin and Vonda Rodgers, members of the Gold star family.
This Memorial Day, Cities 92.9 and the David-Paul Blumenshine Show listened to Bloomington-Normal residents who had particular stories that look back fondly on B-N heroes.
Rembering Sgt. Joshua Rodgers
Vonda Rodgers, mother of fallen Sgt. Joshua Rodgers, who was killed in action April 27, 2017 on his third deployment to Afghanistan, said to go beyond a moment of silence this Memorial Day.
Josh was assigned to Company C, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, and stationed at Fort Benning, Ga.
“It’s (Memorial Day) is really about stopping and acknowledging. I encourage you to meet a few of them,” said Vonda Rodgers. “When we stop sharing those stories…they fade away. Memorial Day is about celebrating their life, and then considering and thinking about the freedoms they died protecting. Not freedom to do what you want, but freedom to do what’s right.”
Joshua Rodgers completed Ranger school in 2015. Vonda Rodgers said the night Joshua died was the best night of his life. They, Josh and his Ranger brothers, went into Nangarhar, Afghanistan to complete a mission in order to take down ISIS.
“He lived what I can only imagine was the best night of his life, it was also the night he was killed. After graduation he went right into the Army,” said Vonda Rodgers. He told us so many times, ‘It’s like practicing for a football game and never getting in.’ A lot of time in the military is spent in training. I’m told by his brothers, ‘It was the perfect night for a Ranger. We we’re so excited and so ready. We had trained for this. Do you do the fist bump or bro-tap?’ Shortly after that Josh was shot in the leg, now here’s an indication of how much Josh believed in what he was doing: he tied his own tourniquet and went forward. Shortly after that we believe Josh was fatally wounded.”
Goldstar mother Vonda Rodgers said it was a “friendly fire incident,” which means in the chaos of war an accident occurred and Josh and Sgt. Cameron Thomas, 23, were shot by Ranger brothers.
“If your Josh’s dad (Kevin Rodgers), you take pride in the fact that the enemy got no one that night. Immediately we chose to believe that it was just an incident in the chaos,” said Vonda Rodgers. “I have no doubt Josh opened his eyes and he was in the gates of Heaven, he was looking at Jesus and he said, ‘Really? Already you didn’t let me finish the fight?’ He knew he wanted to be there,” said Vonda Rodgers. “I usually have a bracelet on that says, ‘Faith in God means faith in his timing.’ I tried remind myself of that. We were informed shortly after. A day later, we were notified and a week later they brought Josh home to Bloomington.”
Vonda Rodgers said when two military people showed up at her door, she learned the true meaning of Memorial Day.
“So many people will say, ‘I can’t imagine’ and I say, ‘Don’t ever try.’ What God has done though…he has place people to carry us when we couldn’t walk ourselves,” said Vonda Rodgers.
She said is as guilty as everyone else as attributing Memorial Day as the three-day weekend that kicks off summer.
National controversy arises after Vice President Kamla Harris’ tweet.
Becky Swan, a living relative of the Gaultney brothers, said because of the sacrifices that the entire Gaultney Family made during World War II, Kamala Harris has and will continue to have free speech if we don’t let our Great Nation slip from our fingers.
“Her particular speech however is a reminder that there is a need to worry with this administration that the American values and freedoms that we’ve held so near and dear to our hearts for all of our lives may actually be slipping away from us which makes me want to express that as long as there’s breath in me, this Gaultney niece will never let that happen,” said Becky Swan.
“Our military heroes will be honored, our law enforcement will be respected, and our right to free speech and personal protection will be upheld, or we are in a different America and if that’s the case, sound the alarms, we are in enemy territory,” said Becky Swan.
Gaultney brothers
Andrew and Becky Swan, from Jarhead Construction, share some family history of the fallen Le Roy, IL. Gaultney brothers from WWII. Becky Swan is the great niece of the late Gaultney brothers.
Pictured are the Gaultney brothers’ living family, Andrew and Becky Swan.
Leonard, Ralph and David, all died in WWII. Ralph was the first casualty from McLean County in WWII when he died of wounds from the Pearl Harbor attack. Leonard died when his ship, the USS Vincennes, was sunk at Guadalcanal in 1942.
Becky Swan said she later learned Leonard died going back for a friend despite a direct order.
David was killed in 1945 during the battle of Iwo Jima.
“My great grandmother, Nellie, had grieved herself to death. She passed away from the mere grief she suffered,and she never knew three years later her 15-year old son David would die in the battle of Iwo Jima” said Becky Swan. “The three brothers sacrificed their lives for our great nation. All of my aunts and uncles have suffered as a family as a result of the loss of the Gaultney brothers.”
Becky Swan said Illinois decided the brothers needed to be memorialized and senator Chapin Rose in November 2019 Veteran’s Day, came up and dedicated a park.
“The Le Roy Legion do a phenomenal job of remembering,” said Becky Swan.
Illinois Senate/House passed Resolution SJR65, “Gaultney Brothers Memorial Highway.”
“Right when you make that turn to go to Le Roy there’s a sign outside,” said Becky Swan.
Andrew himself has also served our great nation as MP and drill instructor for the Marine Corps.
