Wars come to life with personal stories

Phyllis Coulter
May 27, 2023
May 27, 2023

David-Estes-and-his-dad — David Estes stands with the uniformed mannequin representing his dad Dal, founder of the Livingston County War Museum. David, the museum’s education director, is a Vietnam combat veteran, and his dad fought on the beaches of Normandy.
Photo by Phyllis Coulter

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

PONTIAC, Ill. — Have you ever imagined what it would be like to stand in a room filled with soldiers and sailors who served in World War II and other world conflicts and hear their stories, sometimes in their own words? That’s the opportunity presented at the Livingston County War Museum in Pontiac.

kAm“!6@A=6 4@>6 :? 2?5 D2J[ ‘*@F 92G6 2 H9@=6 2C>J :? 96C6[’” D2JD s2G:5 tDE6D[ E96 D@? @7 E96 >FD6F>’D 7@F?56C[ s2= tDE6D[ 2?5 9:>D6=7 2? pC>J 4@>32E G6E6C2? H9@ D6CG65 :? ':6E?2>]k^Am

kAm':D:E@CD H2=< 2>@?8DE E96 F?:7@C>65 >2??6BF:?D 2?5 C62= G6E6C2?D H9@ G@=F?E66C E96:C E:>6 E@ E6== E96:C DE@C:6D]k^Am

Estes and other volunteers share their stories with students and tourists.
Photo by Phyllis Coulter

kAm%96 >FD6F> >:I6D 9:DE@CJ H:E9 >@56C? E649?@=@8J] ':D:E@CD H:E9 D>2CEA9@?6D 42? D?2A A9@E@D @7 "# 4@56D E@ 962C 56E2:=65 :?7@C>2E:@?[ 2?5 :? D@>6 42D6D[ E96 G@:46D @7 G6E6C2?D E6==:?8 E96:C >:=:E2CJ 6IA6C:6?46D] %96 "# 4@56D 2C6 E92?<D E@ 2 >FD6F> :?E6C?[ s2G:5 D2JD]k^Am

kAm*@F 42? 962C E96 G@:46 @7 9:D 72E96C[ s2= tDE6D[ E96 >FD6F>’D 7@F?56C H9@ =2?565 :? E96 D64@?5 H2G6 2E ~>292 q6249 :? uC2?46 @? s\s2J] w:D 56D4C:AE:@? @7 H92E 96 D2H E92E 52J :D 49:==:?8] w6 C646:G65 2 !FCA=6 w62CE 5FC:?8 E96 q2EE=6 @7 E96 qF=86 :? q6=8:F>]k^Am

kAm“u@C `_ J62CD 96 EC:65 E@ DE2CE E96 >FD6F>] w6 H@F=5?’E 8:G6 FA[” D2JD s2G:5[ E96 >FD6F>’D 65F42E:@? 5:C64E@C]k^Am

kAm%96 >FD6F> @A6?65 :? a__c 2?5 :D 23@G6 E96 #@FE6 ee |FD6F> 7@F?565 3J s2=’D H:76 q6EEJ tDE6D[ !@?E:24’D 7:CDE E@FC:D> 5:C64E@C]k^Am

kAms2G:5 C6>6>36CD E96 7:CDE E:>6 9:D 72E96C D2H E96 >FD6F> DA246 2?5 D2:5[ “%9:D H:== 5@[ 3FE H6’== ?6G6C 7:== :E FA]” w6 49F4<=6D ?@H[ DE2?5:?8 :? E96 >FD6F> 7:==65 E@ E96 3C:>]k^Am

kAmp7E6C E96 H2C[ s2= H@C<65 :? 2 >62E A24<:?8 A=2?E :? r9:428@ E@ 62C? 2 8@@5 :?4@>6 7@C 9:D 72>:=J] x? 9:D 62C=J 52JD @7 E6==:?8 H2C DE@C:6D[ 96 H@F=5 EC2G6= 2C@F?5 H:E9 2 D>2== DF:E42D6 @7 2CE:724ED 2?5 FD6 E96> E@ E6== E96 DE@CJ[ s2G:5 D2:5]k^Am

kAm(96? 96 H2D 2 92=7\EC24< 5C:G6C @? s\s2J[ 96 42AEFC65 2 }2K: 7=28 7C@> E96 7:CDE 3F?<6C 6?E6C65 3J p>6C:42?D :? }@C>2?5J[ uC2?46] u:7EJ J62CD =2E6C[ E@ E96 52J[ 96 C6EFC?65 :E E@ 2 >FD6F> :? uC2?46 @? E96 D2>6 36249] xE :D 5:DA=2J65 2E E96 >FD6F> H:E9 2 EC:3FE6 32??6C E@ s2= tDE6D]k^Am

kAm“(96? 96 C6EFC?65 E96 7=28 E@ uC2?46 :? `hhc[ 96 H2D >@3365 H:E9 C6DA64E 2?5 25>:C2E:@?] z:5D H2?E65 9:D 2FE@8C2A9[” s2G:5 D2JD]k^Am

kAm%@ D66 :7 E96C6 H@F=5 36 E96 D2>6 C624E:@? 96C6[ s2= DE@@5 @? E96 {:G:?8DE@? r@F?EJ r@FCE DE6AD :? 9:D <92<:D] }@ @?6 A2:5 2EE6?E:@?[ H9:49 >256 9:> >@C6 56E6C>:?65 E@ @A6? 2 >FD6F>]k^Am

kAms2= 5:65 @? r9C:DE>2D tG6 :? a__d 3FE =:G65 E@ D66 9:D 5C62> 4@>6 ECF6]k^Am

Estes-and-his-brother-in-combat — Photo by Phyllis Coulter

kAms2G:5[ H9@ 96=AD 42CCJ @? 9:D 72E96C’D >:DD:@?[ H2D 5C27E65 E@ 9:D D6CG:46 :? ':6E?2>]k^Am

kAm“x 5:5?’E H2?E E@ 8@ E@ H2C[” 96 7C66=J 25>:ED] qFE 96 5:5 2?5 D2JD 96 92D ?@ C6DA64E 7@C 5C27E 5@586CD 2?5 @E96CD H9@ 72<65 >65:42= AC@3=6>D E@ 2G@:5 8@:?8] %9:D :D @?6 @7 E96 9@?6DE DE@C:6D 96 E6==D G:D:E@CD]k^Am

kAm%96 r:G:= (2C D64E:@? @7 E96 >FD6F> 762EFC6D E96 72D4:?2E:?8 DE@CJ @7 p=36CE r2D9:6C[ H9@ H2D C62==J 2 H@>2? ?2>65 y6??:6 xC6?6 w@586CD] $96 25@AE65 E96 :56?E:EJ @7 2 >2? E@ D6CG6 :? E96 &?:@? pC>J 2?5 H2D @?=J 5:D4@G6C65 H96? D96 ?66565 >65:42= 2EE6?E:@?] r2D9:6C H2D 3FC:65 H:E9 7F== >:=:E2CJ 9@?@C :? `h`d 2?5 E96 72>:=J 9@FD6 :D AC6D6CG65 :? $2F?6>:?[ x==:?@:D]k^Am

kAm(@C=5 (2C x[ (@C=5 (2C xx[ ':6E?2>[ z@C62 2?5 >@C6 C646?E H2CD 2?5 4@?7=:4ED 2C6 C6AC6D6?E65]k^Am

People are also reading…

‘Tough to compete with feedlot for cost of gain’
New policies affect spread of alternative energy sites
Agriculture will play a major role in upcoming corner crossing discussions
Finding her niche on family farm: Newman Grove farm wife builds pork business
Morrell, Stockyards made a mark on Sioux Falls history
Wildfires: Yearning to help, prompted to plan
Meristem focuses on reducing crop input costs for farmers
Leland Red Angus & Koester Red Angus
Researchers experiment with agrivoltaics
Rebounding from stray voltage, farmer recharges
Commitment core of Ralston FFA Chapter
‘Micro-dairy’ adds diversity to family business
Faith and trust: Small rural church members have faith in future of their congregation
Evenson Angus 46th Annual Production Sale
Scherbenske Angus Ranch 50th Annual Production Sale

kAmtG6? “E96 >@DE 564@C2E65 5@8” @7 (@C=5 (2C x 86ED 2 DE@CJ 96C6] z?@H? 2D $6C862?E $EF33J[ 96 H2C?65 @7 82D 2EE24<D 2?5 :D 4C65:E65 H:E9 <:==:?8 2? 6?6>J H:E9 2 =:EE=6 96=A 7C@> 9:D EH@\=68865 7C:6?5D[ D2JD #@86C zFE?K6C @7 u=2?282?[ 2 9:DE@C:2? 2?5 G@=F?E66C 2E E96 >FD6F>]k^Am

kAmu2C> 3@JD H6C6 2>@?8 E9@D6 H9@ D6CG65 :? 2 H@C=5 72C 5:776C6?E E92? E96:C @H?[ zFE?K6C D2JD] w6 8:G6D 2? 6I2>A=6 @7 @?6 H9@ 925 ?6G6C D66? 2? @462? 367@C6 2?5 6?565 FA D6CG:?8 @? 2? 2:C4C27E 42CC:6C H96C6 “96 5:5?’E D66 =2?5 7@C 2 J62C]”k^Am

kAm%96 >FD6F> >:I6D =@42= 492C24E6CD H:E9 :?E6C?2E:@?2= DE@C:6D] xE E6==D H@C=5H:56 H2C DE@C:6D H:E9 2CE:724ED 7C@> @?=J 2 d\>:=6 C25:FD @7 !@?E:24 :? {:G:?8DE@? r@F?EJ]k^Am

John-Amm-farmer — The museum has 10,000 artifacts and hosts 60,000 visitors a year.
Photo by Phyllis Coulter

kAm“(6’C6 F?:BF6[” D2JD >FD6F> AC6D:56?E t5 {@?8[ H9@ D6CG65 :? E96 }2GJ 5FC:?8 E96 ':6E?2> (2C[ C6E:C:?8 2D r9:67 !6EEJ ~77:46C :? `hgf] k^Am

kAmp== E96 `_[___ :E6>D :? E96 >FD6F>’D 4@==64E:@? H6C6 5@?2E65] #2=A9 |6DD6C[ E96 >FD6F> 4FC2E@C[ H:== 96=A A6@A=6 7:?5 2 A=246 E@ 5@?2E6 >:=:E2CJ :E6>D :7 E96J 5@?’E >66E E9:D >FD6F>’D 4C:E6C:2]k^Am

kAm“(6 86E e_[___ G:D:E@CD 2 J62C[ @7E6? `__ 2 52J[” {@?8 D2JD]k^Am

kAm%96 >FD6F> H2D 4=@D65 E@ E96 AF3=:4 5FC:?8 E96 A2?56>:4 3FE 4@?E:?F65 E@ 4@??64E H:E9 DEF56?ED E9C@F89 +@@> 2?5 $<JA6 G:56@ 42==D]k^Am

kAm%96D6 AC@8C2>D 2C6 A2CE @7 E96 >FD6F>’D tDE6D\|FCA9J t5F42E:@? r6?E6C[ ?2>65 2D 2 EC:3FE6 E@ 76==@H >FD6F> 7@F?56CD s2= tDE6D 2?5 y24< |FCA9J] |FCA9J[ 2 z@C62? (2C pC>J G6E6C2?[ H2D E96 >FD6F>’D 7:CDE AC6D:56?E]k^Am

kAmp>@?8 E96 A6@A=6 H9@ 7C6BF6?E E96 >FD6F> :D pCE {6249[ 2 7:89E6C A:=@E H9@ D6CG65 :? (@C=5 (2C xx :? E96 !24:7:4]k^Am

kAm“w6’D 2 H2=<:?8 6?4J4=@A65:2[” {@?8 D2JD @7 E96 `_b\J62C\@=5 G6E6C2?]k^Am

kA DEJ=6lQE6IE\2=:8?i 46?E6CjQmkDEC@?8m':D:E@CD’ 8F:56k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kA DEJ=6lQE6IE\2=:8?i 46?E6CjQmkDEC@?8m{:G:?8DE@? r@F?EJ (2C |FD6F> U2>Ajk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kA DEJ=6lQE6IE\2=:8?i 46?E6CjQmkDEC@?8mtDE6D\|FCA9J t5F42E:@? r6?E6Ck^DEC@?8mk^Am

kA DEJ=6lQE6IE\2=:8?i 46?E6CjQmba` }] |2:? $EC66E[k^Am

kA DEJ=6lQE6IE\2=:8?i 46?E6CjQm!@?E:24[ x==]k^Am

kA DEJ=6lQE6IE\2=:8?i 46?E6CjQmg`d\gca\_b_`k^Am

kA DEJ=6lQE6IE\2=:8?i 46?E6CjQm~A6? |@?52J E@ $2EFC52J[ `_ 2]>] E@ c A]>]jk^Am

kA DEJ=6lQE6IE\2=:8?i 46?E6CjQm$F?52J[ ?@@? E@ c A]>]k^Am

kA DEJ=6lQE6IE\2=:8?i 46?E6CjQmk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^=:G:?8DE@?4@F?EJH2C>FD6F>]4@>Qm=:G:?8DE@?4@F?EJH2C>FD6F>]4@>k^2mk^Am