Honorees for
Illinois

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Name	Hometown	Branch	Rank	Yrs.	Contributor
Jeffery A. Dries	Peoria	Marines	MGSgt.	23	Patty Finley
Jeff is my brother-in-law, and I am very proud of him. He is one of the best Marines to have ever served. He is hard-working, and completely devoted to the Corps, his country, and his family. He has served two tours in Okinawa, and was in Quwait from January-May 2003. He does his duty without question or complaint. He is a fine Marine.
David L. Summers	Milan	Navy	Draftsman 1st Class	18	Saturday Night Mixers
Dedicated his life to service. Has been in service since graduating. Has served wherever he is needed.
Mayford (Bud) Miller	Dekalb	Army		Korean War	Business and Professional League
Bud's service to our nation earned him the Purple Heart during the Korean War. Bud and most of his family have been bowlers in the Dekalb area for many years. But passed on Feb. 17, 2003 and will be remembered for his support of our nation and the sport of bowling.
E. Donald Lyons	Dekalb	Navy		2	Business and Professional League
Don served in the Philippines at the end of WWII. Don was life member of the Dekalb Bowling Assn. and a bowler for 50 years. Don passed on in early Feb. 2004 just two weeks before his scheduled induction into the Dekalb Assn. Hall of Fame.
Paul Burnett	New Baden	USAF	T/Sgt.	18	Friday Nite Fun League
He has served four tours of duty in combat zones. He most recently served in Iraq. He has received numerous decorations.
Steve DePyssler	Chicago	USAF	Colonel	38	Early Bird Bowling League
If dedicating an entire adult lifetime to the service of duty and country is the benchmark of honor, Col. Steve dePyssler (USAF Ret.) is the standard-setter. Since 1978, Col. dePyssler has devoted his time, leadership, and compassion to military retirees and active duty members on a full-time volunteer basis. He has assisted over 50,000 military and dependents in receiving their benefits and entitlements from the Department of Defense, Department of Veteran Affairs, Social Security, and health care. He has briefed every airman arriving, separating, or retiring at Barksdale AFB on benefits/entitlements, and his Retiree Office is considered the best in DoD by his peers. Whether spearheading the drive for funding of three perpetual college scholarships, funding and construction of War Memorials in Shreveport and Bossier City, construction of a War Veterans Home in Bossier City, or counseling a widow on casualty affairs, Col. dePyssler demonstrates excellence in service to America's military. Col. Steve dePyssler is a superlative honoree to be recognized by Operation Honor Force.
Frank, Julio, and Mario Goffo	Highland Park	Army & Navy		5	Remo Picchietti Bannockburn
These men were my uncles, my mother's brothers. They all served from 1941 to 1946 - all saw combat and two were wounded. They are gone now but I do remember them.
Joseph DeJonghe	Danville	USAF	Colonel		Columbus Women's Bowling Association, Columbus, OH
Please see the Ohio entry for more information on Joseph DeJonghe and other contributors
Wilford Henry "Hank" Barbee	Louisville	Army		WWII vet	Pat and Betty Sue Speaks McCormick, Oscoda, MI
After over 30 years in a wheelchair, Hank and Joyce attended an Army reunion last year, where he saw friends/buddies that he had not seen since his Army service time.
Andrew D. Bauer	Collinsville	Army	PFC	1	Kahokian Klassic, Glen Carbon, IL
Andrew has been selected by the Kahokian Klassic bowling league for Operation Honor Force because of his association with our bowling center in assisting us when lanes malfunctioned. Most importantly, we chose to honor him for his work as a paratrooper in the Army Special Forces. Andrew is presently serving his country in the Middle East.

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