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Hero Memorial Committee of Silvis, 1968-2001
1968-05-12 Joseph Terronez letter
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124 3rd Street Silvis, Illinois May 12, 1968 Dear Friend: Perhaps you are familiar with the story of Hero Street U.S.A. but in the event you are not permit me to construct it briefly for you as a prelude to a very important request I wish to make to you. The renaming of Second Street, Silvis to Hero Street was sparked by a letter by Mr John Ponciano published in the now defunct Labor Daily in which he suggested the street be renamed to honor eight young Silvis youth who having left homes in a block and a honor eight young Silvis youths who having left homes in a block and a half area of the street gave their lives on battlefields overseas during the Second World War and the Korean Conflict. A Spanish Version of Mr. Ponciano's letter appea-ring in the former Spanish-English newspaper El Reportero Inspired Chucho Farias, a Mexican newspaperman, to eulogize the combat death of these young men in his "Laurels to the Heroes of Silvis" which was also pub-lished in El Reportero. An editorial follow-up in El Reportero cited the heroism of the Silvis youths as a symbolic portrayal of the valor of the countless Mexican Americans who/lost their lives in defence of their country and also emphasized the strong spiritual bond which magically unites Mexican Americans in paying their heartfelt respects to deceased friends and loved ones. It is on this last note of the spiritual unity of our people that I beseech you, as chairman of the Hero Street Memorial Committee appointed by the Mayor of Silvis, to meet with me on Thursday, May 16, at 7:00 p.m. at the Ybarra-Gomez VFW Post clubrooms, 918 1/2 15th Avenue in East Moline, Ill. At this meeting I would like to bring you and/or your delegation up to date of the events which have led to the renaming of Second Street to Hero Street and to the selected site for the Hero Street Memorial Park. Thus far I have received support and help from Silvis city officials, Congressman Railsback, Moline Dispatch editor, Jack Sundine, Ray Alonzo, Commander of the Ybarra-Gomez VFW Post and various other Mexican American leaders of the area. Although this support has been responsible for the success achieved to date in my opinion the final realization of a Hero Street Memorial Park rightfully belongs to the Mexican people as an hon-orary tribute to all of their sons who fought and died for freedom. I feel that the Hero Street Memorial Park has a special significance and importance for all of us as Mexican Americans and I am humbly depending upon your proven leadership to rally our people in support of the fundraising for the Hero Street Memorial Park and to solicit their partici-pation in Memorial Day services to be held on Hero Street, all of which we will discuss at length when we meet Thursday night. In anticipation of our meeting this Thursday, I remain. Yours truly, Joseph Terronez Silvis First Ward Alderman Chairman of the Hero Memorial Committee of Silvis
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124 3rd Street Silvis, Illinois May 12, 1968 Dear Friend: Perhaps you are familiar with the story of Hero Street U.S.A. but in the event you are not permit me to construct it briefly for you as a prelude to a very important request I wish to make to you. The renaming of Second Street, Silvis to Hero Street was sparked by a letter by Mr John Ponciano published in the now defunct Labor Daily in which he suggested the street be renamed to honor eight young Silvis youth who having left homes in a block and a honor eight young Silvis youths who having left homes in a block and a half area of the street gave their lives on battlefields overseas during the Second World War and the Korean Conflict. A Spanish Version of Mr. Ponciano's letter appea-ring in the former Spanish-English newspaper El Reportero Inspired Chucho Farias, a Mexican newspaperman, to eulogize the combat death of these young men in his "Laurels to the Heroes of Silvis" which was also pub-lished in El Reportero. An editorial follow-up in El Reportero cited the heroism of the Silvis youths as a symbolic portrayal of the valor of the countless Mexican Americans who/lost their lives in defence of their country and also emphasized the strong spiritual bond which magically unites Mexican Americans in paying their heartfelt respects to deceased friends and loved ones. It is on this last note of the spiritual unity of our people that I beseech you, as chairman of the Hero Street Memorial Committee appointed by the Mayor of Silvis, to meet with me on Thursday, May 16, at 7:00 p.m. at the Ybarra-Gomez VFW Post clubrooms, 918 1/2 15th Avenue in East Moline, Ill. At this meeting I would like to bring you and/or your delegation up to date of the events which have led to the renaming of Second Street to Hero Street and to the selected site for the Hero Street Memorial Park. Thus far I have received support and help from Silvis city officials, Congressman Railsback, Moline Dispatch editor, Jack Sundine, Ray Alonzo, Commander of the Ybarra-Gomez VFW Post and various other Mexican American leaders of the area. Although this support has been responsible for the success achieved to date in my opinion the final realization of a Hero Street Memorial Park rightfully belongs to the Mexican people as an hon-orary tribute to all of their sons who fought and died for freedom. I feel that the Hero Street Memorial Park has a special significance and importance for all of us as Mexican Americans and I am humbly depending upon your proven leadership to rally our people in support of the fundraising for the Hero Street Memorial Park and to solicit their partici-pation in Memorial Day services to be held on Hero Street, all of which we will discuss at length when we meet Thursday night. In anticipation of our meeting this Thursday, I remain. Yours truly, Joseph Terronez Silvis First Ward Alderman Chairman of the Hero Memorial Committee of Silvis
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