President's Message

The Livingston County War Museum continues to thrive and grow as word spreads about it. The Route 66 Museum and the War Museum provide great attractions to visitors of our city and county.
We have a lot of new items, new signs at the doors and hopefully soon an elevator for those who find the stairs too difficult. The City of Pontiac has been very helpful in making the two museums an attraction.
Our sole purpose is to honor and remember those who gave so much for our country and to honor those who serve today. God Bless America.
Jack Murphy
President
Livingston County War Museum
Dal Estes Education Center
Pontiac IL

Bill Voorheis - Veteran of Tarawa

Bill Voorheis, Life Member, pictured recently on a visit to the War Museum from his home in Kentucky. Corporal Voorheis, formerly of Cornell IL, was severely wounded at Tarawa, a major battle in the Pacific during World War II.Voorheis was shot seven times on the beach and spent two years recovering from his wounds. In spite of all of this, he considers himself one of the lucky ones because he made it home.

Pontiac Junior High Tours Museum

Jack Murphy, Museum President, explains decorations on a uniform and the M-1 Garand rifle to Pontiac Junior High students and their teacher, Mike Lidy.

Cornell Grade School visit

Cornell Grade School visited our museum, saw the World War I uniform and learned about Walter Cornell, whose family Cornell IL was named for. Jack Murphy and Board member Gene Lyons gave a tour to another Cornell group.

Pontiac High School history class

Saunemin American Legion Auxiliary

The Ladies Auxiliary of the Saunemin American Legion visited the War Museum on June 5.

Museum President Named Citizen of Year (double click)

Jack Murphy, the War Museum President, was recently named Pontiac Rotary Citizen of the Year. Congratulations, Jack, for this well-deserved honor!

World War II Conference a Great Success!

Thank you to the City of Pontiac, Pontiac Tourism, and the many friends of the Museum who helped us put on a great World War II conference. Special thanks to our 12 honored speakers representing the Army, Navy, Air Corps, Marines and civilian life as well as over 100 guests. In the photo are (left to right) Jim Dawson-US Marines, Peg Spalding-US Naval Intelligence, Gladys Barnes-engine repair, and John Rodino-US Army. Other participants include: Wib Henkel - US Army, John Amm - US Army, Neil Bach - US Army Air Corps, Eric Merry - RAF door gunner, Willis Harms - US Army, Bill Diaz - US Army and David Siebert - son of a German prisoner of war. Following the Conference, everyone had fun travelling on Pontiac's Jolly Trolley to a local restaurant for even more stories!

That Day the tide brought in Freedom

Remembering D-Day 63 years later. God Bless our D-Day and World War II veterans. Thank you for our freedoms.
We will never forget.

Remember Their Sacrifice

D- Day June 6, 1944. Staff Sergeant Herman "Red" Greenlee being brought in by Sergeant Mominee and PFC Cliff Voss. All with C Battery, 467th Automatic Weapons Battalion, Self-Propelled (Halftracks)

Omaha Beach on D-Day (Double-click) Drawn by Dal Estes

Two Heroes of D-Day: Dal Estes and Orval Monson

In the early morning of June 6, 1944 Dal Estes, Orval Monson and members of the 467th AAA Automatic Weapons Squad helped take out this German bunker, WN65, guarding a key exit off of Omaha Beach. They returned 50 years later to return the Nazi flag taken from inside the bunker to the people of France. It is now in the Musee Omaha 6 Juin in St. Laurent sur Mer, France. A plaque now commemorates their unit"s heroic actions on D-Day.

Dal Estes on Omaha Beach 60 years later