A special ceremony is coming up this week to honor the life and service of Galesburg native Sergeant First Class Kyle B. Wehrly.
Wehrly was killed in action in Iraq in 2005. A portion of Illinois Route 150 from Main Street in Galesburg to Knoxville will now be dedicated in his name.
Former National Guard First Sergeant Chuck Newton, who served alongside Wehrly, says the dedication will help make sure his name and sacrifice are never forgotten.
“We’ve been trying to do this for a long time. I promised myself and his family that we’re not going to let anybody forget about him. I worked for the Illinois Department of Transportation, and I was on my computer one day and saw this Highway for Heroes form. I clicked on it and said, ‘This is the form I’ve been looking for for the last 10 years.’ I called Janet, we got it together, got it to Dan, and within two weeks we had legislation passed that we were going to dedicate a highway to Kyle. It has been a pretty great experience.”
The designation ceremony will take place Friday, September 4th at 2 PM on the Galesburg Public Square, weather permitting. The ceremony will include speakers, a color guard, and the Illinois Army National Guard band.
