Photo By Lt. Col. Bradford Leighton | Illinois Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Cody Schaefer and Staff Sgt. Steven...... read more read more
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Illinois Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Cody Schaefer, who served on the Murphysboro Police Department, presented Murphysboro Mayor Will Stephens and the City Council with a letter from Maj. Gen. Rich Neely, The Adjutant General of Illinois and Commander of the Illinois National Guard on March 14.
The letter thanked the city for its long friendship and partnership with the Illinois National Guard and remembered a key date in the shared history between Murphysboro and the National Guard: March 18, 1925.
It was the day the Great Tri-State Tornado devastated the small Southern Illinois community and the National Guard responded within hours.
The Illinois National Guard is celebrating its 300th year by commemorating key dates in its shared history Illinois communities. The Illinois National Guard traces its roots to May 9, 1723 and the first muster of local militia in the Illinois Territory. Throughout those 300 years, the Illinois National Guard has been part of its communities and has drawn its strength from its communities.
Here is the text of Maj. Gen. Neely's letter to Murphysboro:
Dear Mayor Stephens and Murphysboro Aldermen:
On behalf of the 13,000 Soldiers and Airmen in the Illinois National Guard, thank-you for Murphysboro’s friendship and partnership. The National Guard is part of our communities, and we draw our strength from our communities.
As the Illinois National Guard turns 300 years old, we are celebrating with our communities by commemorating significant dates in our shared history. We could have chosen many dates shared with Murphysboro. Guardsman and the founder of Memorial Day, General John A. Logan, was a son of Murphysboro. The National Guard has responded to flooding in Murphysboro several times. Murphysboro’s sons and daughters have served in our ranks, both in war and peace, for many generations.
We chose March 18, 1925 – the day of the Great Tri-State Tornado. It was the deadliest tornado in U.S. history. It killed 695 people including 234 citizens of Murphysboro. More than 2,060 people were injured. Some 579 Illinois National Guard Soldiers responded. The first Soldiers arrived on scene within an hour. A medical company from the 130th Infantry Regiment was assigned to Murphysboro. At the request of Governor Len Small and Illinois National Guard Commander, General Carlos Black, the federal “War Department” authorized and shipped 1,500 tents, 4,000 cots, 1,000 stoves, 4,020 pillows, 3,377 bed-sacks, and 12,000 blankets - 11 freight cars – from Chicago. The supplies arrived at midnight on March 19.
“…To protect the homeless, guard property, shelter the sick, prevent looting and thievery, and to ward off ghouls, such an organized, specially trained, adequate force was necessary,” General Black wrote. “It reveals the vital part which the National Guard plays in times of a great crises.”
Today, the 130th Infantry, with its headquarters in Marion, is still nearby. The 123rd Engineer Battalion Headquarters and its forward support company are right in Murphysboro. We are proud to be part of this community today as we were in 1925. Thank-you for your support of our National Guard.
Always Ready, Always There!
RICHARD R. NEELY, Major General, ANG
The Adjutant General for Illinois
Commander, Illinois National Guard
| Date Taken: | 03.14.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.15.2023 01:03 |
| Story ID: | 440413 |
| Location: | MURPHYSBORO, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 120 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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