JJ Kelley’s celebrates USMC Birthday and honors veterans

Annual dinner event combines ceremony and celebration

by Carrie Steinweg

LANSING, Ill. (November 11, 2019) – “Once a Marine, Always a Marine.”

To a civilian, those words might not hold a lot of meaning. To a Marine, that slogan could not mean more. The phrase was recited during a video message from the US Marine Corps Commendant at JJ Kelley’s Restaurant & Pub on Sunday night and repeated many more times throughout the evening.

November 11 is Veterans Day and November 10 is the birthday of the USMC, so for the past several years, Vince and JoEllyn Kelley, the owners of JJ Kelley’s, have hosted a dinner on November 10 to honor and thank those who have served. Last night veterans enjoyed a free buffet dinner, followed by a ceremony that concluded with a cake cutting. The place was packed with veterans from all branches who have served in a span of more than six decades.

Welcome

The ceremony began with a welcome from Mayor Patty Eidam, who mentioned in her remarks that she is a proud veteran of the United States Army. She then introduced some scouts from Lansing Boy Scout Troop 276 who played the National Anthem on instruments, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by US Navy Veteran Jeff Schoettle, who is a member of the Lansing Veterans Memorial Ceremonial Honor Guard. Father Bill MacFarlane led the room in prayer, and the song for each branch of the military was played as veterans from that branch stood and saluted.

Birthday

Then it was time to recognize the 244th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. After the USMC Commandant video message was played, Mayor Eidam requested that all Marines report to the stage. The Marines introduced themselves, some offering additional information—where and when they served, their role, and their rank. Spinner Framke of Lansing shared that he enlisted on the USMC birthday 39 years ago to the day. His son, Colin Framke, who also served in the USMC, was also in attendance.

Ceremony

The cake-cutting is an annual renewal of each Marine’s commitment to the Corps and the Corps’ commitment to our nation’s quest for peace and freedom worldwide, according to a script available on the USMC website. As is tradition, the first piece of cake is given to the guest of honor. It was cut by Jack Olson, who served from 1979 to 1983 and passed to honored guest Don Talbot of Munster, who served from 1967 to 1968 and was taken as a prisoner of war.

The second piece went to Joe Galassini, the oldest Marine in attendance. Born on November 9, 1930, he enlisted on his 21st birthday. The 89-year-old passed it on to the youngest Marine present, Colin Framke, 30, “further emphasizing the fact that we care for our young Marines before we look to our own needs,” read Kooi.

A number of combat veterans were there who served in the Korean War and other conflicts since. Even though more than a half-century has passed since some of them served, the memories don’t seem to fade. One Korean War veteran got emotional at the reference to the “Forgotten War” as it has come to be known.

Bruce Ross, a combat soldier in Korea from 1952–1954 recalled his experience of working in temperatures of 30 degrees below zero and being blown out of an outpost. “I didn’t take a scratch,” he said. “Don’t try to tell me there’s not somebody upstairs.”