Hundreds gather to watch memorial’s grand rededication in Scoville Park

Photos by David T. Kindler

US Navy Great Lakes Ceremonial Band.

Statues covered by a parachute prior to unveiling.David T. Kindler

US Navy Color Guard during pledge of allegiance.David T. Kindler

Park District Maintenance Supervisor and Bugler, John Borland.David T. Kindler

Tom Day, Marine Bugler.David T. Kindler

Pro Musica Youth Chorus performs “I Hear America Signing”David T. Kindler

WWII Veteran and Oak Park Resident Don Carter.David T. Kindler

Army Veteran reads program during the rededication ceremony.David T. Kindler

Park District of Oak Park employees secure the parachute covering the monument.David T. Kindler

Unveiling of the Peace Triumphant monument.David T. Kindler

Peace Triumphant.David T. Kindler

Peace Triumphant.David T. Kindler

Rev. Marti Scott, Euclid Avenue Methodist Church, offering the benediction.David T. Kindler

Audience member wearing a patriotic hat.David T. Kindler

Attendees photograph names of relatives engraved on the monument’s plaques.David T. Kindler

A man points to the name of a relative engraved on the plaques.David T. Kindler

A helper describes the monument to a blind veteran who reaches to touch the names.David T. Kindler

Master of Ceremonies Redd Griffin, Specialist 5, US Amy Security Agency, Berlin, Cold War.David T. Kindler

Linda Sahagian leading the Star Spangled Banner.David T. Kindler

John Borland, Park District of Oak Park Grounds Supervisor and Bugler stands on the roof of the Oak Park Public Library.David T. Kindler

After 18 months of restoration, Scoville Park’s World War I memorial was unveiled Sunday afternoon much as it was restored: slowly, and with great difficulty.

When it came time to reveal the restored monument to the crowd of hundreds gathered for the monument’s rededication, the Park District of Oak Park’s employees and volunteers struggled to remove the makeshift curtain — a green parachute, purchased from Army-Navy Surplus on Madison Street in Forest Park.

But as children giggled in the background, the parachute was pulled off, bit by bit, revealing the restored majesty of the “Peace Triumphant” memorial.

In the audience were veterans of many wars from many branches of the military, as well as employees of Hines Veterans’ Hospital in Maywood and descendants of those named on the memorial.

State Sen. Don Harmon, a lifelong Oak Parker, told the crowd that the monument’s meaning has changed for him over the years.

“When I was a boy, I thought this was a monument to war,” Harmon said. “Now that I’m an adult, I fully realize this is a monument to peace.”

Oak Park Village President David Pope hit on a similar message.

“The name ‘Peace Triumphant’ was originally retrospective, looking back,” Pope said. “But now, looking forward, it’s prospective, seeing what we can do going forward.”

But Sharon Helman, Hines’ director, urged people not to forget the veterans who served the United States, but weren’t listed on any memorials yet.

“These aren’t just names — these are people who walk through the hallways at Hines,” Helman said. “This statue is called ‘Peace Triumphant,’ but there are after effects of that peace.”

Annette Amelkovich, another lifelong Oak Parker at 49, said she’s played on the statue as an adult and as a kid. As she grew older, though, the statue grew increasingly important to her.

“As a kid, I didn’t think anything of it, other than there’s a statue that we can play on,” Amelkovich said. “It carries more meaning for me as an adult, since peace is a part of my daily regime … In my lifetime, I don’t think I’m going to see this again — to see people paying tribute to the whole scenario of peace.”