March 24, 2009

Flags lowered to honor war casualties

Under a proclamation signed by Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, the United States flag and the Illinois flag are to be at half-staff at all State of Illinois facilities in honor of three Illinois National Guard members killed last week by a roadside bomb while serving in the military in the war in Afghanistan.

Flags are to be flown at half-staff beginning at sunrise, Wednesday, March 25, until sunset, Friday, March 27, in honor of U.S. Army Spec. Norman L. Cain, III. Flags are to be flown at half-staff from sunrise, Thursday, March 26, until sunset, Saturday, March 28, on behalf of U.S. Army Sgt. Christopher P. Abeyta. Flags are to be flown at half-staff from sunrise, Friday, March 27, until sunset Sunday, March 29, in honor of U.S. Army Spec. Robert M. Weinger.

Reports indicate that Cain, 22, of Mount Morris, Abeyta, 23, of Midlothian, and Weinger, 24, of Round Lake Beach, were among four soldiers killed March 15 by a roadside bomb as their convoy traveled past Kot, Afghanistan. The soldiers were from the Woodstock-based Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry, according to a March 18 story in the Chicago Tribune.

Weinger graduated from Round Lake High School in 2002; he enlisted in the National Guard in 2006. Cain graduated from Freeport High School in 2006; he joined the Guard in 2007. Abeyta graduated from Bremen High School in 2003, already enlisted in the Guard. He spent one year in Iraq, which ended in 2005.