More than 20 years ago, Ryan Costello was struggling on how he wanted to proceed professionally.
He was interested in engineering and with the advice of a friend, Costello joined the U.S. Air Force. After enduring the rigors of basic training, Costello started to enjoy his military service adding the tragic events of 9/11 reinforced to him that he made the correct decision for himself in joining the Air Force.
“The desire to give back to the country that had given me so much,” Costello said. “With 9/11, I knew this was exactly what I needed to be doing.”
At the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom less than two years later, Costello worked with his fellow soldiers where they formed a lifelong bond.
“We all come from different walks of life,” Costello recalled of his 16 years of service. “We all come from different experiences and beliefs. But none of that matters when you are out there. The bonds and trust that you form and the trust you form with your team, these folks become your family.”
Costello, now a Glenview resident and the Director of Corporate Quality Assurance at Metra, described that portion of his life at a Winnetka Veterans Day observance on Nov. 11 at the Winnetka Community House.
Veterans sat among the audience for the pageantry-filled ceremony, featuring a presentation of colors, a rifle salute and a bugler playing “taps.”
U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Deerfield) mentioned many of his family served in the military.
“The sacrifices they make day in and day out are what allows us to enjoy the liberties we enjoy each and every day,” Schneider said. “Today we honor our veterans but every day we need to be grateful for our veterans.”
Recognized at the ceremony was Phil Hoza, a decorated Vietnam veteran and longtime Winnetka presence.
“Captain Phil Hoza not only served his country with pride, but he has served the community for over 53 years,” said a beaming Capt. Carrie Hoza, his daughter and the commander of the local VFW Post. “His tireless efforts in making sure these Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies come together is invaluable.”
Carrie Hoza also honored John Wadsworth Gordon, a Winnetka native killed in January 1945 at the Battle of Reipertswiller in France.
Following the end of World War II, American personnel recovered 37 sets of remains from the area where Gordon was killed. The remains were classified as unknowns and placed at military cemeteries, but historians in 2019 concluded one of the sets of remains was Gordon, according to online military reports.
The remains were disinterred in 2019 and in July 2022, they were positively identified as Gordon. He was then buried at a Milwaukee military ceremony last month.
The Veterans Day ceremony allowed the community to salute Gordon who attended New Trier High School where he was a member of the track team, the stamp club and on the advertising staff for the school yearbook, according to New Trier High School spokeswoman Nicole Dizon.
Hoza said Gordon moved to Minneapolis after high school and then moved on to Lexington, KY before enlisting in the army.
Among the veterans in the audience was Winnetka’s Jerry Conner, a Winnetka resident who was in the U.S. Army from 1970-72 and today is the president of the National Veterans Awareness Organization.
He spoke of the meaning of all Veterans Day ceremonies.
“I think it is important for the young people to see that veterans are real people and the community is here to show some respect for the veterans,” said Conner, adding he wanted to plant the seeds of patriotism. “I think this helps. I think they can see patriotism here.”
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.
