What better dedication to our country can there be than for one citizen to lay down his or her life to protect the life and freedom of another brother or sister in the home we all live in called America? One such patriot, from the Vietnam War, is former Sergeant Thomas Stephen Harms, United States Army, now Junior Vice Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4999 in Chillicothe.

   

He was born September 12, 1949 to Marian and Neve Harms in Peoria. His dad was Navy retired and former Superintendent of Recreation for Peoria. He and Marian raised four boys near the Woodruff High School area until Tom’s sophomore year, when they moved to Rome, IL. As Tom says, “It was a breath of fresh air.” His family always enjoyed motor boating on the Illinois River and many other water activities. Tom’s three brothers were all in the military: Air Force, Marines, and Army. His parents set the foundation of principles, values, and honor for their sons.

   

Early on, working as a mechanic in Peoria, Tom met his love, Debbie, while working on her car. Their first date was at a bowling alley—oh, what a romantic devil. During a good portion of their marriage of 37 years, Tom and Deb toured almost all the United States and some parts of Canada on their Harley Davidson motorcycle. At many different veterans memorials they gathered information and ideas for a new memorial in Chillicothe that might happen someday. Tom felt deeply, then and now, that we needed to show just how much we all appreciate our freedoms provided to us by all veterans—alive as well as those who have passed—with a spectacular new memorial.

   

Freedom Is Not Free. This message graces the wall at the new Veterans Memorial Triangle at Santa Fe, Chestnut, and Finney Sts. From land donated by Ruthy McLaughlin and help from the American Legion, Am Vets, friends, volunteers, the city, and many donations, Tom’s vision came to be our own vision collectively. Our new memorial is simply beautiful and second to none.

   

A big part of Tom’s heart lies with disabled veterans, PTSD, and suicide prevention. Tom cares about our Vets and wants it to be known to all our citizenry just how meaningful their contributions have been.

   

Freedom is bestowed to us from our veteran’s efforts. Duty is given to us from our veterans resolve and honor is acquired by veterans who stand in the way of tyranny to defend a just cause and represent the United States of  America with dignity and pride.

   

There have been and always will be Hometown Heroes in Chillicothe of different walks, occupations, and stature and now former United States Army Sergeant Thomas Stephen Harms and present day Junior Vice Commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4999 joins those ranks.

Thank you, Tom.