MENDOTA - The public is invited to join the Mendota Museum and Historical Society in posthumously honoring hometown hero Stan Gehler this Saturday, Aug. 14 at 9 a.m. on the main stage at 901 Washington St., Mendota.

Scheduled to speak at the event will be Ken Gehler, Stan’s older brother; Jay Miller, Third Ward Alderman, City of Mendota; and Tom Henson of the Mendota Museum and Historical Society.

In 1991, then-President George H.W. Bush recognized Mendota native Stan Gehler and his team of civilian employees of the U.S. Army for identifying and implementing ways to save the military millions of dollars on aircraft contracts. The purpose of Saturday’s event is to recognize Stan’s contributions to the nation including his service as an artillery officer during the Vietnam War and his post-retirement career as a civilian employee with the U.S. Army.

“I want to tell people of Mendota that we have a hero,” said Ken Gehler about his brother.

Ken and Stan, born two years apart, grew up in Mendota. Each attended Mendota High School and graduated in 1956 and 1958, respectively. They both enrolled at the University of Illinois to study agriculture. Instead of pursuing careers in that field, the brothers, who also had been part of the university’s ROTC program, each elected to serve as officers in the U.S. Army following their graduations. Following a 20-year career that included a tour in Vietnam, during which he served for a time with older brother Ken, Stan retired from the Army as a Colonel, as Ken also did after 20 years of service.

At Saturday’s event, Ken intends to share his memories of his late younger brother. He chose the weekend of the Sweet Corn Festival because it is a time of homecoming for many Mendota natives, and the brothers, who each had retired to southern states, often would reconnect in person at past festivals.