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‘This is forever’: Bridge dedication honors fallen Norridge soldier

A bridge on West Irving Road where it crosses the Des Plaines River now bears the name of Cpl. Donald W. Bollman, honoring the memory of the lifelong Norridge resident and Ridgewood High School student who lost his life while fighting in the Vietnam War in 1967.

State Sen. John Mulroe (D-10th) served as the host of bridge dedication held Tuesday at Schiller Woods. Mulroe introduced Senate Joint Resolution 39 to honor the soldier’s memory with State Rep. Michael McAuliffe (R-20th) carrying the legislation through the House.

Bollman enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1965, one of three brothers serving in Vietnam at the same time. He died March 1, 1967, according to a military service page created by his sister, Carol Ann Bollmann-Badalamenti, who uses a different spelling of the family name.

Her brother was a “true hero,” Bollmann-Badalamenti said, receiving the Bronze Star for valor. Growing up in Norridge, and going down Irving Park Road so many times — “now to see his name there,” she said. “I’m very honored.”

In his remarks, Mulroe said he recognized that the late recognition could not compensate the family for the years of pain and suffering, but he hoped “it will be something that will recognize the sacrifice.”

“I didn’t know Donald personally, and I didn’t know his family personally,” he said following the ceremony. “But I have four brothers, I have four children, and I cannot imagine the pain and suffering that this family has been enduring for 50 years.”

Laura Sandoval, a niece of the deceased soldier, and Mark Lymperopulos, a veteran and friend of the family, were among those working to bring the issue to the senator’s attention.

They worked with an organization called Bridges For the Fallen, a Massachusetts-based group that works to get bridges named for fallen soldiers.

“I could only take it so far because it has to be followed up with family members,” said Lymperopulos. “So that’s when I contacted my friend, James, Jim Bollman, who was one of the brothers who brought Donald home.”

Sandoval didn’t know her uncle; he died before she was born.

“But I grew up with him, as far as his birthday was Christmas Eve,” she said. “Every holiday, they (the family) always talked about him, they always toasted to him, he’s always been in our family, never forgotten. My 10-year-old son, when he was about 4, on his phone, he drew a picture of a soldier and wrote ‘Uncle Donald, thank you for your sacrifice and your service to the country.’ “

Ever since he showed interest, Sandoval said she and her husband have been very much into attending different memorials to soldiers, to “keep the memory alive.”

“It really is a sacrifice, and it is unfortunate all these years later we’re missing him as on the day he died,” she said.

Earlier this year, Ridgewood High School set in motion recognition of Bollman. Acting under the legislation from the State Board of Education and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the school awarded an honorary diploma to Cpl. Bollman, which was accepted by Norman Bollman on behalf of the Bollman Family.

The name of Donald Warren Bollman (class of 1964) was one of three on a memorial at the school dedicated to students who were killed in action during the Vietnam War.

Carol Valentino-Barry, Ridgewood’s director of communications and community outreach, represented the school at Tuesday’s bridge dedication, as did the school’s band, she noted.

“Bollman Bridge sounds like it was meant to be,” she said. “This is so poignant because this is homecoming week at Ridgewood, so for our band to be able to play for one of our alums, we couldn’t ask for anything more.”

James Bollman, Donald’s youngest brother, said the area near the bridge where the ceremony was held was an area he and Donald would visit often.

“We used to come to these woods and play, particularly this bridge,” he said. “We used walk here all the time. They dug a lake in the back. We used to go swimming there, we’d ride our bikes there, all summer long. We played baseball here. Fish here — we used to fish in the Des Plaines River. Who do you know that fishes in the Des Plaines River but us? So this couldn’t be a more fitting place.”

He said Donald’s death had a devastating effect on the family at the time.

“Our mother passed away few months later. She never got over it. It was just a rough time, and this is such great recognition,” he said about the dedication of the bridge on the bright sunlit day.

“This is forever,” he said before leaving. “We’ll be long gone, and that will still be there the same as the other memorials. Just great.”