South West Illinois News

State Senator Terri Bryant honored a fallen soldier, stating, "This Saturday, we honored the legacy of Lance Corporal Drew M. Uhles who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation while serving in Iraq," in a Sept. 16 Facebook post.

"This Saturday, we honored the legacy of Lance Corporal Drew M. Uhles who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation while serving in Iraq," said Bryant, State Representative. "LCpl. Uhles embodied the courage and patriotism that makes our nation the greatest place on Earth. Naming this portion of Route 51 in his honor will ensure that his legacy endures in the community he called home for generations."

Marine Lance Corporal Drew M. Uhles died on Sept. 15, 2004, during Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to The Military Times. Uhles, 20, was injured in enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq and died as a result of injuries he sustained from shrapnel. He was a graduate of Qu Quoin High School, and his father told the Associated Press that Uhles had aspired to be a Marine for a long time.

Screenshot of Sen. Terri Bryant's Sept. 16 Facebook post | Senator Terri Bryant's Facebook page

A section of US 51 in Qu Quoin was officially named the LCpl. Drew M. Uhles Memorial Highway on Sept. 14, 2024, just before the 20th anniversary of Uhles’ death, according to a Sept. 16 report from The Southern Illinoisan.

Uhles earned multiple awards during his military service, including the Combat Action Ribbon, the Purple Heart, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force based at Twentynine Palms, California.

In October 2023, Senate Joint Resolution 0043 was filed in the Senate, sponsored by Senators Terri Bryant and Jason Plummer. The resolution was adopted on May 25, 2024 and moved into the House the next day. The bill renames the portion of Route 51 through St. Johns as "L.Cpl. Drew M. Uhles Memorial Highway," according to the Illinois General Assembly website focused on the senate joint resolution.

Senator Bryant has represented the people of the 58th Senate District since 2020 following six years in the Illinois House of Representatives. She worked with the Illinois Department of Corrections from 1994 to 2014. She is a graduate of the Illinois Lincoln Excellence in Public Service Series and was appointed to its Board of Governors in 2010 before becoming president the next year. She also has experience as a restaurant owner and in farming according to her official biography.