Lt Richard (Rex) Rechenmacher served in the U.S. Coast Guard during WWII as a Head Machinist Mate He served in combat from 1942 to 1946 in the Marianas, Solomons, Philippines, Tokyo Bay. Returning to Naperville he joined the volunteer Fire department and worked full time as a Postal Worker.
On December 7, 1970 while responding to a house fire he died along with two other firefighters when the fire truck in which they were riding was hit by a semi-trailer truck. The three men are memorialized at Firemen's Memorial Park at Jefferson Avenue and the bridge over the DuPage River.
At the time of his death he served as the Jr Vice Commander of Post 43. In 1972 when he would have been in position to be Commander of the Post the other Post officers asked his son Mike, who was only 23 years old, at the time to serve as commander out of respect for and honor of his father Lt Richard (Rex) Rechenmacher.
