Joliet soldier killed in Lithuania to be honored with street dedication in hometown

JOLIET, Ill. - The City of Joliet will soon dedicate a street in honor of Army Sgt. Jose Dueñez Jr., the 25-year-old Joliet native who was one of four American soldiers killed in Lithuania earlier this year.

Local perspective:

Last Tuesday, the Joliet City Council approved a resolution for an honorary designation of Albert Avenue, on the city’s East Side, as "SSG. Jose Dueñez Jr. Way."

Army Sgt. Jose Dueñez Jr. (City of Joliet)

"The street dedication stands as a permanent tribute to his service and sacrifice and his deep love for country and family," said Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy during Tuesday’s City Council meeting. "It’s a reminder to all of us of the tremendous price our men and women in uniform are willing to pay to protect our freedoms."

D’Arcy added that the designation is for the street that Dueñez grew up on.

The street dedication will take place on July 11, the mayor said.

The backstory:

The soldiers went missing while conducting a "mission to repair and tow an immobilized tactical vehicle," the Army said.

They were discovered in an M88 armored vehicle that sank into a swamp. The other soldiers were identified as Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, 25, of Glendale, California, Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam, and Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins, 28.

Dueñez served in the Army for over seven years and was assigned to 5th Sqn., 7th Cav. Regt at Fort Stewart, previously serving with the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas. 

A graduate of the Army Basic Leader Course and the Tracked Vehicle Recovery Operations Course, he deployed to Germany in 2022 and Poland in 2021.