Proposed Bill Would Rename Palatine Post Office After 102-Year-Old Resident

PALATINE, IL — A bill was introduced earlier this month to rename a Palatine post office in honor of a 102-year-old local resident. According to the office of Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, the post office at 1300 East Northwest Highway would become the "Bernie Bluestein Post Office Building" to honor its namesake, a 102-year-old veteran one of the last surviving members of the U.S. Army's famed Ghost Army.

"Bernie Bluestein answered his country's call by serving with the Ghost Army, whose creativity, courage, and ingenious deception tactics helped defeat the Nazis, save thousands of lives, and restore freedom and democracy to Europe," Krishnamoorthi said. "For decades, Bernie's valor remained classified, but today his extraordinary service finally receives the recognition it deserves, including right here in our community at Harper College. Soon, the Palatine Post Office will proudly bear his name, a fitting, permanent tribute to a humble hero who embodies the spirit of the Greatest Generation and the very best of Illinois."

Bluestein served as a Private First Class in the 603rd Engineer Camouflage Battalion (23rd Headquarters Special Troops) — the Ghost Army — which was a top-secret World War II unit that used inflatable tanks, sonic deception, fake insignia, and other tactics to mislead enemy forces and protect American troops. In March 2024, he and fellow Ghost Army veterans received the Congressional Gold Medal for their bravery and ingenuity.

Krishnamoorthi said Bluestein built a distinguished career as an industrial designer for leading firms and became "a pillar" of the local arts community. In addition, he has taken courses at Harper College in Palatine for the last 35 years, where the sculpture studio now bears his name, "inspiring students through sculpture, printmaking, and mentorship."

Bluestein and and his late wife, Marcella, raised their family in the northwest suburbs, with deep ties to Des Plaines, Schaumburg, and Palatine.

The bill has the support of the full Illinois congressional delegation, as well as Bluestein's family and the Harper College community, according to Krishnamoorthi. Upon enactment, the U.S. Postal Service will implement the official renaming at the Palatine facility and update federal references accordingly.