WWII Veterans celebrate 67 years of Marriage authentic Photos from area residents meaning of the Poppy How to honor a veteran
DE MEDia pUBLiCaT a iON aT
table of Contents
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Also inside... GivinG TribuTe
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Five ways you can do your part to honor veterans.
MiliTary Scrapbook
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Creative way to showcase a military tour or career.
phoTo SaluTeS
Authentic photos sent in from area residents to honor their military loved ones. Our most vintage entry (below) is John Reid Stiles Sr.
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SiGnificance of 11
On Nov. 11, we pause and give tribute to our soldiers. Find out the reasons why and the history behind this special date not just in the U.S., but other countries as well.
poppieS a unifyinG SyMbol All was thought to be destroyed. Miraculously, the poppy began to grow in place of the muddied battlefield, giving hope and tribute to the lives lost there.
WWii veTeranS celebraTe 67 yearS of MarriaGe
Local couple, Roger and Phyllis Harrison found love in a time of crisis and tell the story of their union and what has kept them bonded throughout the years.
FeATURe sToRY
Roger and Phyllis Harrison
John Reid Stiles, Sr. Civil War 1842-1909 7th Illinois Cavalry Company “D�
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signifiCanCe of 11 On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month guns fell silent...
Gerald Hoefs Army, World War II Deceased: November 12, 2011
frank olson Army, 1943-1951 Deceased: July, 2013
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hroughout history, millions of soldiers have marched into wars to protect the freedoms of their countries. Remembrance Day is a solemn time to commemorate those soldiers’ achievements and sacrifices and to pay respects to soldiers who died in battle. In the United States, people honor their present and past military on Veterans Day. In British commonwealth countries and territories, including Canada, Nov. 11 is known as Remembrance Day. Since the end of World War I, memorials to remember those of the armed forces who fought in battle and perished in the line of duty have been dedicated on this day.
Armistice Day Origins Remembrance Day was once known as Armistice Day because it marks the signing of the armistice that put an end to the hostilities of World War I. On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year, guns fell silent after more than four years of continuous warfare between the Germans and Allied troops. The armistice agreement was signed in a French train carriage at 11 a.m. Later, the carriage where the historic event took place was placed in a specially constructed building to serve as a monument to the defeat of Germany. Although it was moved by German forces and later destroyed during World War II, after that war ended a replacement carriage, correct in every detail, was rededicated on Armistice Day in 1950.
Remembrance Day Evolution
Herbert karsten Lt., Air Force World War II
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Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day after World War II to commemorate soldiers from both world wars. It is now used as a way to pay homage to any fallen soldier. Each year a national ceremony takes place at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, a monument erected as a memorial to soldiers buried elsewhere. The Queen will lay the first wreath at the Cenotaph, while others will leave wreaths and small wooden crosses.
auGust niskanen
david niskanen
Army, World War I
Army
Deceased: November 29,1990
Jack niskanen
tHomas niskanen
Army, Korea
Army, Vietnam
Deceased: September 28, 2002
luverne d. letendre
donald f. letendre
earl d. JoHnson
Navy, World War II
Navy, World War II
Air Force
timotHy l. JoHnson Air Force Deceased: June 16, 2012
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Poppies O
ne of the unifying
symbols of Remembrance Day is the poppy which is worn to honor lost soldiers. The bold, red color of the flower has become an enduring symbol of those who died so that others may be free. A field of poppies has come to symbolize the soldiers who lost their lives while fighting in battle.
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A Unifying Symbol The poppy became a symbol for a specific reason. Some of the most concentrated and bloody fighting of World War I took place in Flanders, a region in western Belgium. As a result of the fighting, most signs of natural life had been obliterated from the region, leaving behind mud and not much else. The only living thing to survive was the poppy flower, which bloomed with the coming of the warm weather the year after fighting in the region had ceased. Poppies grow in disturbed soil and can lie dormant in the ground without germinating. Without the war, they may have never come to the surface. John McCrae, a doctor serving with the Canadian Armed Forces, was moved by the vision of poppies flowering in Flanders and wrote a poem titled “In Flanders Fields.” After the poem was published, it received international acclaim, and the poppy became a popular symbol of those lost in battle. Men traditionally wear the poppy on the left side of the chest, where a military medal would be placed. Women wear it on the right side because that is where a widow would wear her husband’s medals. Remembrance Day is celebrated every year, providing people humbled by the sacrifices of soldiers an opportunity to remember those soldiers’ efforts to secure freedom.
ricHard rezanka
raymond Holmes
raymond olson
tHomas r. HeGstad
Army, World War I • 1917-1918
S SGT AAF World War II, 1922
PFC, Army, Korea 1953-1955
Marine, Korea 1930-2000
Deceased: August 2, 1990
Deceased: 2009
ricHard b. rezanka
oliver ness
Patrick G. maranda
Glen l bloomstrom sr
Air Force, World War II • 1943-1945
Medic, Army • 1942-1946
Army, Vietnam
serGeant maJor, Army WWII, Korea, Vietnam • 1943-1965
Deceased: March 23, 1992
Deceased: October 21,1955
Deceased: January 13, 2012
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leroy sieGel Army, Korea 1952-1954 Deceased: January 8, 1995
ralPH ketcHer Army, World War II 1939-1941
Giving
tribute
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Five ways you can make a service member feel appreciated.
eterans Day is an annual holiday when veterans of the armed forces are honored and celebrated in the United States. Many people confuse Veterans Day with Memorial Day. While both days honor members of the armed forces, there’s a distinction between the two holidays. Memorial Day, which is celebrated in May, is a day designated for remembering servicemen and servicewomen who died while serving. Veterans Day, which is observed in November, honors all military veterans. The role of the brave men and women who serve in the military is an important one, and it’s one that warrants appreciation and celebration. The following are a few easy ways to celebrate veterans and their significant contribution to our country this Veterans Day.
1. offer
your gratitude
Serving in the military can feel like a thankless job, as those who have not served might not be aware of the risks men and women in the military take and the sacrifices they must make to protect our country and help the less fortunate across the globe. As a result, something as simple as saying “Thank you” to a current service member or military veteran can go a long way. Veterans know they don’t serve in vain, but it’s still a great idea to let them know how much you appreciate their efforts and sacrifices.
2. Spread
Paul Quast Army, Korea 1950-1953
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support
Be sure to thank businesses who support veterans. Many businesses show their gratitude to veterans by offering them free services on Veterans Day. When a local business shows its appreciation to veterans, patronize that business and let them know you appreciate their efforts to help.
3. visit
the injured
Unfortunately, many veterans are hospitalized after suffering an injury during a tour of duty. These veterans sacrificed their physical well-being to protect our way of life, and many spend extended periods of time in the hospital. Visiting a hospital to get to know a veteran and spend some time with him or her, sharing a few laughs and thanking them for their service, is a great way to celebrate the holiday and lift a veteran’s spirits at the same time. Recruit friends and family members to visit hospitalized veterans as well.
4. help
their families
Many service members are currently stationed and serving overseas, and their families back home may need or just appreciate a helping hand. Invite family members of active military over for dinner, offer to do chores like cutting the grass or shoveling the driveway when it snows or help around the house if something needs fixing. Even if families of active members serving overseas appear to be getting along great, offer your friendship and let them know you’re there to help should anything arise.
5. Send
them out
Like many people, veterans appreciate an escape from the daily grind. Men and women who want to show their appreciation to veterans can treat a veteran to a night out on the town. Have extra tickets to a ballgame or play? Donate them to a local VFW. Or if you see a veteran out on the town, offer to pay for his meal.
Both brothers served in the Army during Vietnam. Dennis Lemm (Left), and Robert Lemm. Robert passed away May 27, 2007.
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Outside their home on Gull Lake. Both World War II veterans, Roger and Phyllis Harrison met in 1945 while on duty in the Navy.
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WWII Veterans
Celebrate 67 years of
Marriage Phyllis (Hines) Harrison, 1944. Looking back, Phyllis says it was Roger’s good looks and height that drew her in. His being a pilot was an added bonus.
Roger Harrison, Graduation photo. He was drawn in to Phyllis’ smile, her charm. And, as he pointed out to a friend on base, her nice legs.
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By JESSICA LARSEN
oger Harrison woke up to a beautiful woman laughing at him. The whole room was laughing at him.
It was 1945 and Roger, a Navy pilot, volunteered for a training in a lower pressure chamber at a naval air base in Grosse Ile, Mich. The task was simple: see how long you can last holding your breath and tie a knot at the same time. Roger lasted mere seconds before passing out. The comedic relief came as the out-
of-it pilot’s hands kept moving in a circular motion with the rope, never quite forming the knot. As Roger came to, he saw Phyllis, a young, beautiful chamber technician. There was an instant connection for the strangers. And today, the World War II veterans have been married for 67 years.
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Roger and Phyllis Harrison on Christmas Eve, 2007.
Each pilot had their own plane with their name printed on the side of it.
Pilots and crew, 1944 Miami, Florida. Roger is in the back row, second from left.
“ We still like each other...You have to like who you are with. We enjoy each other.” ~ Phyllis Harrison It was the time serving in the war, the couple say, that helped grow their marriage. That, and a lot of experience, which comes with age. He’s 91 and she is 90. The Harrisons have chance, and a lot of it, to thank for their romance. It started with each enlisting in the Navy. Roger was first in 1942. The Hornick, Iowa native followed suit of his fellow friends, joining the Navy because it was the popular thing to do. “We couldn’t wait to get in,” he said.
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Roger wanted adventure. A then 20-year-old Phyllis signed on a year after in her hometown of Cumberland, Wis., at the request of her friends. “All the guys left and I couldn’t date anyone, so why not,” Phyllis joked. Phyllis ended up going alone, though, after her friends didn’t pass the physical test. She joined in on the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, or WAVES as it’s more commonly referred to. It would be two years before the pair
would see each other. First, Roger caught a glimpse of Phyllis in the chow line. Next, he saw her stroll across the base. Finally, Phyllis stood above him, giggling at Roger’s failed attempt to hold his breath long enough. The next day, Roger finally pulled in enough courage to ask her on a date. The bad news: She already had a date that night. The good news: She was willing to have a late night cup of coffee with Roger after.
Phyllis never did call. Her date went too late. About to ship out, Roger exchanged addresses with her instead. They wrote back and forth until each were discharged a few days apart in January 1946. On Jan. 28, the couple met at the Minneapolis, Minn., bus depot for their first date. After dinner, Phyllis was scheduled to ride the bus back home to Cumberland. She invited Roger to hop on the bus as well. “I ended up meeting her folks on the first date,” Roger chuckled. He added, “I was looking for adventure anyway.” By March that year, the young couple was engaged. On Sept. 1, they said “I do.” In their civilian lives, Roger worked in radio and television, and Phyllis stayed at
home to raise six children. Today, they have 11 grandchildren and live on Gull Lake. Looking back, Phyllis says it was Roger’s good looks and height that drew her in. His being a pilot was an added bonus. “I’m still good looking. Age has nothing to do with it,” Roger joked. And although is was Phyllis laughing the hardest many decades ago when Roger fainted, he was drawn in to her smile, her charm. And, as he pointed out to a friend on base, her nice legs. They say their marriage lasted this long, in part, because their time in the war gave them things to talk about still to this day. It also made them each grow up quickly and mature. Pair that with raising six kids together and it’s a happy marriage.
Sure, they still fight, Phyllis says, but that’s OK. “We still like each other,” she said. “You have to like who you are with. We enjoy each other.” That spark is still visible between Roger and Phyllis. He offers a smile. A sparkle in her eye, Phyllis returns the grin. JESSICA LARSEN Jessica Larsen may be reached at jessica.larsen@ brainerddispatch.com or 855-5859. Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/brainerdnews.
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ricHard cameron sr.
les mason
clayton r. berG
steve rosenow
Army Air Corp. World War II, 1942-1945
Army, World War II
Army, 1968-1970
Army
ricHard d. taPPe
robert J. lemm
Jeffrey J. Garber
Paul Henry Gruber
S Sgt, Airforce 1948-1953
Marines
CMDCM, Navy 25 years of service
Navy, World War II
Deceased: March 11, 2003
Deceased: July 11, 2008
Deceased: June 20, 2009
ken micko
bill GraPHenteen
elmer a. flateGraff
Army, 1951-1953
Army, World War II 1942-1945
Army, Air Corp 1942-1945
Deceased January 30, 2013
frank reminGton
robert reminGton
karl reminGton
Navy, 1946-1982
Air Force, 1974-1978
Army, 1951-1953
duane flateGraff Navy, 1976-1983
Deceased: September 20, 2006
duane w. kunde Army, 37 years Deceased: January 15, 2013
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maurice a. rundquist
david s. rundquist
donald w. rundquist
Army, World War II
Army, World War II
Army, World War II
Deceased: August 16, 1968
Deceased: May 12, 1984
Deceased: January 14, 1986
francis l. Hayes
nellie karsten
clarence s. carlson
Army, World War I
Navy, World War II
Army, World War II
Deceased: April 12, 1981
curtiss krantz Army, 1952-1960 Army
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sHawn tHayer 1SG, Army
GeorGe w. cauley Spc, Army National Guard 2009 Afghanistan
Photos: Courtesy of Marion Siegel
Military Scrapbook
neil “Jake” Jacobson Army, Vietnam
todd alan boelter Air Force, 1974-1983
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here are so many creative ways for families to showcase and honor a veteran. Scrapbooks are a great way to share the life and experiences of a loved one. All it takes is a little research and some planning to design a scrapbook that can be gifted or kept for generations to enjoy. Begin by making an outline of what you would like to cover in the scrapbook. Perhaps there is a specific event to highlight, like a military tour of duty. Maybe you would like to present different snapshots in time during their whole military career. Either way, planning out the content of the scrapbook will make it easier to gather the necessary elements. Begin your research by interviewing the eventual recipient (he or she doesn’t have to know the reason behind the inquiry). During the interview, take note of key dates and try to establish the mood of the era with supporting materials. Gather photos, postcards or newspaper clippings from a correlating period in history that can be used to fluff up the content of the book. Prints can be scanned and copied using scanner at home, or loaded onto a CD or jump drive and brought to a various photo kiosks like Walmart or Walgreens. Some specialty shops can even scan slides or convert stills from film into images. Make sure to make copies of all original prints and be careful not to lose or damage the originals. Scrapbooks can be made manually with materials purchased anywhere from craft and hobby stores to stationery shops. There are a variety of paper-cutting tools,
adhesives, stickers, labels, and stencils that can be used to enhance the look of the scrapbook. You may opt to use software programs or online tools through photo-sharing sites that enable you to upload images and text and design photo books entirely online. The finished product can be printed out in a variety of finishes. This method may actually be preferable for those who plan to save the scrapbook or anticipate others wanting to order their own copy. Create a digital file of all of your information and copies of images. This way if you ever want to add to the scrapbook or reproduce information in the future you will have all of the information at your fingertips.
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euGene i. JoHnson Navy, World War II
robert f. erbe Navy, 1960-1980
ken solom
bruce G. laPka
Navy, 1960-1966
Navy
Deceased: September 24, 2002
quentin neri Hoskin
dale clifford monson
James siPPer
david l. barker
Navy
Navy 1944-1945
L CPL, Marines Okinawa, Japan 2011-present
Navy, 1949-1971
Deceased: September 24, 2013
(L) Jerome Jurek, Minnesota, and Delbert Ball, Texas. Army, 2nd Battalion 280 MM Gun Artillery Darmstadt, Germany - 1957
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