S LUTE November | 2019
VETERANS DAY 2019
THE NEXT GENERATION MEET THE GRAMS’— BOTH MOM AND DAD IN THE ARMY THE LAST WWII VETERAN IN THE BACKUS AMERICAN LEGION
CIVIL AIR PATROL Christmas 1944
Navy Talent Scout
Local Photo Submissions
A publication of the Brainerd Dispatch and Echo Journal
SERVING SERVINGTHOSE THOSEWHO WHOSERVED SERVEDOUR OURCOUNTRY COUNTRY We WeatatLAHFH LAHFHare arehonored honoredtotoserve serve33Veterans Veteransand andtheir theirfamilies families who whohave havechosen chosentotopartner partnerwith withusustotobuild buildtheir theirhomes homesthis thisyear: year:
COMPLETED COMPLETEDHOME! HOME!
Josh Josh and and Breanna Breanna Martin Martin family family Josh Josh was was aa Systems Systems Analyst Analyst inin the the United United States States Air Air Force Force
UNDER UNDERCONSTRUCTION! CONSTRUCTION!
Dennis Dennis Peterson Peterson family family Dennis Dennis was was aa Combat Combat Medic Medic inin the the United United States States National National Guard Guard
CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTIONSTARTING STARTINGSOON! SOON!
Jeremy Jeremy and and Breanna Breanna Engholm Engholm Family Family Jeremy Jeremy was was aa 19K 19K inin the the United United States States Army Army
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH LAHFH LAHFHwould wouldlike liketotosend sendout outa ahuge hugeTHANK THANKYOU YOUtotoallallofofour ourVeterans Veteransand andtheir theirfamilies familieswho whohave haveserved served this thiscountry. country.We Weappreciate appreciateyour yourservice serviceand andsacrifice sacrificetotoprotect protectour ourcountry countryand andour ourcommunities. communities.
YOU YOUWILL WILLALWAYS ALWAYSBE BEOUR OURHEROES! HEROES!
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Lakes LakesArea Area
Promoting Promotingstrength, strength,stability, stability,and andself-reliance self-reliancethrough throughshelter shelterin inCass, Cass, Crow CrowWing, Wing,Hubbard Hubbard& &Wadena WadenaCounties Countiesand andthetheCity CityofofStaples Staples
218-828-8517 218-828-8517 www.lakesareahabitat.org www.lakesareahabitat.org
CONTENTS ‘19
Staff PUBLISHER Pete Mohs
On the cover:
Military parents Brittany and Garrett Grams with their children Harlan, infant, (center), and Joseph, 2 1/2 .
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Susie Alters
Photo by Lisa Sherwood Photography lisasherwoodphoto.com
ART DIRECTOR Lisa Morales
THE NEXT GENERATION • 4
COPY EDITOR DeLynn Howard MARKETING COORDINATOR Leo Miller
Q & A with Brittany Grams
High school sweethearts create a fulfilling life through their marriage, family, raising children and their careers in the military.
ADVERTISING Brainerd Dispatch and Echo Publishing Media Consultants
Features
CIVIL AIR PATROL • 7
THEN THERE WAS ONE • 30
By Gabriel Lagarde, Brainerd Dispatch
By Travis Grimler, Echo Journal
Civil Air Patrol bridges the gap between retired veterans and young cadets.
Backus American Legion has only one remaining WWII veteran.
CUSTOMER SERVICE/ PHOTO SUBMISSIONS Kori Flowers For Content Ideas please contact Sarah Herron
sarah.herron@brainerddispatch.com
S LUTE CONTACT US: Advertising@BrainerdDispatch.com (218) 855-5895 ATTN: Salute Brainerd Dispatch, P.O. Box 974, Brainerd, MN 56401
Also in this issue
12 26
Veterans Day Salute is an annual publication of the Brainerd Dispatch and Echo Journal.
RESONATING HISTORY
By Gabriel Lagarde, Brainerd Dispatch
Bataan Memorial March highlights need to preserve legacies of military history.
Copyright© 2013 VOLUME 7, FALL 2019
NAVY TALENT SCOUT
By Frank Lee, Brainerd Dispatch
He wanted to see the world. What he got was the adventure of a lifetime. S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
3
“We hope that our children can learn that sometimes the world is bigger than just themselves.” - Brittany and Garrett Grams
Brittany Grams (left) and husband Garrett hold their sons Joseph, 2 1/2 , and Harlan, 9 months old. The Grams are both in the military, with Brittany serving as a chief warrant officer two and Garrett as a sergeant first class.
The Next Generation Brittany and Garrett Grams say the military has helped shape who they are as a family
Q: Where are you from? Brittany: Garrett grew up in Little Falls and I grew up in Randall which is just north of Little Falls.” Q: Do you live in the area now? B.G.: We live in the St. Cloud area.” Q: Did you grow up in military families? B.G.: Garrett’s father served 24 years in the Minnesota Army National Guard working fulltime and his older brother, who is still currently serving, 4
also joined the Minnesota Army National Guard. Both his grandfathers served in the military — one in the Navy, deployed twice to the Mediterranean; the other was in the Army Air Force and fought in WWII. My grandfather served in WWII in the Army. Q: How did you meet Garrett? B.G.: Garrett and I are actually high school sweethearts. We first met in middle school but didn’t start dating until 10th grade.
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
Q: Was military service a passion of yours? B.G.: For me, throughout high school I always had a high respect for service members and the people who have fought for our rights. While we were dating in high school, I learned more about the military because of being around Garrett’s family. They never pushed it on me or said I should do it but as I learned more about it, it caught my interest. From
Garrett’s dad especially, I learned the opportunities I could gain from joining the military. Garrett and I also worked out at Camp Ripley in the dining facility, where I was able to interact with current members, too. When deciding what to do about college and after high school, I thought if I am someone that can do it, I should so then I can do my part and give back like all the people before me. Also there are school benefits that tie with it, so I thought it was a win-win situation. Garrett always wanted to join the military and it was a pretty easy decision for him when it came down to it. The benefits of serving were great and ever since we joined we have enjoyed our time and made it a major part of our lives. Q: Do you have regular civilian jobs? B.G.: No, both of us work full
time for the military. Garrett is the Readiness NCO for F Co 1-189 and is in the Active Reserve Guard program, meaning he is active National Guard. He has been working full time with the guard for seven years. I work full time as a federal technician at the Army Aviation Flight Facility #2. I did have a civilian job but I ended up working many weekends, so I started looking for something different and ended up getting a job that worked directly with the military. Family time has always been important, but after having a child, the meaning of family time changed. The decision to work with the guard gave me back my weekends and every federal holiday. Garrett and I have spent plenty of time apart. I actually deployed 10 days after we got married. During my deployment I got selected to go to flight school and was sent home
early to attend. Garrett was working full time for the Minnesota National Guard so he wasn’t able to move down to Alabama with me. During that time we spent a total of two years and four months living in two different places. Q: What is your current schedule like? B.G.: Our schedule is pretty crazy sometimes, considering that we are dual military. We have our one weekend a month drill and annual training events during the summer. Sometimes these training events are at the same time and sometimes they are not. Our parents are very supportive and help us out on the drill weekends with babysitting. During the longer training schedules they help us take care of things around the house, too. We have been lucky enough that most of our long schools or training events
VETERANS DAY Celebrate - Honor - Remember Thank you Veterans!
Commercial and Residential Construction Architects and General Contractors
www.hytecconstruction.com (218) 829-8529 • BRAINERD, MN
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
5
have fallen on separate times so one of us can take care of the kids while the other is away. During the last three years each or both of us had to be gone for at least a month due to training and schools. Being a pilot I also fly — usually once a week after work. We tend to plan most things around the military and we try to plan babysitters a couple weeks or a month or two out so we are prepared when we need to be gone. Q: Has your or your husband’s military roles changed since having kids? B.G.: I wouldn’t say that our role has changed but our mindset has shifted quite a bit. We try to put an emphasis on the time we have together and make the most of the moments we are able to be there for. If one of us is away we also make an extra effort to include them using Facetime,
“I wouldn’t say that our role has changed but our mindset has shifted quite a bit. We try to put an emphasis on the time we have together and make the most of the moments we are able to be there for.” - Brittany Grams
pictures and videos of the kids. Q: Is being sent overseas a worry for either of you? B.G.: It is part of being in the military to be prepared for a deployment. I wouldn’t say that it is a worry, but more of something that’s always in the back of our minds
Today we pause to honor the brave men and women who have made great sacrifice to protect our families, our country, and our freedom.
that we are ready for and plan for. I have deployed before and Garrett is currently training to go on his first deployment. Now a days, with technology being so accessible it makes it a little easier to still feel a part of the kids’ everyday life when one of us is gone. It is also important to have a good support system of friends and family to support the one at home. Q: What do you hope the children learn from your service? B.G.: We hope that our children can learn that sometimes the world is bigger than just themselves. Being a part of the military takes a lot of sacrifice and we hope they realize that taking part in something that serves more than just your needs is really what it’s all about. That doesn’t mean that they need to join the military to serve. There are other great ways to serve others by volunteering, working with a nonprofit organization, or other service industries like police departments, fire departments or the medical field. We also hope they grow up understanding the sacrifices other people have made for them and they don’t take for granted the freedoms they have and the life they live. Sometimes when people hear our story they ask how we can do it. Honestly, sometimes we just take it a day at a time. The military has opened many opportunities for us. Through the hard times — missing weddings, birthdays and holidays, it is still a major part of our lives. Even with all the times apart, we can both honestly say we don’t regret the decision to join. It helped shape who we are as a family and we have grown to be stronger because of it all. Questions compiled by Lisa Morales, Brainerd Dispatch.
6
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
Veteran and volunteer flight instructor Greg Jedlenski (center) poses with Brainerd Civil Air Patrol cadets in front of an aircraft during a meeting Monday, Sept. 30 at Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport. Photo by Gabriel Lagarde / Brainerd Dispatch
Civil Air Patrol Civil Air Patrol bridges the gap between retired veterans and young cadets
L
By Gabriel Lagarde
ife is often cyclical in nature. From cradle to the grave, people change roles and pass on the torch — from pupil, to journeyman, to practitioner, to master, to pupil again — and rarely is this more starkly
apparent than the Civil Air Patrol.
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
7
Members of the Brainerd chapter of the Civil Air Patrol conduct drills Monday, Sept. 30, at the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport. Photo by Gabriel Lagarde / Brainerd Dispatch
Thank You For Your Service!
3855 Independence Rd, Baxter | Phone: 218-829-5798 37568 County Road 66, Crosslake | Phone: 218-692-3101
www.simonson-lumber.com Toll Free: 800-266-6037
BRAINERD VFW POST 1647 309 S. 6TH STREET • 829-6393 OPEN EVERY DAY AT NOON!
MONDAYS
Food at 5:30 pm Bingo at 6 pm
TUESDAYS
$1 Tacos at 5 pm Cribbage at 6 pm
WEDNESDAYS Wings 3/$1 Fries $1 Salads $1 4 pm–7 pm “500” Cards at 6:30 pm
THURSDAYS
DOLLAR NIGHT Burgers, Fries, Domestic Tap Beer $1.00/ea at 5:00 pm
HAPPY HOUR! Monday-Friday 12:00 pm-5:00 pm
8
Pull Tabs & wireless Internet always available. Charitable Gambling License # 00475. FREE Hall Rental to Non-Profit organizations.
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
NOBODY DOES MORE FOR VETERANS
The Civil Air Patrol is a civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force that’s been in operation since the early days of World War II — a somewhat nebulous role squarely placed between military and non-military life, the nonprofit organization sees to the upbringing of cadets as young as 12 and is often staffed by retired veterans into their golden years. As such, it represents a key point of development for many young people — some who look to get their start on a lifelong path in aviation, others to carve out a spot in careers through the armed services or law enforcement. The story of Dale Armstrong of Brainerd exemplifies the other end of the equation — former servicemen who donate their time, expertise and efforts to the next generations, free of charge. Having
“To see them get so excited and grow so quickly, it’s really fulfilling to me.” Dale Armstrong, former director of operations for the entire state of Minnesota. worked in helicopter maintenance with the U.S. Army back in 19641965, Armstrong, formerly director of operations for the entire state of Minnesota, continues to work with teenagers in the Twin Cities,
though he considers the Brainerd chapter his home base. “It’s just an opportunity to give back some of the good graces I’ve been afforded over the years and to watch our young people. To see them get so excited and grow so quickly, it’s really fulfilling to me,” Armstrong said. “I’ve always been an aviation buff. When I moved up to Brainerd I decided I needed something to do and some way to give back. So, I found the (Brainerd) Civil Air Patrol squadron and joined up here.” Cadets meet every Monday at 7 p.m. at a small building in the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport, where they conduct meetings, run regimental drills and adhere to a strict disciplined code of conduct, much like an armed services unit,
though participation is purely voluntary. In addition, cadets are able to take part in flying exercises and extracurricular competitions, among other activities that benefit their long-term commitment to a core set of moral values laid out in the CAP’s charter. Armstrong said he hopes the CAP could be more active with more vulnerable populations — particularly, he noted, inner-city kids and those from broken homes. He also noted the organization has stringent background checks for any volunteers, which serve as a strong safety measure for young cadets. Harison Klever juggles being the deputy commander for the Brainerd chapter and studies at Central Lakes College.
With Respect, Honor and Gratitude We encourage veterans to join our team
THANK YOU 001786518r1
Freedom is not free.
23103 County Rd 3, Merrifield, MN 218-765-3111 • www.clowstamping.com S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
9
A former member of the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served as a “It takes kids correctional officer, Klever said interested in the volunteering to aid CAP’s function as a bridge between civilian and military and pushmilitary life, as well as youth and adulthood, appealed to him. es them in the “I’m going to school for law enright direction — at forcement and I did five years with the Marines, so they said it would least, it did for me.” be good to join a volunteer organization,” Klever said. - Harison Klever, deputy “I knew there was a Civil Air Pacommander, Brainerd chaptrol branch around here at the airter, Central Lakes College port that I used to be part of as a student and former kid. It seemed like the perfect thing U.S. Marine. to do.” “It helped me,” he added. “It takes kids interested in the military and pushes them in the right direc- freshman and third-year cadet tion — at least, it did for me.” with the CAP, said a legacy of parHayden Dodge, a high school ticipation in the armed services
(as both parents have been or are active duty) compelled him to join. Since then, the camaraderie, the structured lifestyle and the tradition-bound sense of duty embodied by the CAP are vital aspects of his life. “The people in Civil Air Patrol are some of the best leaders in the community and some of the best people,” said Dodge, who noted he hopes to get his pilot’s license via CAP in 2020, followed by plans to be a pilot in the Air Force. After that, Dodge said he hopes to give back to the CAP once he retires from the armed services, possibly as a flight instructor for a chapter down the road. Fellow cadet Eric Dickson, a third-year cadet and sophomore, said the CAP also fosters
THE ORANGES ARE SWEET BY PAUL M. SAILER Loden Books salutes the Civil Air Patrol for their critical anti-submarine service in WWII and CAP officer Ron Finger of Baxter for his fine artwork on the jackets of The Oranges are Sweet and I Had a Comrade. Experience the thrill of flying the P-51 Mustang in the 2019 Special Edition of The Oranges are Sweet and the skill it took Hill City fighter pilot Don Beerbower to lead the 9th Air Force in aerial victories in WWII. Follow the 22-year-old’s anxious wife and daughter on the home front in Paul Sailer’s award winning book. The Special Edition contains material from the author’s fascinating visit to airfields in England and France, his research since the book’s first printing in 2011, plus new photos and maps.
Order at www.lodenbooks.com and receive free shipping through Christmas or buy at the MN History Center Gift Store - St. Paul. 10
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
“If you want to do something, you have to go out and do it.” - Eric Dickson, third-year cadet and sophomore.
PINE RIVER AMERICAN LEGION
218-587-9151 • Hwy. 371, Pine River Open at Noon Monday-Sunday
HAPPY HOUR
HONORING
KITCHEN OPEN
VETERANS
Monday-Friday
Monday-Saturday
an environment of self-reliance and autonomy — created, he noted, by a balance of regimental discipline and the organization’s volunteer core. “They don’t necessarily just teach you everything. You have to ask. If you want to do something, you have to go out and do it,” he said. “You have to have your own goals. There’s no super big push to do anything, to get the highest cadet grade or get your pilot’s license.” In Minnesota, hopefuls can join the CAP by attending a meeting and notifying members they’d like to join, then completing an application process, getting their fingerprint registered and paying dues — which, for new cadets, amount to $35 a year. High school seniors may pay $65 per year. Outside of a few high level executives at the national level, the organization is entirely run by unpaid volunteer commanders, instructors and mentors of the armed services.
OUR
FREE HALL RENTAL TO NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
Serving the Brainerd Lakes Area Our goal is to provide you and your vehicle with the highest
quality glass repair and replacement by our certified technicians.
LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED
We are proud to say we have been serving the lakes area since 2006 and we look forward to serving you as well.
We are a member of AGSC (Auto Glass Safety Council) and follow all AGRSS standards which assures that we only use the highest quality materials for each and every install. All Work Guaranteed
218-824-6065
118 Washington St. • Brainerd (Directly across the street from Hardees)
GreenheckAutoGlass.com
GABRIEL LAGARDE
218-855-5859 gabe.lagarde@brainerddispatch.com www.twitter.com/glbrddispatch
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
11
Military personnel walk through the rain at the start of the 22nd annual Bataan Memorial March Saturday, Sept. 21, along Southeast 13th Street in Brainerd. The march is either a half marathon, full marathon or half marathon ruck march with packs. Photo by Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd Dispatch
Resonating History Bataan Memorial March highlights need to preserve legacies of military history
IF
By Gabriel Lagarde
there was one lesson to take home from this year’s annual Bataan Memorial March, it’s that the United States must
remain ever vigilant, ever ready to oppose the kind of evils that slaughtered thousands of POWs during the 60-mile trek of death in Luzon. 12
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
The 194th Tank Battalion were ordered to the Philippines in September of 1941, just months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Stationed near Clark Field on the island of Luzon, they represented the first tank unit in the Far East before World War II. Isolated, without supplies, they fought on until ordered to surrender with the fall of Bataan on April 9, 1942.
218-828-2815 www.brainerdrental.com
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!
Relax... We’ve Got You Covered!
001789290r1
DEERWOOD AMERICAN LEGION POST 557
The 26 letters of the English alphabet are simply inadequate to convey the horrors...
23659 FOREST RD • 218-534-3215
OPEN: M-TH 3:00 • FR-SAT 12:00 W/ $3 BLOODY MARY SPECIALS ‘TIL 3:00
Thank You For Your Service!
Wi-Fi, Pull Tabs • Hall & Kitchen Rentals 25% Off For Non-Profits 1ST THURS OF 2ND FRIDAY OF 4TH FRIDAY OF THE MONTH THE MONTH THE MONTH PIZZA NIGHT MADE TO ORDER 4-7 PM
PAN-FRIED WALLEYE DINNER* AVAILABLE 4:30-7 PM
STEAK & SHRIMP DINNER* AVAILABLE 4:30-7 PM
*DINNERS INCLUDE FULL SALAD BAR, POTATO, VEGGIE, ROLL AND DESSERT $5 CARAFES OF WINE
TRIVIA NIGHT 1st and 3rd Thursday’s, 7 PM!
KIDS EAT FREE DURING FRIDAY NIGHT MEALS!
Of the 64 men from the tank company that left Brainerd went with the 194th to the Philippines, three were killed in action and 29 died as POWs. The 26 letters of the English alphabet are simply inadequate to convey the horrors of torture, wanton killings, slave labor and treatment as sub-human cargo — which, for many, characterized the final days of their lives. Thirty-two survived captivity. Poignant, but is the immediacy and gravity of what happened losing its grip on people today — of which, the vast majority were born in the intervening 77 years and, thus, were never around to hear of Bataan even second hand? As speaker Lt. Col. Josh Simer observed in his address, the S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
13
the young people of today, particularly young people in the armed “You listen, that’s services. one thing. You do And, in that, it speaks to a larger question — is the act of learning a fraction of what history one that can aid people for future challenges, or it is inevitathey did and you ble that history fades and loses its remember. It sticks power, just to be reborn when its mistakes are repeated? with you more.” In talks with the Dispatch, U.S. -Specialist Tim Korinta, Army soldiers who participated in the memorial march said it’s a leson the importance of son that’s actively remembered ceremonial activities. from the top brass down and enforced through the ranks. “For me, I love history in general. I point of the memorial march is to think a lot of things from history are ensure the horrors of the Bataan either forgotten and repeat themDeath March aren’t relegated to hisselves, or they resonate and spark tory books, little more than dusty that change,” said Staff Sgt. Robert footnotes that don’t resonate with
We want to Thank Our Veterans
PEQUOT LAKES AMERICAN LEGION
001790403r1
HAPPY HOUR - NIGHTLY SPECIALS PULL TABS AVAILABLE
Ben Krueger Post 49, Auxiliary & SAL
4435 Main Street, Pequot Lakes • 218-568-9881 14
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
“I think 99% of these young guys are fine. ...I have no doubt they’d fight and lay down their lives if it came to it,” -Walt Straka, Brainerd’s last remaining survivor of Bataan, disagreed with an article that criticized Millenials and their patriotism.
Clement “But, a lot of people don’t know about these things from the civilian side. It resonates with me, but then you talk to kids born after 9/11 and that still resonates with them.” Specialist Tim Korinta said, by actively engaging with history and taking part in ceremonial activities, it keeps history a tangible and meaningful thing to consider for the future. “I think the actual act of doing it, it resonates more and adds on to the ceremony,” Korinta said. “You listen, that’s one thing. You do a fraction of what they did and you remember. It sticks with you more.” “It’s raining out there right now,” Clement added. “People are going to say ‘Oh, it sucks it’s
Brainerd’s last Bataan Death March survivor Walt Straka, then 99-years-old, (second from right) shakes hands with service members shortly before the 22nd annual Bataan Memorial March Saturday, Sept. 22, at the U.S. Army National Guard Armory in south Brainerd.
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
15
raining,’ but that’s a whole lot easier than what they faced (in 1942). In Texas a month ago, I would have begged for rain. It’s a matter of perspective — it sucks in the moment, but you’ve got to keep going and when it gets easier, appreciate it for what it is. Embrace that moment.” Sgt. Dusty Fetters offered a less optimistic take. “Communitywise there’s a lot of pride in that,” Fetters said. “I’d say it’s ingrained in the unit culture. I think family members and friends of these men hold onto what happened, but otherwise, no, I don’t think it’d stick with others so much.” As for Brainerd’s last remaining survivor of Bataan, then 99-yearold Walt Straka gave a warm and hopeful assessment of his young successors among the Millennial generation. In discussions with the Dispatch, Straka seemed particularly animated by a column he read that criticized the place of Millennials and their apparent lack of patriotism for the United States. “I don’t believe that,” Straka said. “I think 99% of these young guys are fine. Most of the kids are alright. They’ll be OK. Most of them treat me nice. I have no doubt they’d fight and lay down their lives if it came to it.
Honoring All the Men and Women Who Have Selflessly Served Our Country
Happy Veterans Day
16603 State Hwy 371 North, Brainerd/Baxter (Just North of the Pine Beach Rd)
schroedersappliance.com • 218-829-3624
“Serving our Members since 1940”
804 Laurel Street, Brainerd, MN 56401 | 218-829-9065 16
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
001635584r1
GABRIEL LAGARDE
218-855-5859 gabe.lagarde@brainerddispatch.com www.twitter.com/glbrddispatch
Paul Lewis Kramer Jr. Army Deceased 2/21/2010
Jayce R. Schroeder Marines
Sherre Andrade Navy 1996-Present
Robert Perkins Air Force 1983-1987
Jeff Volkl Marines 1989-1993
Lloyd Handeland Army WWII
Richard Cameron Sr. Air Force WWII Deceased 3/12/2003
Daniel Mitchell Bubalo Sr. Air Force WWII Deceased 3/26/2019
Tyler R. Fey Marines Deceased 4/04/2004
Willard (Bill) Dahlberg Army WWII Deceased 8/25/2014
“So Long As There Are Veterans, The Benovolent And Protective Order Of Elks Will Never Forget Them”
Community Interests: Every other month a visit to St. Cloud Veteran’s Hospital to play BINGO
Disabled Veterans Turkey Hunt and the Disabled Veterans Deer Hunt at Camp Ripley Donate to Wreaths for the Fallen Educational Resources for Community Based Outpatient Clinic Veterans
Offer a free week of camp to 9-13 year old children of deployed soldiers at the MN Elks Youth Camp during Troops Week Free dinners every Tuesday night for Central Lakes College enrolled Veterans, Active Military, Reserves, Veterans and their families September thru March
Become a Member! Learn How, Visit www.brainerdelks.org www.brainerdelks.org
Brainerd Elks #615 215 S. 9th Street, Brainerd 829-2643 after 3pm S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
17
Herbert Zanke Armed Forces 1950-1956 Deceased 1979
Jeffrey A. McCarthy Army 1973-1976
Mark Persons Army 1968-1969 Vietnam
Rev. Paul Fruth Army 1960-1966 Vietnam
Alex Ebertowski Air Force WWII Deceased 01/02/2017
David S. Albertson Air Force 2003-Present
Eugene Gagnon Coast Guard
Bruce Lapka Navy Vietnam
Ken Solom Navy 1960-1966
Gerald Hoefs Army WWII Deceased 11/12/2011
Duane Hoefs Army 1970-1972
LaVern “Skip” Lowe Army 1965-1986 Vietnam
Daniel L. Lowe Sr. Army; Vietnam & Afghanistan 1970-2008 Deceased 9/1/19
Clifford Barto Merchant Marines/ Army; 1944-1950, 1950-1952 Deceased 2/19/2018
PUBLIC WELCOME CROSSLAKE HWY 3
Sun: Mon: Tues:
CLOSED CLOSED JR.’S MEXICAN NIGHT 4:30PM-CLOSE MEAT RAFFLE 5PM T-SHIRT TUESDAY Wed: 2PM CRIBBAGE BURGERS 4:30 TILL CLOSE LEGION Thurs: 1PM CARDS PIZZA 4:30 TILL CLOSE LEGION Fri: MEAT RAFFLE AT 6:30PM JR.’S SERVING 5PM-CLOSE Sat: BINGO 1:30PM $1,000 POT BINGO BURGERS BY JR.’S 1-5PM DINNER 5PM-CLOSE BY JR.’S
18
3PM TUES., WED., FRI. 1PM THURS. NOON SAT. HAPPY HOUR TUES-FRIDAY TILL 6PM
In honor of our Veterans, on Tuesday, Nov. 12th your first drink is free and second drink free with T-shirt to thank you for your service. Thank you for letting us serve you so that we can continue to serve our veterans, military and community!
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
208 NW 6th St., Brainerd | Behind West McDonalds
828-1304 | www.mikehamadupholstery.com
ou ThafornyokurY service!
HER VOICE
Magazine
Jack Van Horn Navy 1965-1969 Deceased
Art Van Horn Navy 1965-1969 Deceased
Earl Van Horn Army 1971-1973
James Van Horn Navy Deceased
Eugene Torvinen Navy Deceased 7/20/1993
Edward Torvinen Navy Deceased 10/8/1992
Jim Torvinen Navy
Robert Johnston Navy
Devern Van Horn Army 1988-1992
Tim Van Horn Air Force 1988-2012
Christopher Kraus Navy & Army 1992-Present
Richard L. Kraus Army 1969-1990
Josh Van Horn Navy 2017-Present
Dale Van Horn Sr. Navy 1965-1969
Thank You Veterans, We Salute You!
Thank You For Your Service
Chem Dry of The Lakes
Serving Crow Wing, Aitkin, Morrison, Todd & Southern Cass Counties
THANK YOU!
Brainerd Dispatch
6967 Lake Forest Road • Baxter, MN 56425
218-822-5634 • arrowwoodbrainerd.com
We Support The Veterans! Fraternal Order of Eagles, Brainerd Aerie 287 (218) 829-4216 | 124 Front Street, Brainerd www.brainerdeagles.com
001638963r1
Brainerd Amateur Hockey Association
Hardwood Floors, Superior Carpet, Upholstery, Tile, Stone and Grout & Granite Cleaning 218-828-4320 • cdofthelakes@midco.net www.chemdryofthelakes.com
Dale Van Horn Jr. Navy and Army
Essentia Health Sports Center 502 Jackson Street Brainerd MN 56401 218-851-2244 | www.brainerdhockey.com
Residential & Commercial New Construction & Remodels
218-829-4112 001638576r1
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
19
Daniel Barto Air Force 1952-1956
Danny Price Marines 1973-1977
Bill Schuster Marines WWII
Jason Price Marines & Army 1997-2003, 2003-2005
Ray Schuster Army WWII
Art Schuster Army WWII
Kenneth Schuster Army WWII
Ben Monson Army 1942-1945
Carl Monson Army 1943-1946, 1948-1952
William Skeesick Army WWII Deceased 11/29/2002
Derald E. Watson Air Force 1946-1950
Art Nystrom Air Force 1944-45 WWII
Eugene Munson Navy WWII
Milton Munson Navy 1942-1945; WWII Deceased 6/1/1977
John E. Munson Army WWI
Gilbert Bittner Marines Korea Deceased 12/28/2014
Dale Monson Navy 1944-1945 WWII
Gunnard Freden Navy WWII
LeRoy Siegel Army Korea Deceased 1/8/1995
Charles (Chuck) Leith Navy 1981-1998
20
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
Richard Rezanka Army 1917-1918; WWI Deceased 8/2/1990
Richard B. Rezanka Lawrence Burr Seidel Navy Air Force Deceased 12/20/2011 1943-1945; WWII Deceased 3/23/1992
Duane Flategraff Navy 1976-1983
Syverin Flategraff Army 1916-1919; WWI Deceased
Elmer A. Flategraff Army 1941-1945; WWI Deceased
Bryton AllenBurr Mutz Navy 2013-Present
Ken Micko Air Force 1942-1945
Sean Deist Marines 2000-2004
John Mathew Cluever Sr. Army 1940-1943; WWII Deceased 6/16/2003
THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VETERAN’S FOR THEIR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY AND OUR PEOPLE.
Celebrating Those Who Served
001638949r1
Supporting veterans, active military and their families since 1919!
Crosby, MN | 218-546-2100 | www.graphicpkg.com
BAR & RESTAURANT CATERING AND HALL RENTAL OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 25807 Main St. Nisswa, MN 56468 218-963-9946 www.nisswalegion.com
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
21
Jim Stafford Navy 1984-1988
Sean Stafford National Guard 1997-2017
Brandon Stafford National Guard 2009-Present
Richard Paul Kline Navy 1948-1952; Korea
Chip Borle Army Iraq
Dennis G. Havel Army 1967-1968; Vietnam
F.G. “Rick” Richardson Navy & Air Force 1947-1950, 1951-1961
Wilbert Gildart Army 1972-1973 Cold War
Mike Williams Navy Vietnam
Pat Wing Army Korea
Laurie Hall 326 W. Laurel St. Brainerd, MN
from all of us at
(3 blocks South of Walgreens)
218-828-0460
7419 Forthun Rd. Baxter, MN 56425
218-270-5638
www.AdvantageSeamlessGutters.com 22
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
Cailee Jensen Air Force 2017-Present
Laurie Dally Army Reserve 1981-2006
John Franzen Marines
William A. Miller Coast Guard 1942-1946 Deceased 3/20/2006
Don Rasmussen Army 1966-1969
Justin Roberts Army Reserve 2010-2018
Roy A. Van Horn Army 1942-1945; WWII
Marshall Grams Army
Dave Meyer Army Vietnam
Charles Brunes Navy WWI Deceased 11/4/1978
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE & SACRIFICE With gratitude, we honor America’s veterans and military personnel
CONTACT US 13540 Ironwood Drive, Brainerd, MN 56401 HOURS Monday - Friday 8am-5pm
www.shannonsautobody.com
218.829.6764 S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
23
Eric M. Fischer Air Force 1993-2014
James Sipper Marines 2011-2014; Iraq
Robert J. Clark Air Force 1943-1945; WWII
Howard Delk Air Force 1946-1949
Robert G. Hurst 1951-1954; Korea
Gary Balmer Navy 1968; Vietnam Deceased 2005
Merle Monson Army 1942-1945
Ole Monson Navy 1944-1945
Kevin Goedker Marines
Norman Loven Army 1945-1946
We join all of America in celebrating the endearing principles on which our nation was founded. We proudly salute the men and women of our Armed Forces, along with their families, who defend those principles with courage and honor.
FOR YOUR SERVICE
24
001788969r1
218-692-2777
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
NMLS#410361
Joelle Knapp Marines 2018-Present
Jackson Knapp Marines 2012-2016
Jeff Knapp Marines 2008-2012
Oscar Marsch Army WWI
Glen L. Bloomstrom Sr. Army Deceased 1/13/2012
Earl Johnson Air Force 1954-1958
Tim Johnson Air Force 1982-1986 Deceased 6/16/2012
Arthur Bialka Marines 1951-1953
Nicholas Hastings Air Force
Michael Bolz Navy 1959-1963
For Your Life
always in-stock Get the best pick of our freshest produce.
We thank you for your service Thank you for our Freedom PUMP SAVE ON GROCERIES. Join ! y a d PERKS SAVE ON GAS. To Patriot Ave • 218-568-5001 www.pequotlakessupervalu.com Locally owned and operated
Brainerd • 218-828-1816 417 8th Ave. NE
Baxter • 218-828-4601 14133 Edgewood Dr. N.
Locally owned and operated.
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
25
Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Porter now manages the Navy’s new talent acquisition site (formerly known as a recruiting station) in the Brainerd lakes area. Photo by Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch
Navy Talent Scout He wanted to see the world. What he got was the adventure of a lifetime By FRANK LEE
Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Porter wanted to see the world after he graduated from high school, but he never imagined he would do it by way of a nuclear-powered submarine. The 25-year-old native of Crystal went to Dassel-Cokato High School and served as a sonar technician before becoming a Navy talent scout at the new talent acquisition site in Baxter. “When I was a kid, we’d vaca26
tion up here all the time because my grandparents live over in Isle, and so when we’d come up, we’d always come to Brainerd and just kind of explore it, because it was like a cooler big town up here in the north,” Porter said. Navy Talent Acquisition Group Northern Plains announced this summer the launch of its new talent acquisition site (formerly known as a recruiting station) in the Brainerd lakes area.
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
“Navy recruiting kind of went through a big transition to take a lot of the stress off of the recruiters,” Porter said. “They tried to do a lot of, like, virtual recruiting — you know just using, like, Facebook and stuff like that to communicate.” The talent acquisition site officially opened in July as part of the Baxter Village strip mall near Arrowwood Lodge at Brainerd Lakes and Jack Pine Brewery.
“I got to go see pretty much all of the Western Pacific in the seven years that I’ve been in the Navy now.”
200
eople day P y r e v rE ear fo Footw
M CUSTO
TICS $ O H T R O
A special
thanks
to all of our Veterans. 218-822-3026 | 7837 Excelsior Road | Baxter
001785170r1
001771963r1
“It was last located off of (Highway) 210, but it closed down back in 2016 … but then they realized they had so much success before in Brainerd, and this being such a great community up here, the Navy realized we’ve got to get another station opened up here,” Porter said. From the time of the Revolutionary War, Navy recruiters have been a part of America’s history, according to Navy Recruiting Command, which is based in Millington, Tennessee.
Veterans Day Honoring All Who Served
2000 13th Street S.E., Brainerd, MN 56401 | 218-829-6680 | crowwingcountyfair.com
-Porter From 1942 to 1971, the chief of naval personnel remained directly responsible for the Navy’s recruiting mission, but in response to the end of the military draft and an increased emphasis on Navy recruiting, the secretary of the Navy established the Navy Recruiting Command. “It’s been a process of me going out a lot and re-introducing the Navy to the public,” Porter said. “We’ve been to the (Brainerd Lakes) Chamber of Commerce. We’ve been trying to get to all their events … and making the rounds at the high school.”
Dear Veterans, We salute you and honor all who have served our country. We pause to remember and give thanks. 001635236r1
Thank you. S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
27
Porter enlisted in the Navy in 2012 and spent the past six years on the nuclear-powered submarine USS Ohio based out of Washington state. “My grandfather was in the Navy. I thought it was a really cool idea to enlist,” Porter said. “I wanted to get out, go see the world. Growing
up in small town central Minnesota, I didn’t really have that opportunity, so the Navy definitely presented me with that.” The USS Ohio was one of three submarines that surfaced in Asia-Pacific ports in 2010 in a show of force by the U.S. 7th Fleet and in response to Chinese missile
A very heartfelt thank you to our veterans and their families. From the staff at Martin’s Sport Shop in Nisswa.
Family Owned Sports Shop since 1927
218-963-2341 martins@nisswa.net OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5:30pm; Saturday 9am-5pm; Sunday 10am-2pm
testing in the East China Sea. “My mom was definitely very nervous about me enlisting, for sure … until my mom actually came in and spoke with a recruiter. As soon as we kind of talked about what the Navy actually is, it definitely helped ease her mind,” Porter said. “I got to go see pretty much all of the Western Pacific in the seven years that I’ve been in the Navy now. The biggest thing with (being in) the military is you’re going to meet the best people of your entire life.” Navy enlisted personnel can choose from more than 60 career fields, and a sailor can qualify for college loan repayment assistance or the Navy may cover 100% of a college student’s tuition if he or she is still in school. “Anybody that’s kind of thinking about joining the military, I urge them to come in and talk and see maybe if this is the right choice,” Porter said. For more information about joining the Navy, visit Porter at the Baxter talent acquisition site at 15620 Edgewood Drive N., call 218-821-0210 or visit Navy.com.
Our True American Heroes
PICTURED: ANDY ROWLAND, STEVE RINGSTROM, JUSTIN JANSEN, CHAD SHOGREN, GREG MACIEJ, GREG HILL, BILL AGENS, DAMON WARREN, DAMIEN BRODERSON, JUSTIN VREDENBURG, MAX ANDERSON, DAVID HIMLE, JESSE HIRCHERT & TONY LEWIS. NOT PICTURED: DARREN COLGROVE, TONY COLLINS, KEN ROMIG, MARY ROUBAL, BJ SCHAUMBURG, GAYLIN SMITH, RICK VANGEEST, NICK WELLE, CORY IREALSON. 28
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
FRANK LEE
county and features reporter 218-855-5863 frank.lee@brainerddispatch.com www.twitter.com/DispatchFL
Howard “Jiggs” Blanck Army 1956-1958
Kevin Kiehlbauch Army 1976-1982
Duane Blanck Marine Corps 1960-1963
Gordon Schulke Navy WWII
Gilbert L. Lowe Air Force WWII Deceased 12/25/1983
Rod Wilcox Air Force 1964
Meryl Alters Army 1950-1953 Korea
Preston Carlson Army 2018-Present
Michael Lowe Air Force 1970-1974 Vietnam
E. John Raboin Air Force 1953-1983
Deceased 6/15/1997
THANK YOU
VETERANS AND FAMILIES
Dondelinger Auto Stands With and Supports Our Past & Current Military With Special Offers From Chevrolet & Hyundai
www.dondelingerauto.com | 218-829-4787 • 800-642-1566
001785715r1
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
29
Vae and Harley Kaiser met after his return from World War II. Today, Harley is the only living representative of World War II in the Backus American Legion. Photo by Travis Grimler / Echo Journal
Then there was one
T
Backus American Legion has only one remaining WWII Veteran By TRAVIS GRIMLER
he Greatest Generation, those who fought against the Axis and made the United States much of the nation it is today, is dying.
This change is happening rapidly in most communities, including the veterans’ community of the Backus American Legion.
30
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
“The thing I remember vividly from two years ago, we had seven and we made them the grand marshals of the Cornfest parade,” said Gary Dawson of the Backus American Legion. “At the annual reception after the parade we have for visiting parade units we honored and introduced them. I think there were around 80-90 veterans and auxiliary here that gave them a long standing ovation. Since then six have died. Harley Kaiser, the seventh one, is left.” Kaiser was about as young as any American soldier in World War II could be. “I actually had my 17th birthday on my first shift at sea while I was in the Pacific Area in World War II in probably 1944,” Kaiser said. Today he’s 92 years old and since the death of Raymond Barchus of Backus on Aug. 20 he’s been the last remaining World War II member in the Backus American Legion. It’s true that there are other veterans from that period still living in the area, however, the small town post serves as a stark illustration of an unavoidable reality. Soon those heroes, and their unimaginable stories and experiences, will be lost. The Cass County Veterans Services offices only have definitive records for the past eight years due to a new system, however, in that time nearly 90 percent of the surviving World War II veterans from only eight years ago have died. There were 514 and now there are only 41 believed to be alive today. Dawson considers the loss immeasurable. “I really believe in Tom Brokaw’s book, ‘The Greatest Generation’,” Dawson said. “They
were the Greatest Generation. They sacrificed a lot. I think we’re losing a valuable part of our history and all of them were very humble, very quiet. They didn’t talk about their experiences much. Like my father, it was so horrible he didn’t care to talk about it. They were all community minded. They all pitched in and helped with community projects and fundraisers and the camaraderie of being with fellow veterans. They were remarkable personalities and from another era a lot of younger Americans don’t know a lot about.”
When they go, these veterans take with them a lifetime of knowledge and experience, some of which is unique. It’s something the veterans themselves are, of course, aware of. Kaiser has watched for years as his friends, neighbors and fellow veterans have died very close to home. “There were three of us in just this half mile area,” Kaiser said. “I’m the only one left right now and that’s just the way it is. That’s life. I was one of the youngest ones.” When they go, these veterans take with them a lifetime of knowledge and experience, some of which is unique. Kaiser, for one, steered merchant marine ships in the ocean during typhoons off the coast of Japan. He was blown out of his bunk when his ship the SS Clifford
THANK YOU
to all of our veterans for your service! We salute you!
www.pineriverstatebank.com Breezy Point, Emily, Pillager Pine River & Nowthen
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
31
E. Ashby struck a naval mine in 1948 in seas that were supposed to be safe because the war in Europe was over. He witnessed the last Kamikaze attack of World War II off the coast of Okinawa and only one day before the surrender of Japan. In short, Kaiser was a witness to history. Kaiser also knows facts about the war that many have forgotten. As a member of the Merchant Marines, Kaiser was among approximately 250,000 members of the merchant marines, a group with the highest casualty rate of all service groups with one in 26 not returning home. And yet Kaiser wasn’t counted as a World War II veteran until 1984 when the United States decided to recognize the Merchant Marines as official military personnel. Because his service wasn’t immediately recognized,
“I actually had my 17th birthday on my first shift at sea while I was in the Pacific Area in World War II ...” - Harley Kaiser Kaiser was even drafted in 1952 into the Korean War with the U.S. Army. Experiences like Kaisers have already been lost with the deaths of soldiers like Raymond Barchus. As his son Ron knows too well, many of those like his father didn’t want to
001788981r1
Thank you for your service!
32
On County Road 3 in Downtown Crosslake • 218-692-2711 S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
talk about the war. In those cases, their stories were never told. Ray, fortunately, decided he needed to share his story at some point. “He never talked about service or WWII until I took him to the memorial in St. Paul when Minnesota did their WWII memorial in front of the capital,” said Ron Barchus of his father. “We went down there and went on a bus. We left from the Backus Legion and they picked us up. From that point on it was like a switch got flipped on him. He wanted to talk about it. Just before that my mother passed away. It was kind of like it was the end of his life.” Ron is now the keeper of his father’s memories, which is probably surprising given that he didn’t even realize until he was approximately 16 that his father had even been in the war. For quite some time Ray avoided the topic of World War II and it affected him in other ways. Ray wasn’t much of a hunter and Ron only remembers him buying a single gun when Ron and his brother first started hunting deer so that he could hunt with them. “One time we were at one of the VA functions in Brainerd and I asked a psychologist at what point would these guys really talk about the war,” Ron said. “He said at some point they will. He said not to pry because they might not tell, but at some point they have to get that out. It was after that when Ron learned about his father’s service. Ray was drafted in 1942 and deployed to Europe with the Army Nov. 11 of that year. He was with the 380 field artillery battalion, division 102 at the Battle of the Bulge. Amid the horrors of war he witnessed dough boys frozen to death in foxholes as they advanced in enemy territory.
Raymond Barchus, who died Aug. 20, was one of two remaining World War II veterans in the Backus American Legion. Submitted Photo.
“All they had were the green blankets, shoes, jackets and it was cold in the middle of the winter,” Ron said. “He remembered a lot of them froze stiff right there. Nothing they could do but move on. You could tell that bothered him a lot because he’d talk about that a lot.” He saw gas chambers. He knew of the bitter cold conditions soldiers faced in the heat of battle. He even
received notice on the battlefield of his own brother’s death at sea. “My dad said he always told him when he was on leave not to go into the service, but he went anyway. He didn’t talk much about that either, but he found out when he was overseas,” Ron said. Like Kaiser, Barchus knew things that aren’t regularly included in history books. In lieu of tainted water, Ray said his fellow soldiers filled water trucks with wine for their long marches, though at least once a general made them pour it all out. “About a mile down the road they filled everything back up with wine,” Ron said. Ron was also part of a little known relocation after World War II. “One thing he had pride in is after the war ended he stayed there another year and a half and helped these people who didn’t have homes,” Ron said. “They went through Italy and Switzerland and they were able to do that because he wasn’t married. All the guys who were married went home right away but he stayed.“ Ron not only learned from his father, but he has since engrossed
himself in literature about the 102nd battalion. While that literature will be available years from now, the other information from first-hand experience will become less and less known as the years go by and those who experienced the war firsthand fade away. “You have to honor these people for what they went through. A lot of people don’t realize what they went through,” Ron said. “I give them a lot of credit. I say that a lot of these guys went through a lot of stuff and don’t want to talk about it. I see why.”
TRAVIS GRIMLER
218-855-5853 travis.grimler@pineandlakes.com Facebook and Twitter: www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Travis
To our veterans... Love where we live!” 001785474r1
“ We
THANK YOU FOR THE FREEDOM TO SAY,
Veteran Owned
www.BrainerdAreaRealEstate.com
COLLEEN GOEDKER REALTOR ®
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
33
To All our Veteran's -
Thank you
CHRISTMAS 1944
for your Service and Commitment to our Freedom!
BY AUDRAE GRUBER
I was thirteen. Germans on their last ditch offensive. My paratrooper brother at Bastogne, heart of the surprise invasion. Had never spent a night from home until he was eighteen six months before.
Walker, Akeley, Longville, Remer, Hackensack Backus, Pequot Lakes, Crosslake, Baxter 001638226r1
FNBNORTH.COM
The Allies misjudged Reinforcements never came A mean winter snowstorm The commander said “Nuts” to surrender The troops hunkered down surrounded, cold, battle weary. Mother cried and prayed in her bedroom alone Father paced the floor and listened to Walter Winchell Checking the world map on our dining room wall I played with my seven-year-old brother Who did not understand. One uncle a prisoner in a Japanese prison camp Another in Africa tank corps with Patton Three cousins overseas - one missing never to return anxiety, pain, surround. War ends-soldiers come home Life returns to normal But nothing’s ever normal again War changes everyone. Even those who wait.
34
S LUTE Veterans Day • November, 2019
JIBEC Heating and Cooling would like to
thank all Veterans for their service and sacrifice. We honor you today, and every day, and are forever grateful!
www.jibechvac.com 1775 Dandelion Lane SW Brainerd, MN 56401 • 218-828-0330
001785398r1