VETERANS DAY • NOVEMBER 2020
LIMITLESS Adventure
THE LIBERATOR
Alexandria developer was WWII hero
A PUBLICATION OF THE ALEXANDRIA ECHO PRESS
r o n o o h e W e wh s o h r t o f t h ! g m u o o f freed our
Jim & Jill Wagner, Daniel & Jeanette Weber, Sheena Radermacher, Hannah & Jared Wagner
We at Integrity Title salute all Veterans who have served! ABSTRACTS • TITLE INSURANCE REAL ESTATE CLOSINGS
2209 Jefferson St, Easton Place II, Alexandria www.IntegrityTitleInc.net • 320-763-3311 PAGE 2
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A moment of gratefulness. As a show of su upp port for healthcare worrkers, the 148th Fighter Wiing g of the Air National Guarrd flew over Alomere Hea alth h on Wednesday, May 13, 2020.
“This image of the flag and the fighter jet flying over our hospital, conjures up many emotions of gratefulness. Gratefulness for the bravery of everyone who has made the greatest sacrifice to protect our freedoms, and those courageous individuals working in healthcare today who are prepared to care for the sick during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you all.”
Carl Vaagenes Ca Vaage es Alomere Health CEO
Alomere Health • Alexandria Clinic • Osakis Clinic • Lakes E.N.T. • Heartland Orthopedic Specialists
Here for Life
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE: The history of Veterans Day................... 5 Limitless adventures.................................6 How to fold an American flag.................9 Guidelines for displaying the flag.........9 The Liberator..............................................10
Our veterans...............................................12 Three Civil War vets share a Millerville cemetery.......................... 22 Healing connections............................... 24 The correct spelling of Veterans Day.28 Veterans Memorial Park....................... 29 By the numbers........................................ 30 The difference between Veterans and Memorial Day............................... 30 Diann Drew, Publisher Lori Mork, Editor/designer Celeste Edenloff, Reporter Karen Tolkkinen, Reporter Lowell Anderson, Photo editor A publication of Echo Press, October 2020 225 7th Ave. East, Alexandria, MN www.echopress.com
Salute
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Limitless adventures
Alex grad fulfills a calling in the Air Force
Page 6 Veterans photos on pages 12-20 are from reader submissions
TO OUR VETERANS
Veterans Day. A time for honoring all those who have served in the military. With this first edition of Salute, the Echo Press takes this opportunity to honor all veterans, especially those in the heart of Douglas County. Originally known as Armistice Day, Veterans Day dates all the way back to November 11, 1919 – the one year anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I. The name was changed to Veterans Day 1954 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who wanted that day to honor all veterans throughout the years, not just those from WWI. No matter the name, Americans know whose bravery and sacrifices have allowed this country to live in freedom and honoring them is just a small thank you for their service. Inside this issue, Echo Press reporters have brought you some wonderful and amazing stories on area veterans. Celeste Edenloff chronicles the life of Leah Lehmkuhl Meyer, a 2001 graduate of Jefferson High School in Alexandria, who has been serving on active duty in the Air Force for the past 14 years. Karen Tolkkinen brings you the story of Leander Hens of Alexandria who served in Europe during World War II and helped liberate several Nazi concentration camps in Austria when he was just 22. You’ll be amazed by the story of a Millerville cemetery that holds the headstones of three Civil War veterans who were all born in Germany. And don’t miss the heartwarming article on Michelle Miller of Alexandria, who grew up as a military brat and has begun a Facebook group that helps unite veterans. All these wonderful stories wrap around pages filled with portraits of veterans – past and current – contributed by family and friends. Take some time to peruse our magazine and and take a moment to honor those who have put their lives on the line for us.
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Veterans Day
THE HISTORY of
Originally known as Armistice Day, Veterans Day was originally a U.S. legal holiday set to commemorate the end of World War I, which ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. World War I officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, but the fighting had ended about seven months before when the Allies and Germany put into effect an armistice on the 11th hour of November 11, 1918. In 1926, Congress officially recognized November 11, 1918 as the end of the war and, in 1938, through an act of Congress, November 11 was made a legal holiday set aside to honor veterans of World War I. World War II and the Korean War then happened, so in 1954, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, Congress amended the Act of 1938 by changing the word “armistice” to the word “veterans.” On June 1, 1954, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars. Because the date of Veterans Day had also been changed,
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causing confusion, Congress signed the Uniform Holiday Bill in 1968, ensuring that four national holidays would be celebrated on Monday: Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Columbus Day. This also gave federal employees three-day weekends. October 25, 1971 was the first Veterans Day under this new bill, which set the holiday
,for the fourth Monday of every October. Several states were unhappy with this decision and continued to celebrate the holiday on its original date, which was November 11. It finally became obvious that most Americans wanted to celebrate in November, since it was a date of historic and patriotic significance, so on September 20, 1975,
President Gerald R. Ford signed another law returning the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, starting in 1978. Since then, the Veterans Day holiday has been observed on that date. Information from govinfo.gov and defense.gov
Thank you for your service and sacrifice!
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Adventures
LIMITLESS
By Celeste Edenloff
Alexandria graduate fulfills a calling in Air Force
A
Serving is about brotherhood and sisterhood. It’s about giving back and the sacrifices we have to make. It’s so much more than I ever thought it would be. LEAH LEHMKUHL MEYER
Commander, 5th Contracting Squadron U. S. Air Force
fter getting in more than her share of trouble in high school, Leah Lehmkuhl Meyer said a conversation with her softball coach led her down a path she never expected. A 2001 graduate of Jefferson High School in Alexandria, Maj. Meyer, who has been serving on active duty in the Air Force for the past 14 years, is the commander of the 5th Contracting Squadron stationed in Minot, North Dakota. She was recently selected for the rank of Lt. Col. and will be pinned on Dec. 1. It was Coach Orin Schueler, she said, who got through to her about the choices she was making. After getting in trouble once again, she remembers having a conversation with him. “He told me, ‘This isn’t you. You’re meant for bigger things,’ ” said Meyer. “He is one of the main reasons I
Maj. Leah Meyer (front, right) is pictured with the 5th Contracting Squadron. The organization is made up of two-thirds military members and one-third civilians.
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chose this path. I wanted something that was going to push me like Coach Schueler pushed me and I chose the Air Force.” Meyer said when the decision to join the military was made, she never considered any other branch. The Air Force was always her No. 1 pick. Although she doesn’t come from a military family, Meyer said she had an uncle who flew B-52s and told her that the Air Force takes the best care of its people. She believes her decision to join the Air Force was a calling. She knew she wanted a career where there would be a potential for leadership, one where she could positively impact lives, and a career that would challenge her. The Air Force did all that and more. “When I joined, I thought I could offer something to the Air Force,” said Meyer. “But what the Air Force has taught me, what it has given me is so much more. It started out as a dream to lead, but I have learned so much about myself, my strengths, my weaknesses. Serving is about brotherhood and sisterhood. It’s about giving back and the sacrifices we have to make. It’s so much more than I ever thought it would be.” Meyer said serving in the military is something special and that she is a different person than when she first joined ROTC and she is so grateful for that. She currently is the commander of 40 people in her squadron, which does all the purchasing for the base she and her husband, Keith, are stationed at. He also serves in the United States Air Force. In essence, she and her team buy items that keep the base running and operational. Throughout her career, she has bought everything from office supplies to major weapon systems
and currently holds an unlimited warrant, which allows her to spend taxpayer dollars on behalf of the military. One of her largest purchases was a $400 million aircraft modification, which she remembers signing for because her hands might have been just a little shaky. Meyer and her husband have been stationed at the base in Minot for a little more than a year. The couple, along with their three children – Charli, 9; Kate, 7; and Henry, 4 – will be heading to Washington, D.C. next summer, where they expect to be stationed for two to three years. A DECADE OF CHANGE When Meyer first joined the military, she was thinking of becoming a pilot. However, she was told, “You can’t be a good pilot and be a good mom.” The thought of becoming a pilot went out the window because she knew she wanted to be a mom. She regrets that choice, as every pilot/mom she now knows is fantastic at both roles. Although it hasn’t always been smooth sailing being a woman in the military, Meyer said there have been great strides in the past decade. “The Air Force is much more accommodating now,” Meyer said. She remembers when she became pregnant with her first child and a supervisor, who happened to be a woman, told her that she went from being an asset to a liability because of the pregnancy. Fortunately, that mentality has gone by the wayside for the most part, she said. After her first daughter was born, she
Several years ago, Maj. Leah Meyer, a 2001 Alexandria graduate, along with her two daughters, Charli and Kate, met up with her high school coach and mentor, Orin Schueler.
Maj. Leah Meyer, on the 10-year anniversary of 9/11, reenlists one of the aircraft maintainers. Air Force maintainers perform pre-, post- and between flight safety and function checks, as well as many other duties. had a very short maternity leave and said. Having 100% trust in each other and she said there were no private areas for great communication. nursing moms after she got back to work. “It made it easier that we spoke the After her third child was born, however, same language,” she said. “He knows maternity leave had gone from six to the rules and regulations and knows 12 weeks, there were plenty of places what is expected in the military. And vice for nursing moms and there were new versa. We understand the long hours and accommodations for fathers, as well. sacrifices. And we always find quality “It was totally different from my first to time together, we plan trips and make the my third child. They were definitely more most of the time we have together and as supportive of ‘Team Meyer’ the last time a family.” around,” she said. “They are much more It was nice that they both wanted flexible with working moms and in just children, but they knew it would be a decade, I feel the Air Force has come trickier because of their military life. After around 180 degrees.” their children were born, Meyer said she wasted a lot of time trying to find that HARMONY, NOT BALANCE “work-life balance.” Meyer met her husband, Keith, while She said instead of trying to find that they were both in the ROTC program at balance, the couple have what they the University of Minnesota. She never call work-life harmony and that it really thought she would marry an ROTC man, boils down to good communication and because it would make life more difficult managing their expectations. She let go to manage a dual-military household. of the balance and found peace in the Now she can’t imagine it any other harmony of it all. way and feels she has the best built-in “I was constantly trying to find a perfect support network she could ask for. balance that I don’t think truly exists. I When she and Keith started dating, don’t have ‘mom guilt’ anymore. I let it go the couple’s timing wasn’t the best. She and life has been much better for all of was graduating and had orders to go us,” Meyer said. to Hawaii and he wasn’t going to be She figures out ways to incorporate her graduating for another six months and kids into her work as often as possible then was heading to Virginia. But the and makes sure everything involving 5,000 mile long-distance relationship her kids’ school and activities is put on worked and the couple have been her work calendar. She talks to her kids married for 12 years. when she has to work late and explains For the first few years of marriage, it that it is part of the sacrifice of being in wasn’t the easiest. Being a dual-military MEYER couple, Meyer said they were on the path Page 8 of most resistance. Trust was key, she
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MEYER
From page 7
the military and serving your country. And she said that they know that on the weekends and vacation she rarely takes work phone calls or checks work emails. They know that that time is dedicated to them. Taking family vacations is also key. A few years ago, Meyer and her husband bought a cabin in the Alexandria lakes area and now, her kids refer to it as being “home,” which is something she loves. Meyer has family in the area, including her mom and brother, and grew up in the area so it will always be home for her. “I love where I am from and the strong foundation and values that growing up in a small town has provided me,” Meyer said. MILITARY LIFE Making a career out of the military isn’t something Meyer expected to do in the beginning. At first, she thought she would put in her four years and use it as a stepping stone into the civilian sector. But now, after nearly 15 years, she loves her military life and even though she could retire in five years, she’s not entirely sure she will. She’s been stationed in Hawaii, Virginia, Texas, New Mexico, Ohio, Alabama and now, Minot. Before having her children, Hawaii was her favorite location to be assigned. But now that she has her family, she loves living in Minot because it is close to family – hers and her husband’s. Both her and Keith have each been deployed three times. Her first deployment was to Qatar, her second to Africa, primarily in Djibouti and Uganda, and her third was a shorter trip
While on a mission to evacuate American citizens from South Sudan during a civil war in 2013, Maj. Leah Meyer talks with a family she worked with. The family was evacuated to Uganda.
to Afghanistan, which she said was not the most ideal destination. She said it takes a village to raise any child, especially when both parents are in the military. That only gets harder when one parent is deployed. The couple relies mostly on family, friends, and military neighbors when things get hectic. Meyer said they did have an au pair for a year, which was very helpful. The au pair was from France and taught her children about French culture, language and cuisine. “It truly takes a village and all the support we have is awesome,” said Meyer. Being in the military does have its advantages. A favorite part for Meyer is getting to experience so many different places in the country and throughout the world. Growing up in the Alexandria area, where she said she has strong roots, Meyer didn’t have a lot of exposure beyond her experiences in Minnesota. Her children have been exposed to many different people, places and perspectives in their short lives, which is something she is grateful for. She said they have had more diverse life experiences brought into their lives already than in her first 20 years of life. “It is priceless to be able to show them that they can do whatever they want to
Every day, I am still so proud to put on my uniform and serve our country. LEAH LEHMKUHL MEYER
Commander, 5th Contracting Squadron U. S. Air Force
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do in life, be whatever they want, and go wherever they want. I don’t ever want them to believe there are limits to what they can achieve,” she said. Meyer has gained so much with every new assignment and location and said she hasn’t ever had a bad assignment, which is why she is not so sure she’ll be ready for retirement from the military in five years. “I have a hard time turning down adventures,” she said. “When I do retire, I want to help teens and adults and teach them to make the most of the situations they find themselves in. Take stock, and take ownership. Too often people impose artificial barriers or believe that because of their lot in life or poor choices as an adolescent, that they’ve set themselves on a predetermined path. I want them to know they have their whole life ahead of them and that there are no limits to what they can do and be.” Meyer also commented on the new Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Alexandria. She said she was emotional walking through it for the first time as she saw names of family, friends and classmates listed throughout the park. She said it was a job tremendously well done, and is proud of her hometown and the support the community has toward military personnel. “Every day, I am still so proud to put on my uniform and serve our country,” she said.
American flag
HOW TO FOLD AN open edge of the flag. The person folding the flag should take one step forward before beginning to make it easier to fold. Next, turn the outer point inward, parallel to the open edge, to form a second triangle. Continue the triangular folding until the end is reached, with only the blue showing. If a hem extends beyond the blue field, it should be tucked inside the folds so that it doesn’t show.
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Traditionally, the guidelines call for displaying the flag only from sunrise to sunset. However, if it is illuminated, it may be displayed at all times. Flags should not be subject to weather damage, so it shouldn’t be displayed during rain, snow or wind storms unless it is an all-weather flag. While it should be displayed often, it is especially important to display the flag on national and state holidays and special occasions.
The flag should never be allowed to touch anything beneath it and it should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding or drapery, or on a costume or athletic uniform. A flag patch may be attached to the uniform of patriotic organizations, police officers and firefighters. When a flag is worn out, it should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
BENEFITS AVAILABLE
•MEDICAL CARE at Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers to include the Max Beilke Outpatient Clinic in Alexandria. •COMPENSATION for disabilities incurred in or aggravated during active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training. •PENSION for wartime veterans who meet income and net worth guidelines. •DEATH BENEFITS to include burial at the National and State Veterans Cemeteries. •ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS from the MN Department of Veterans Affairs, which can include dental, optical, living costs on a short-term basis and assistance with rent, mortgage or utilities from the MN Assistance Council for Veterans. •TRANSPORTATION We can assist veterans in getting to medical appointments at the St. Cloud, Minneapolis, and Fargo Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. **List is not all inclusive**
“
Guidelines for displaying the flag
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“
With one person at either end hold the flag at waist height so the surface is parallel to the ground. Fold lengthwise, folding the lower half of the striped section over the blue field of stars. Fold lengthwise a second time, making sure the blue field is on the outside. If you’re folding a larger flag, it may have to be folded a third time. Start a triangular fold by bringing the striped corner of the folded edge to meet the
America’s Veterans have done everything asked of them in their mission to serve our country. Hospice of Douglas County staff understand the unique needs of veterans and are prepared to meet the specific challenges that veterans and their families may face at the end of life.
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Liberator
THE
Alexandria developer was a World War II hero
By Karen Tolkkinen Staff Sgt. Leander Hens, a farm boy from Belgrade, Minnesota, had no way of knowing what lay in store for him and his men that on that wet, cold morning in 1945. As members of the Army’s 11th Armored Division, they were assigned to check all the roads, bridges and enemy soldiers in the area so that an American force could liberate an Austrian city from Nazi forces. But Hens and his patrol stumbled onto a series of Nazirun concentration camps, that one Army major described in a book as “emanating wretched human misery and rank with the stench of death.” The main camp was called Mauthausen, and among its
For the liberated, it brought tears, comfort, joy and peace. I can still hear them, ‘We are free. We are free.’ LEANDER HENS Staff Sargeant and WWII hero
100 or so subcamps were three particularly barbarous camps called Gusen I, II and III, where prisoners were worked to death in a rock quarry and in underground factories. German SS officers had just fled, leaving Austrian troops in charge of gas chambers, piles of bodies and thousands of starving, brutalized people of many nationalities and political persuasions—Gypsies, Poles, Spaniards, Jews, intellectuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses
Leander Hens served in Europe during World War II. He was 22 when his patrol liberated several Nazi concentration camps in Austria. (Contributed) and criminals, according to the books “Spaniards in the Holocaust,” and “St. Georgen Gusen Mauthausen,” each of which mentions Hens. Estimates of those who died during the seven years of Mauthausen’s existence at anywhere from 122,000 to more than 300,000.
Hens’ patrol was one of two that came across the camps that day. They liberated the prisoners and left, lacking the food, medical supplies and numbers to care for them. In the following days, American doctors and nurses arrived. Still, hundreds of former inmates continued to die every day from the trauma they endured. Hens died in 2003. However, his words describing that morning are inscribed on the back of a granite bench at Alexandria’s Veterans Memorial park. “For the liberators, the day brought grief, misery and a dangerous venture. “Memories are the sight, odor and hunger of the detainees. “I’m sure, in speaking for all 41 of us, who were there that day, we were grateful
The inscription on this bench came from Leander Hens’s note in a flyleaf in a book about the camp that quoted him, and which he gave to grandson Randy Roers.
Hens Page 11
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HENS
From page 10
and honored in bringing them their freedom, which they were deprived of for so long. “For the liberated, it brought tears, comfort, joy and peace. I can still hear them, ‘We are free. We are free.’ “What a day for all. God bless our country, so we will always do what is right.” After the war, Hens married and settled in Alexandria. He had suffered two major wounds during the war and received two Purple Hearts plus a Bronze Star, and a doctor had told him he would likely not live past age 40, said grandson Randy Roers. The doctor’s warning motivated Hens. He started a contracting business and developed the Midway Mall. He owned the Corner Bar downtown and the Algon Ballroom, where the movie theater is now. He slept only three or four hours a night. “If you knew my grandpa, he never stopped moving,” Randy said. “Everything was urgent. It had to be done now. If you’re told 40 is your expiration date, you’re kind of double timing it.” Hens actually lived to be 80, and in his later years, he began talking about his wartime experiences. “When my wife and I got married, he didn’t talk about it,” said Hens’ son-in-law, Roger Roers, who is Randy’s father. “As Lee got older, I remember him talking about it constantly: ‘These stories need to be told or they’re going to be lost.’ He really wanted his stories to be known.” Hens told his son-in-law about seeing three skinny
people still alive in a one-person bunk at Gusen, and how he had to carry one because he was too weak to stand. He also told them about the injuries that earned him the Purple Hearts. One occurred when he was going houseto-house in a village, looking for Germans. When he entered one house, someone leaped on him and jabbed a knife down his throat. Bleeding, he fought back and crashed through the window to escape. Another injury occurred when he went looking for his friend Larry, whose sister Hens would eventually marry. Larry had been lost in woods where a battle had taken place. While looking for Larry, Hens fell into a foxhole occupied by a German soldier. He killed the German, but another German soldier hit him in the head with his rifle so hard that he blacked out and was found later wandering by American troops, covered in blood that was not all his own. The first he remembered was waking up in the medic tent. His head injury was so severe, he had to have a plate in his head. After the war ended, Hens remained in Europe for a year. He spoke fluent German, and he went undercover for the U.S. Office of Strategic Services — the precursor to the CIA — to find SS officers who were in hiding. The intelligence agents would tell him the location of a suspected SS officer, and Hens would get work alongside the person to see if he could spot a telltale tattoo
Cousins Scott Kluver, left, and Randy Roers with the bench dedicated to their grandfather, Leander Hens, at the Veterans Memorial Park in Alexandria. As Lee got older, I remember him talking about it constantly: ‘These stories need to be told or they’re going to be lost.’ ROGER ROERS
LEANDER HENS’ SON
under the man’s arm. Twice, he fooled men into raising their arms, once while taking a swim on a hot day and once while washing off after working on a farm, and saw the tattoo. After he identified the men, said grandson Scott Kluver, his job was done. “He got the hell out of there.” Randy started accompanying his grandfather to Army reunions when he was 22. “I was very interested in the history of it, and the history of World War II and his history,” Randy said. “To be able to talk to a living history book, who had a connection to you.” Hens took two trips back to Austria, one in 1995 for the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the camps, and one in 2000 for another celebration.
Several family members went with him in 2000. The liberators were greeted with intense gratitude by survivors and their children. “We saw one woman kiss his feet,” Randy said. “Well, his shoes, I guess.” With their grandfather gone, it has fallen to his grandsons, now in their 40s, to tell his stories. They have pictures and war booty to prove it, including a large scarlet Nazi flag with a swastika that their grandfather pulled off a water tower while bullets were flying at him. “We were lucky he talked about it,” Randy said. About 300,000 World War II veterans remain alive in the U.S., according to the Pew Research Center, citing a federal report.
FLAG ETIQUETTE Proper flag etiquette requires a person to only fly the flag between sunrise and sunset unless it is illuminated properly. The flag should be taken down in inclement weather, unless it’s an all-weather flag. Flags should only be flown if they are in good condition.
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HONORING OUR VETERANS
Allen Nelson Army: 1949-1951
Alan Olsen Navy: 1944-1946 Deceased: 6/22/2011
Aloys Wagner Army: 1942-1945 Deceased: 10/24/1996
Andrew William Olsen Navy SeaBees: 20 years
Anthony W. Primus Army: 1969-1971
MILITARY BRANCHES
The armed forces of the United States are the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard. Reserve divisions of these services are the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard, which operate in part under state authority.
shop.cub.com With respect, honor and
gratitude,
we thank our
Veterans.
2612 S Broadway St | Alexandria, MN 56308 | 320-762-1158
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Who has entered into a partnership with the VHA to support efforts toward homeless Veterans in their communities and have pledged over $5 million to help end Veteran homelessness? Who supports active military forces, retired Veterans and their family members? Who furnishes food, comfort care items, therapeutic items and gifts, hosts holiday celebrations and recreational activities at military bases and VA hospitals and stands ready to fulfill any need when called upon? Who makes more than $45 million in contributions annually to more then 300 VA Medical Centers, Clinics and State Care Facilities? Who visits thousands of hospitalized Veterans annually who have protected our freedoms?
ELKS DO!
Archie Danielson Army: 4 years Deceased: 2/6/1996
Arthur E. Berg 102nd Medical Battalion: 3 years, 1 month
Bennie Hedstrom Infantry: 1969-1971 Vietnam
Carlyle Guenther Army 1 year Killed in combat Vietnam War 5/5/1968
Carl I Kleppen Army: 1918 Deceased: 6/18/1975
Celeste Sue Gist Air Force: 1974-1979
Bernard Bitzan Army Air Force: 2 years Deceased: 5/22/2015
Darren P. Larson Army: 8 years 10/7/2016
Bruce Edward Niehoff Navy: 1970-1974 Deceased: 9/3/2019
David Anderson Marine Corps: 1967-1993
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David James Marusak Army: 3 years
David W. Nelson Army: 1953-1954 11/16/2011
David W. Pikop Navy: 4 years
DeLyle H. Olson Navy: 1950-1951 Deceased: 3/26/1997
Douglas V. Bakke Navy: 1964-1969 Deceased: 10/11/2018
Emerald “Bud” Strand Army: 4 years Deceased: 8/28/1999
Eugene J. Steidl Army 1952-1954 Korea Deceased: 2/17/2003
Ezra “Dale” Gillespie Navy: 1955-1975 Deceased: 3/11/2016
Gary Spaeth Army: 2 years
Gerald Sather Air Force: 4 years (Gerald is second from the right in the back row)
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Glen W. Gust Army: 1969-1971 Vietnam
Grace Peterson Army: 3 years
H. Kenneth Bjerke Army: 1941-1945 Deceased: 8/17/2010
Harlan W. Strand Army: 1945-1946 Deceased: 12/3/2018
Harry A. Miller Army: 1941-1945 Purple Heart Deceased: 8/17/1995
Hugo Wilken Air Force: 4 years Deceased: 7/5/2001
James A Freiberg Air Force: 1943-1945 Deceased: 8/9/2020
James K. Schultz Army: 2 years Deceased: 2/21/2013
James Walsh Navy: 1945-1946 (18 months) Deceased: 1/16/2020
Jane (Wagner) Skwira Army: 1972-1974 Deceased: 11/2/2019
Add your veteran's name with pride to a growing roster of over 7,000 veterans' names. Beautifully engraved in granite, this guarantees a lifetime of remembrance in Alexandria's Veterans Memorial Park. Names received by March 31 will be added in time for Memorial Day 2021. For more information or to submit your veteran's listing, visit the website. Questions may be emailed to:
vmp@alexveteranspark.org or call us at 320-460-8303
VETERANS ďż˝ MEMORIAL mďż˝,_ _ PARK
-ca SALUTE
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Jerry Peterson Air Force: 6 years
Jerry Prettyman Navy 1953-1957
Juel Bautz Army: 1966-1968
Kenneth Volk Army: 1966-1968
John Holm National Guard: 1999-2009 Active duty: 2003 (Kosovo) to 2007 (Iraq)
Jon M. Velde Air Force: 4 years
Joseph Schiele Navy: 4 years WWI Deceased: 12/17/2015
Kyle Richard Klein Air Force: 1996-2016
LaVerne P. Weisgram Marines: 3 years Deceased: 2/17/2015
Leon R. Rajdl Navy: 1945-1946 Deceased: 8/9/1967
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Leonard “Bud” Anderson Marine Corps: 1966-1970
Leonard H. Hertwig Army: 20 years Deceased: 11/9/2004
Leonard Schreiber Army: 1952
Louie P. Seesz Navy: 1965-1968
Manly D. Johnson Army: 1954-1955
Marlin L. Olson Army: 1951-1953 Deceased: 12/16/2008
Maurice V. Peterson Marine Corps: 4 years
Melvin Boesen Navy: 1949-1953 Deceased: 3/13/2017
Melvin J. Klimek Army: 2 years
Millie Prettyman Navy: 1955-1957
Proud to honor our veterans past and present who pprotect our
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Myron Woida Army: 2 years
Neil E. Berg Navy: 1956-1959
Noel Rich Army: 4 years
Otto Vendell Navy: 1943-1945 Deceased: 10/25/2015
Paul Nelson Air Force: 1952-1956
Raymond Danielson Army: 1 year, 9 months Deceased: 2/7/2010
Raymond L. Mikkelson Army: 1952-1954 Deceased: 12/19/2013
Raymond W. Wille Air Force: 1968-1992
Richard L. Zuehlke Navy: 20 years
Richard N. Hansen Army 1965-1967 1/28/2001
REA Salutes All Veterans. We thank you for your sacrifice and service.
DJ's Tap House & Grill would like to thank our veterans for their service. PAGE 18
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Richard P. Willie Air Force: 1966-1974
Robert Draack Army 1969-1971 Vietnam
Robert F. Vendel Navy: 1942-1946 Deceased: 7/27/1989
Robert Schneiderhan Marines: 4 years
Roger Davis Army: 3 years, 10 months Korea
Roger Henningsgaard Army: 1950-1952 Korean War
Ronald H. Jacobson Army National Guard: 41 years
Russell Larson Army: 1969-1971
Ryan Heidelberger Army National Guard: 10 years
Stephen Dean Gist Air Force: 1970-1977
To all the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who have sacrifi fic ced so much, we THANK YOU! Insuring the past; Protecting your future
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With a combined 71 years of experience, Alexandria Title Co. is committed to accurate and quality service meeting our customer’s needs.
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1804 Broadway, Ste 140 • Alexandria Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm 320.763.6858 | www.alextitleco.com SALUTE
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Steve Velde Navy: 4 years
Steven Watson Navy: 1989-1993
Ted Norman Burgeson Army: 2 years 5/22/2012
Thomas C. Birhanzel Army: 1969-1970 Vietnam
Thomas L. Scearcy Marine Corps: 1966-1969
Vernon Hoffbeck Army: 1942-1945 Deceased: 4/24/1995
Virgil K. Batesole Navy: 4 years Deceased: 3/22/2019
Wayne Meyer Army: 1968-1970 Vietnam
William A. Haskins Air Force: 1944-1965 Deceased: 8/7/2006
William Weisel Army 1918-1919 Deceased: 10/16/1959
THANK YOU
veterans
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1211 N Nokomis NE | Alexandria, MN 320-762-4255 | hfhdouglascounty.org PAGE 20
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Millerville cemetery
THREE CIVIL WAR VETS share a
By Karen Tolkkinen
In a shaded cemetery in Millerville, history seems just a breath away when visitors glimpse the headstones of three Civil War veterans. All were born in Germany, and they lived during the era of the telegraph and westward expansion, of Colt revolvers and petticoats. Among them is the headstone of Frank Weber, the Millerville area’s first teacher and postmaster, according to a plaque installed next to his headstone. The plaque says Weber enlisted in Company G 9th Minnesota Infantry on Aug. 16, 1862, and that he was captured nearly two years later in Tennessee and was imprisoned at Andersonville Confederate Prison in Georgia. That camp was notorious for its miserable conditions. According to the National Park Service, more than 45,000 Union soldiers were kept prisoner there, and of those, nearly 13,000 died. Weber joined the Confederates in 1865 and reached the Union lines four months later. The Union Army judged his actions to be a “ruse to escape,” the plaque says. His record was cleared and he was discharged with a medical pension. He was also a founder of Seven Dolors Church in Millerville. He died in 1903.
Dennis Otto of Millerville locates the grave of August Wilm, a Civil War veteran buried in Millerville.
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August Wilm, who died in 1930, was also one of the earliest settlers of Douglas County, according to the St. Cloud Times obituary posted on the Find a Grave website. He was a corporal who transferred from Company D, 20th Regiment, and a veteran volunteer in 1864. He mustered out at Jeffersonville, Indiana. “He was a Civil War veteran and was a familiar figure at all the encampments,” the obituary says. “Mr. Wilm has been in ill health for several years and his death relieved a long suffering siege. He is survived by a widow and several children.” The third headstone belongs to Michael Bach, who was born in 1823 and a private
Headstone of Michael Bach, one of three Civil War veterans buried in Millerville. in Company G of the 9th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry. This regiment fought in the U.S.-Dakota Wars and also fought in the south. They protected a railroad supply line and fought in Mississippi and in Tennessee, where they
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distinguished themselves by capturing Confederate-held hills, and also helped capture Mobile, an important southern port city. Bach died in 1903 at age 79, at St. Joseph’s home for the aged.
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Connections
HEALING Facebook group helps veterans reunite with other veterans
By Celeste Edenloff
We are here to help them, to help the veterans make that connection,” she said. “The healing is so worth it. MICHELLE MILLER
Founder, USA Military Directory on Facebook
Michelle Miller of Alexandria is a military brat. Her family moved all the time while she was growing up. She has been to 47 states, lived in many, plus has been in and lived in a few countries. This means she has met hundreds of people, making dear friends along the way, but also losing touch with many. Because of that, Miller, who has lived in the Alexandria area since 1986 and is a 1990 Alexandria graduate, said she
Thank you, Veterans
3 2 0.7 6 3 . 4 5 4 5
aaedc@alexmn.org
LivingAlexArea.org licia marie photography
PAGE 24
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formed the largest military brat group on Facebook. She did this in order to reconnect with people – other military brats – she’s met, friends she’s made but has lost track of. While doing a search one day a few years back, her father, Lt. Col. Michael Steele, who was a chaplain in the Army Special Forces before passing away two and a half years ago, was intrigued by the fact that she could find people from her past. He asked her how she could do it so fast and if she could do a search for him. She told him that of course she would help him out. “He started rattling off all these names of people he wanted me to find,” she said.
Miller explained that her father suffered from PTSD from being in the military. He wanted to talk with others he served with, and who knew and understood where he was coming from. She said it wasn’t that her father didn’t want to talk with her or other family members, but it was easier and more therapeutic for him to talk with those who had been through the same thing he had been through. She connected him with people he had served with and she saw what it did for him. “It was the greatest and biggest healing gift I could’ve given him,” she said. When she saw the healing that took place within her dad, she wanted to try and do that for other military men and women who could benefit from connecting with others they had served with. And so, she made the decision to start another Facebook group – the USA Military Directory.
Michelle Miller formed the USA Military Directory Facebook group and is pictured with the group’s two MILLER administrators, Al Alvord (left) and Rog Hamann, who are both veterans. Page 26
Thank You Veterans! Shanna Vickerman
320-766-0237
Bob Ruhr
Patty Thorstad
612-799-3678
Kristi Carter
320-491-1292
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Sarah Klimek
Dale & Teresa Thoennes
320-808-3366
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Chris Olson
651-399-4017
Fatima Holm
Rebecca Anderson
320-760-5987
Ellie Cavers
320-491-8372
320-760-0473
Chris Sutton
Louise Bakkum
320-760-7375
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Bonnie Snaza
320.491.1858
Todd Whiting
320-766-2200
Mark Adams
320-760-1179 Veteran
www.Century21.com • 320-762-8070 1124 Broadway • Alexandria, MN
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MILLER
From page 25
She founded the group in May 2013 and within two days she had around 1,000 members. The private Facebook group now boasts more than 30,000 members. Miller offers her service of connecting people with long-lost military friends and family members for free. “I will not charge them,” she said. “They’ve already served and gave to their country, they don’t need to be charged.” The group is only open to service men and women, and before a person is accepted into the group, Miller verifies that they are or were in the military. In essence, Miller’s job she said, is like being a private investigator as she searches for people. “If you are hiding, I can find you,” she said with laughter. Because of what she does and the information she receives about people, she does everything using complete confidentiality, she said. Miller will share information she receives with the person looking and within the group.
Michelle Miller of Alexandria is pictured with her son, Jared Torgerson, who served in the United States Army. “We do take the safety of the groups’ security seriously so no one can get into the group to see this information except the military people in the group,” she
Serving the Alexandria Area for Over 15 Years
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said, adding that most of the information is public but people have to pay to get it. She does that, but still doesn’t charge her clients.
We thank all of those that have served our country!
1610 6th Ave. East • Alexandria, MN 763-5115 • 800-669-6772 andersonfloristandgreenhouse.com PAGE 26
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To date, she has performed more than 100,000 searches and has two administrators – Al Alvord and Rog Hamann, both veterans – who help her manage the group and work on cases. The average number of requests, or cases, can be anywhere from 10 to 20 per day, which takes up a lot of their time. And for Miller, who owns and operates a full-time cleaning business, it is a lot of time spent on her computer and/or phone and time away from her own family. But to her it is all worth it. And she feels it is her calling. She belongs to several groups on Facebook and manages or owns 11 different groups, most are military-based. Helping other veterans like she helped her father is
special to her, especially now that her father is gone, she said. “I can’t not let a veteran get that kind of healing like my dad got,” she said. “You just can’t put a price on that. I know how important it is. I saw it with my dad. I put a lot of money into this, but it is my way of giving back to the veterans.” Just this past year, Miller turned her Facebook group into more and it is now a nonprofit organization with a board of directors and she is now accepting donations. “I broke my own rule and started taking donations after not being able to work when COVID-19 hit,” she said. “But also, I honestly didn’t think it would get this big.”
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Founder of the USA Military Directory, Michelle Miller has several ties to the military, including her brother Stephen Steele who served in the United States Navy and her father, Lt. Col. Michael Steele, who was a chaplain in the Army Special Forces. Miller said even if she doesn’t get the donations, she will still keep searching and helping veterans get in touch with whoever they need to connect with.
“We are here to help them, to help the veterans make that connection,” she said. “The healing is so worth it.” Miller can be reached via email at usamilitarydirectory@ gmail.com.
Today we pause to honor the brave men and women who have made the great sacrifice to protect our families, our country and our freedom. from the staff of the
225 7th Ave. East Alexandria 320.763.3133 echopress.com SALUTE
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DID YOU KNOW? QWhich is the correct spelling of Veterans Day? a. Veterans Day b. Veteran’s Day c. Veterans’ Day
AVeterans Day (choice a,
above). Veterans Day does not include an apostrophe but does include an “s” at the end of “veterans” because it is not a day that “belongs” to veterans, it is a day for honoring all veterans.
Mark Hovland of Fergus Falls Monument Company checks the last of the 215 names he added to the Alexandria Veterans Memorial Park in October. He sandblasts the letters through a rubber sheet, which helps keep the edges crisp. Park organizers are continuing to accept new names. For more information, visit alexveteranspark.org.
Thank You For Supporting Veteran’s!
We Care! www.glenwoodstate.bank PAGE 28
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VFW POST 936
1102 3rd Ave. E, Alexandria • 320-763-9221 OPEN Mon-Fri 1pm-12am • Sat 10am-12am Gambling Lic. #00042-001
• PULLTABS AND BINGO AVAILABLE •
Self Guided Brochure.qxp_Layout 1 10/22/20 9:26 AM Page 1
Memorial Park
VETERANS Veterans Memorial Park, located on the corner of Broadway Street and 8th Avenue in Alexandria, was built to honor veterans of all branches of the United States Armed Forces, both living and deceased. More than 7,000 veterans, going back to the 19th century, have their names engraved on granite monoliths throughout the park, which also includes a 9-foot granite replica of the Liberty Bell. Nine flagpoles display the flags of the United States,
State of Minnesota, POW-MIA, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine. Wheelchair accessible, Veterans Memorial Park also includes a picnic pavilion and a heated restroom complex, and serves as the ideal setting for Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Fourth of July celebrations. Brochures for a self-guided tour are also available to the public and are available to download at www. alexveteranspark.org
Self Guided Brochure.qxp_
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Located at 8th & Broadway Alexandria, Minnesota
This statue was dedicated in 1916 to honor Douglas County Civil War Veterans Memorial Park by Douglas (1861-1865) and was gifted County Commissioners to the Veterans in 2020.
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These benches honor individual
veterans. Their gripping
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GULF 1990 - PRESENT FOR FUTURE ENGRAVIN G
stories give a sense of connection
to local military history.
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three regional businesses: Creative Impact Design, Fergus Falls artistically simple yet elegant Monument Company and design of breathtaking dimension Widseth Architects that pays tribute to veterans, uplifts visitors and unites generations. resulted in an
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Donor contributions
Brochure created by Jeff Roste, Creative Impact Design
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302 Broadway St, Alexandria, MN 56308 SALUTE
PAGE 29
Numbers
BY THE Veterans by the War
Approximately 35 percent of all living veterans served during the Vietnam War. In 2018, there were:
12,111 Pre-World War II (November 1941 or earlier) 485,000 World War II veterans. (1941-1945) 1.3 million veterans of the Korean War. (1950-1953) 6.38 million Vietnam-era veterans. (1964-1975) 7.56 million Gulf War veterans. (August 1990 to 2018) 4.03 million Peacetime only (all other periods not listed above) Veterans by the Numbers There were approximately 18 million military veterans in the U.S., as of 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Of those: 1.7 million were female 11.7 percent were black or African American 76.7 percent were non-Hispanic white 7.2 percent were Hispanic
Thank You to all the Veterans that have served this country over the years!! Dave, Debbie Bistodeau and Crew
DID YOU KNOW? Q. What is the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day? A. Many people don’t realize there is a difference. Memorial Day is for remembering military members who died in service to their country, especially those who died as a result of battle. While on Veterans Day, all members of the service are honored for their contributions during wartime and peacetime, both living and dead, it is a special time to acknowledge all those living who have served this country, not only those who died. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs www.va.gov
Congratulations on the completion of the Veterans Memorial Park! We honor our veterans today and every day! Thank you for your service.
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WE SALUTE YOU!! Veterans come in on Veterans Day Wednesday Nov. 11 and receive a
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Time to
Salute Time to
Honor Time to
Remember For their courage, hard work and dedication to their country, we salute the men and women of our Armed Forces past and present. It is because of their sacrifice that America remains the land of the free, and we thank them for protecting our citizens and our country.
Elden’s Fresh Foods celebrates all those who have served our country!
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Only store in town that is LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED.
