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The Minnesota American Legion and Auxiliary

LegionnaireVolume 98, Number 5 For God and Country May 2016 Kristine “Kris” Lee Nelson, 63, a pastKristine National President “Kris”al convention held Lee in Minneapolis. Nelson, She served with1952-2016 of the American Legion Auxiliary, died of brain cancer on National Commander Fang Wong of New York. April 20 at the Cuyuna Regional Care Center in Baxter, her She was currently serving on the American Legion hometown. Auxiliary Foundation as vice president and she was Nelson was one of only two Minnesotans ever elected involved in the Centennial Strategic Planning Committee. National President. She also served as state president. “After working for the Auxiliary for the past five years, “It’s so sad to see her die so young,” said Past National I found a true mentor and more importantly, a very close Commander Dan Ludwig. “She contributed so much, and friend,” said Sandie Deutsch, Department Secretary. “I, as she still had so much to give. She always made good things well as the entire Auxiliary, will miss Kris more than some happen.” people will ever know. Rest in peace my dear friend.” Nelson was involved in the Auxiliary for over 30 years Ludwig said his first encounter with Nelson was when from the grassroots to the national leadership. She and her she was named as one of three women to the first Brain husband, Terry, began a Halloween party at the Brainerd Science Foundation committee around 1990. The group Post which annually drew over 800 children. raised over $1 million to endow a chair at the University of She served as unit president twice, as unit secretary Minnesota. seven times and as membership chair twice. Nelson was “She was an absolutely excellent board member. She had District 6 President in 1992-3, and was Department great ideas, and she listened to other’s ideas. She helped President in 2001-02. make sure our final decisions were the very best. She also served as Department Auxiliary Chaplain. “She was also an active and effective spokesperson for In 2011 she was elected National President at the nation- Continued on Page 3 PAST NATIONAL PRESIDENT KRIS NELSON Veterans issues on 2016 legislative agenda

Veterans from Montevideo lobbied at the Veterans on the Hill rally in St. Paul. A 1904 barracks could be turned into a new visitor’s center at Fort Snelling. Bill for two new state veterans Historical Society seeking homes has chance this session funds for Fort Snelling projects By Al Zdon By Al Zdon Still facing a tough uphill climb, efforts to establish new veterans homes in Montevideo Fort Snelling and the rocky promontory where it stands between the Mississippi and and Bemidji seem to be gaining traction this year. Minnesota Rivers has been a meeting place for perhaps 10,000 years. Both the Minnesota House and Senate have bills to provide the state’s share of con- The Minnesota Historical Society wants to continue to make it an important destination struction funding for the new homes, which would have about 70 beds each. far into the future. Legislators who sponsored the bills say they are optimistic about getting them through Toward that end, the society is hoping the Minnesota Legislature agrees and approves this session. The state would provide $21.5 million for the new veterans homes, or 35 per- $34 million in bonding during this session. The remainder of the $46 million project will cent of their cost. The rest of the money would come from the federal government. be raised through private donations. Continued on Page 6 Continued on Page 2 Rochester to host convention Rochester, the home of the world- Wednesday, July 20. famous Mayo Clinic, will be the host of On Thursday, July 21, there will be a the 2016 Minnesota American Legion and gambling seminar put on by the state Auxiliary conventions. Gambling Control Board at 2 p.m. The events will be held July 21-23. A Convention sessions for the Legion will registration blank is on page 3 in this issue be at the Mayo Civic Center and sessions of the Minnesota Legionnaire. for the Auxiliary will be at the Kahler The official hotels for the convention Grand Hotel. are the Kahler Grand Hotel, Rochester Registration is $15 per person or $18 at Marriott and the Kahler Inn and Suites. the door. Those attending should make their own The conventions are being hosted by THE room reservations. Rochester Post 92 and Auxiliary. Phone numbers are: Kahler Grand and The conventions are the annual busi- Kahler Inn and Suites, 1-800-533-1655 ness meetings of the Legion, and there will and the Marriott, 1-877-623-7775. be an election of officers and consideration SCOUT Please state that you are part of the of resolutions from the districts and posts. Legion or Auxiliary conventions. The annual Department parade will be PAGE 8 The Legion will have a Department held Friday evening of the convention on a Executive Committee meeting on route near downtown Rochester. may16Legionnaire_Layout 1 4/26/2016 3:31 PM Page 2

Page 2 Minnesota Legionnaire May 2016

OLD BARRACKS -- Built in 1904, the cavalry barracks near the old Fort Snelling, are shown here as they looked in 1909. Ft. Snelling plans $46 million improvement Continued from Page 1 of other buildings remain vacant and boarded up. “As a state, we invested quite a bit into Fort Snelling in MHS Director Elliot said the plan calls for taking one of the 1960s and 1970s,” said MHS Director Steve Elliot. “It’s those abandoned buildings and converting it into a new vis- time to make another investment.” itor center. The project is aimed at completion in 2020 in order to The first visitor center was opened in the early 80s, but celebrate the bi-centennial of Fort Snelling. it has become a maintenance problem at the site. The money would be used to build a new visitor center “There was kind of a love affair with underground build- and make other improvements — including a better telling ings at that time, but we’ve had a continual problem with the story of the sandstone bluffs, the fort and the remarkable water penetration since then. In wet times, it’s really bad,” history that took place there. Elliot said. That history includes: One office at the visitor’s center had to be closed perma- -- Native Americans gathered at the confluence of nently, and a tarp had to be put over other offices to direct Minnesota’s two major rivers to hunt, fish, talk things over, the water flow. celebrate and trade. Archeologists have found artifacts there “An engineer told us that we’d have to invest $5-7 mil- that go back at least 8,000 years, and they suspect human lion in the coming years, but that doesn’t correct the prob- life was present long before that. lem, it only provides maintenance.” -- Explorer Zebulon Pike found the spot in 1805 and In 1904, two large buildings were constructed and con- made an unauthorized treaty with the Dakota people to nected near the old, 1820s portion of the fort to house cav- acquire land there. Pike then moved on to explore much of alrymen. the West. “When the visitor center was built, it was thought these -- Henry Leavenworth, an army officer who later found- buildings would be torn down,” Elliot said. Instead, they ed Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, arrived to build a fort, became historically significant in themselves, and the state called Fort St. Anthony, in 1819. has spent much money in re-roofing, tuck-pointing and oth- -- That work was taken up by Col. Josiah Snelling the erwise preserving the buildings for future use. following year, and it was completed in 1825 when the The society is hoping that future use will be now. “The Army rewarded Snelling for his efforts by naming the fort best way to preserve an old building is to give it a new use.” after him. One building would be converted into a visitor’s center -- The fort protected the trading interests of the young and the other building, not part of the funding for this proj- nation in that remote area, and sent a message to the British, ect, could later be converted into exhibit space to help the who were also trading in Minnesota, to stay away. visitor understand the significance and history of Fort -- Many of the officers who served at the post had slaves. Snelling. In 1837, the fort’s surgeon had a slave named Dred Scott. The old visitor center will be demolished at some point. s Scott later sued for his freedom because he had lived in free The Legislature last year granted $500,000 to do pre- Worker’s Compensation territory, but in the Dred Scott Decision in 1857, he was design for the project. Governor Dayton has included the s Social Security Disability Antonio Tejeda Guzman MHS request in his budget for this year. Attorney at Law denied. The decision inflamed abolitionist fervor in the s VA Disability Appeals A Veteran serving Veterans North. “We have the responsibility for the stewardship of his- -- In 1861, Minnesota was the first state to promise toric sites,” Elliot said. “We have to take care of these troops to the U.S. government as the Civil War began. Over places.” 320-262-3669 24,000 troops were trained or processed at the fort. Of the $12 million the society will try to raise in private -- In 1862, the U.S.-Dakota War resulted in the incarcer- donations, Elliot said $4 million has already been promised. 877-544-3164 ation of about 1,600 Dakota people in a stockade at the base And at the same time, he said, it’s important to the soci- 214 4th St. SW, Willmar of the fort. As many as 300 died over the winter. Later, two ety and to Minnesotans to broaden the story of the fort to www.tejeda-guzman.com chiefs who had been leaders in the uprising were hung at the include the Dakota side of the history, the Dred Scott deci- fort. sion, the language school during World War II and other -- The fort continued to serve as a military base, and threads in the historical fabric. helped in the processing and training of soldiers in the The fort annually draws about 75,000 visitors including Spanish-American War and in World War I. about 25,000 school children. “I think we have significant -- When the draft began in 1940, Fort Snelling became a potential to increase that,” Elliot said. huge processing center for the Army and thousands of Midwesterners passed through the fort on their way to war. It also served as a Japanese language school where Japanese-Americans trained to help in the war effort. The fort was decomissioned in 1946, but still has an active military presence in the state. In the past several years, some of the old buildings have been converted to other uses including housing for homeless veterans. Dozens

BARRACKS TODAY -- The buildings have been pre- served, inside and out, hopefully to find a new use. may16Legionnaire_Layout 1 4/26/2016 3:31 PM Page 3

May 2016 Minnesota Legionnaire Page 3

KrisContinued Nelson from Page 1 Endorsements the project. She had the same attributes that caused her to rise to the highest offices in the state and the nation.” Norenberg endorsed as vice commander Minnesota’s other National President was Evelyn Starr The University of At the post level, he legislative liaison and of Cambridge. 1986-87. Minnesota American served as a board member, MAG. Nelson is survived by her husband, Terry, son Troy and Legion Post 548 and the vice commander three years Nationally, he was his wife, Angie, daughter Sarah and her husband Kent Fifth District have endorsed and commander plus adju- appointed to National Swenson, six grandchildren; brothers and sisters, Rick, Curtis Norenberg for tant for six years. Security Commission - Rob, Patti and Angie. Department Vice On the district level, he Aerospace Committee, has She had taken part in the recent christening of her twin Commander for the Fourth was Commander, Vice attended 10 Washington baby granddaughters, McKenna Kristine and Aria Lee, and Fifth Districts. Commander three years, Conferences, and was a del- named after their grandmother. He is a ROTC graduate and is presently Judge egate to eight conventions. Services were held through the Nelson-Doran Funeral receiving a commission in Advocate. Other Activities: Life Home and the mass of Christian burial was said at St. the Army and served two At the Department level, member of ROA, VFW, Andrew’s Catholic Church in Brainerd. years on Active Duty during Norenberg is presently MMOA, ANAVICUS, Memorials are preferred to the American Legion the Korean Conflict. He Chair of the Department ESGR Emeritus, BTYR Auxiliary Foundation. served in the Army Reserve NS/FR Committee, ROTC Committee, 40 en 8, SAL, for 39 years and he has been on CAP scholarship com- Professor Emeritus a Legion member continu- mittee, delegate for the past University of Minnesota. ously for 59 years. 25 years to the convention, CURT NORENBERG DeLong endorsed as Sergeant-at-Arms Minneapolis-Richfield Vice Commander, Commander, 3rd Vice Post 435 and 5th District Executive Board Member, Commander, Adjutant, American Legion have Finance Officer, Property Employment Committee endorsed Dennis De Long and Finance Member and Chair, Finance Committee, for the position of Holding Corporation and Constitution & Bylaws Minnesota Department Member at Minneapolis- Chairman. Sergeant-At-Arms for Richfield Post 435. At the At the Department level 2016-2017. District level he has served he has served as DeLong has served as as District Commander, 1st Department Vice 1st Vice Commander, 2nd Vice Commander, 2nd Vice Commander (4th & 5th District), Department Historian twice and Foundation Board Member. American Legion Get your Riders Legionnaire on By Bob “Benji” Benjamin line. Go to District 3 Director mnlegion.org and click on DENNIS DELONG Right now it is snowing and it is about 4” deep in my yard. “Legionnaire We are doing good in the Thundering Third. As the Pulbications” director we are trying to set up a meeting for the 3rd district riders at the May convention so we can get some kind of communication between our chapters. If you can send someone, that would be great. Chaska chapter is coming together very nicely. We will be having our third meeting with about 20 members. Chanhassen has about 15 members but are having some problems with doing rides out of the post. Shakopee has 20 members and their meetings are on the first Saturday of the month with a ride after the meeting. Nicollet chapter has their rides put together. You can go to their web site to learn more. Third District Riders will continue supporting our com- munity, our Legion Family and our nation. Licensed, bonded, insured Ride smart, ride safe and have fun.

OFFICIAL CONVENTION PRE-REGISTRATION A registration fee of $15 for each person attending, whether a delegate, alter- nate or a guest, must accompany this form. Make this check payable to POST 92 CONVENTION FUND. No credit cards will be accepted.

Registration at the door will be $18.

Mail to: Bill Born, American Legion Post 92 Office, 403 East Center St., Rochester, MN 55904

Legion Post # ______SAL Sqdn.______Auxiliary Unit______

District______Phone______

Name______

Address______

City, State______Zip______

pDelegate pAlternate pGuest pDelegate at Large (Auxiliary) (Please check one of the above.) If additional pre-registrations accompany this request, this pre-registration form should be photo copied for each person. The $15 registration fee should be enclosed for each person. Please, only one registration blank per person. may16Legionnaire_Layout 1 4/26/2016 3:31 PM Page 4

Page 4 Minnesota Legionnaire May 2016 have tried to encourage all posts to report and again I am asking each of you to report to your post what you have done this past year. I know every post did something this Chaplain’s past year please take the time to tell your story so all of us COMMANDER’S can learn from it. COLUMN Corner We started out this Spring with an uncommon warm By spell which gave us the chance to begin planting. Now the rains have come and we wait for our next chance . Soon our Richard Wog By Jim Kellogg convention season will begin. I call it a time to reflect and a time to elect. As Legion members, we need to approach As we move into another busy time of our lives we this time with a new-found energy. Just as we farmers do should look around us and realize what we have to be each spring. We need to plant the seeds of growth and a pos- thankful for. As members of The American Legion we itive attitude. This is an exciting time of year. When you are should be thankful for the leadership we have received from asked to serve think of all the fun you can have and the dif- all of our officers, no matter the level of their leadership. ference you can make. The year is not done and they are working hard for us. In Last month I asked you to help with membership. fact, the Bible says in Proverbs 11:14, “Without wise lead- Our American Legion Family has lost a special lady. Thanks to all of you who responded. As of this writing we ership a nation is in trouble.” There are two simple words Keep the Kris Nelson Family in your prayers. need some more help. We stand at 93.5% of our goal. I that can be used to show our appreciation, “Thank you.” know working together we can reach our goal. We need to We are moving toward another important event we Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the hospitality finish the job. A field planted at 93.5% will not reach its full observe every year to honor those who have fallen and shown my wife and I as we celebrated the Legion’s potential. Please help us finish and we can all watch our those who have given so much to our great country. We call Birthday this past month all over the great Department of Legion Family grow and prosper. it Memorial Day. It was started in May 1868 after the Civil Minnesota. And, to all who made my testimonial a night I May brings us to that special time of year Memorial Day. War ended. The head of an organization of union veterans, will never forget, a special thanks to you. Times like this This is the time we all stop to remember all of those who The Grand Army of the Republic, established Decoration show what Minnesota nice is and what our legion Family is have gone to Post Everlasting. Once again we have lost Day as a day to decorate the graves of those who died dur- all about. some great leaders of our Minnesota American Legion ing the war with flowers. Major General John A. Logan It is the time of year to get our reports done. We need to Family. We shall not forget them or all they have given us. declared that Decoration Day be observed on May 30th. It let our home towns know what the American Legion Family Their memory will not die. was not until after World War I that it was expanded to does besides provide a place for socializing. If we don't tell I hope all of you have a safe spring and I look forward to honor those who have died in all wars in which Americans our story no one is going to tell it for us. When you have seeing you at your District Conventions. Until we meet have fought. In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a nation- finished filling our your consolidated post report make a again, remember “Can't” never did anything. May God al holiday by an act of Congress. Memorial Day is copy and take it to your local newspaper. In the past we bless. observed by many, but unfortunately for some it is just another day off work. For those who observe this day, we are taking the time to say, “Thank you.” As I drive around this great state I see many memorials. I stop when time per- mits and read the names of those who have given their lives Editorial for our freedom. When I leave I salute them as they deserve. Support Snelling project the Mississippi River and the Minnesota River have been a It was not long ago I was invited to attend the ground break- Perhaps no other place in Minnesota can capture the gathering place for people for perhaps 10,000 years. The ing ceremony of the Paynesville post for their new memo- story of our men and women going off to war better than place is part of the creation story of the Dakota people. rial. It was truly an honor and a humbling experience to be Fort Snelling. Prior to the Civil War, a slave named Dred Scott lived at there with the members and their families. There were From the farm boys and clerks who volunteered for the the fort and later sued for his freedom because he had lived smiles and tears, but as we walked away from that spot I Minnesota regiments in the Civil War to the tens of thou- in free territory. He lost his case, but the Supreme Court looked back and said, “They will never be forgotten.” sands of Midwestern men and women who went through decision was a powerful influence in bringing on the War General Logan’s order for his post to decorate the graves in the fort in World War II, Fort Snelling really is a major part between the States. 1868 urged, “We should guard their graves with sacred vig- of the history of the Minnesota veteran. During that war, after the quelling of the Dakota uprising ilance—let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of The Minnesota Historical Society has asked the in western Minnesota in 1862, the fort became part of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no neglect, no rav- Minnesota Legislature for $34 million to build a new visi- Minnesota’s own “Trail of Tears” as 1,600 Dakota people, age of time, testify to the present or to the coming genera- tor’s center at the Fort, and to otherwise improve the expe- mainly women, children and the elderly, were marched to a tions that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free rience for the thousands of annual visitors. The society will stockade at the base of the bluffs. As many as 300 died over and undivided republic.” raise another $12 million for the project from private the winter. Mother’s Day is another day we will celebrate soon. As donors. There are many other stories to tell. The fort is the home grown children we know how important a mother’s love If the state can spend $400 million to help build a shrine of Minnesota’s first European-style structures. It was the was to each of us. If we had a problem, who did we talk to? to football in downtown Minneapolis, certainly the amount center of the fur trade early in our history. It was the outpost It was our mother. It would be hard to put a dollar amount the MHS is asking to preserve our memories of Minnesota of U.S. civilization for decades in this remote wilderness. on the love a mother gives to her children. There is not a service people seems paltry in comparison. And, it was the place where soldiers trained and where day that goes by that I do not think of my mother and I’m Up through World War II, it would be hard to find a fam- they were processed into our military services. The fort has sure you’re the same. A mother gives love and expects ily in Minnesota that didn’t have some connection with the many compelling stories to relate, and one of them is about nothing in return. I Corinthians 13: 4-7 says, “Love is fort. And, during the Second World War, the fort had nation- our Minnesota veterans. It’s a story we should never forget, patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arro- al significance as the training center for Japanese-American and this project will help preserve that history. gant or rude, it does not insist on its own way; it is not irri- translators who played a critical role in the Pacific cam- We urge all veterans to contact their local legislators and table or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but paign. urge them to support the project. It will be money well spent rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all But Fort Snelling is much more than strictly military his- for the future of Minnesota. things, hopes all things, and endures all things.” A lot of tory. The majestic bluffs that rise up from the confluence of money is spent flowers, gifts and dinners on Mother’s Day but they are worth it. There is nothing greater than a moth- ers love. To all veterans and those still serving as well as their families and to our heavenly Father who gave us the great- est gift of all I use these words, “Thank you.” Mail Call For God and Country Soldier comes home as was Mr. Keay, who is retired from the military, that the To the Editor: remains in fact were John’s. New forensic and circumstan- A member of The American Legion in Minnesota, tial evidence was sought, DNA samples submitted, and Marvin Hill, requested that I contact you with information, appeal made for disinterment in Neuville, Belgium where The Minnesota possibly for an article, about the recovery of my uncle Pvt. the remains were buried. In December, the Secretary of the Army signed the disinterment request and remains were Official PublicationLeg of iando Ownednn Exclusivelyair bye John Sersha from WWII. He also suggested the national The American Legion, Department of Minnesota magazine. Following is information I sent to them yester- sent to Offutt Air Force Base for further analysis. I was noti- day. fied that in fact the remains were that of Pvt. John Sersha on Al Zdon, Editor I have been researching John’s military service since Monday, March 28 – the day after Easter Sunday. First published in 1920 as the Hennepin County Legionnaire, 2005 when I saw a photo of a panel on the Wall of the John will be returned to Minnesota on May 27 or 28 for the Minnesota Legionnaire is now in its 96th year of publica- Missing with his name on it at the Margraten American burial next to his mother and father in the Eveleth, tion. It is published monthly by The American Legion, Military Cemetery in the Netherlands. John was killed in Minnesota cemetery on Memorial Day weekend, hopefully Department of Minnesota, Room 300A, 20 West 12th Street, on Memorial Day, with full military honors. St. Paul, MN 55155-2000. Periodicals postage is paid at St. action on September 27, 1944 in the Market-Garden Paul, MN, and at additional mailing offices. The Legionnaire Operation in Holland. He was in the 82nd Airborne Dick Lohry Angora, MN is a member of the Minnesota Newspaper Association and Division, 325th Glider Infantry Regiment and was towed in the National American Legion Press Association. on September 23 landing in the Groesbeek area. It was SUBSCRIPTION: $10 for non-members. Members receive thought that his remains had never been found. John has the Legionnaire as part of their dues. one living remaining brother, Paul Sersha, 97, who also Upcoming meetings listed PHONE: 651-291-1800, 866-259-9163, FAX: 651-291-1057 served in WWII and one living sister, Julia, 93. Fall Conference: POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The American On November 2, 2013 a memorial paver was placed in Legion, 20 W. 12th Street, St. Paul, MN, 55155-2000. (USPS 2016, Marshall No. 013-679.) (ISSN No. 1644270) his honor in the Veterans Memorial in Virginia, Minnesota. 2017, Willmar At that time I thought my research was completed and could ADVERTISING RATES: Contact Al Zdon, 651-291-1800 2018 and 2019, open [email protected] write up all of my findings to pass on to my children, grand- E-MAIL: Department Convention: WEBSITE: www.mnlegion.org children, etc. that his sacrifice never be forgotten. The fol- 2016, Rochester BOARD OF PUBLICATION MEMBERS: President Jim lowing day, November 3, 2013 my cousin in Duluth 2017, open Kellogg, Taopi; Vice President Don Amundson, Blue Earth; received a call from Danny Keay in Germany. My cousin 2018, Rochester Secretary Randy Tesdahl, Elk River; Treasurer, Richard referred him to me and I was given information that John’s National Convention: Horn, Melrose. Board Members include: Bob Locker, Fridley; remains may have actually been found in 1948 but were 2016, Cincinnati; 2017, Reno; 2018, Minneapolis; 2019, Clinton Burt, Slayton; Joe Bayer, Minneapolis; Pat Logan, declared Unrecoverable ( could not be positively ID’d) in Indianapolis; 2020, Louisville. Bloomington; Virgil Persing, Columbia Heights; Sandy 1950. Armed with the IDPF and X Files, I was convinced, Fredrickson, Glenville, Carol Kottom, Buffalo. may16Legionnaire_Layout 1 4/26/2016 3:31 PM Page 5

May 2016 Minnesota Legionnaire Page 5

What’s Happening be held at the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul on Sept. 12 Legion Day at Twins May 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The school will provide training The 16th annual American Legion Family Day at the Prayer Breakfast and information on conveying info to buyers, preparing Twins will be held Friday, May 20, at 7:10 p.m. in a game A prayer breakfast, free to veterans, will be held on handouts, and working through the contract award process. with the Toronto Blue Jays. Friday, May 20, at the Prom Center in Oakdale from 7-8:15 The school will prepare veterans for the National Veterans Department Commander Jim Kellogg will throw out the a.m. The speaker will be John Morris, the former com- Small Business Conference on Nov. 1-3 at the Minneapolis first pitch. Tickets are $23, and there will be scoreboard mander chaplain of the 34th Division. He will speak on Convention Center. For more information, go to recognition for all posts attending. “Faith Under Fire.” To register, email [email protected] www.ausaveteranevent.com. To order tickets, call 1-800-33-TWINS and hit O to or call 952-929-0628. speak to an attendant. Reference the special Legion dis- count. Or call 612-659-4083. Gambling Seminar Hunting, fishing on-line A gambling seminar, put on by the Minnesota Gambling Application forms for the Trolling for Troops fishing Control Board, will be held at the Department Convention outing for veterans, the Veterans with Disabilities Fishing in Rochester. It will be held Thursday, July 21, at 2 p.m. at Vietnam vets to be honored Trip and the Disabled Vets Turkey Shoot are available at the the Mayo Civic Center, Presentation Hall. Topics will There will be a St. Cloud VA veterans town hall meeting Minnesota American Legion website: mnlegion.org. include compliance reviews and site inspections. at VFW Post 936 in Alexandria on Tuesday, May 17, at 5 p.m. Vietnam veterans and their families will be honored at the meeting. County Veteran Service Officers will be on Vets Cemetery Dedication Traveling Wall The new Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery at Preston The AVTT Traveling Vietnam Wall will be set up at the hand an hour before the meeting to provid help on benefit will have a dedication ceremony on Sunday, May 29, at 715 programs. Eagles’ Healing Nest at Highway 71 North in Sauk Centre. Highway 52 at Preston. There will be a concert at 1:30 p.m. Events and programs will be held each day. For more infor- and the program will follow at 2 p.m. mation on the wall, go to www.americanveteranstraveling StandDowns, Legal Clinics tribute.com. The Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans will New book introduced sponsor at StandDown on Tuesday, May 24, from 9 a.m. to There will be a reading and sale of a new book “Yes, Sir, 2 p.m. in Rochester at the Graham Arena on Fairgrounds Certification for Businesses Yes, Sir, Three Bags Full” at the Turner Room of Richfield The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs and the Avenue. There will be free services including meals, claims Post 435. The author is Vietnam War pilot Jerome Hall assistance, clothing, housing, legal assistance, haircuts and Minnesota Department of Administration have announced a about his experiences during the war. He flew over 300 new state-level certification for veteran-owned businesses. chaplaincy. A welcoming ceremony will be held at noon. combat missions on three tours. Hall died of lung cancer For more information, call 507-345-8258. Certified businesses can get a six percent preference on linked to Agent Orange in 2015. His wife Kay will make the state procurement and construction bids. For more informa- There will be a free drop-in legal clinic on Tuesday, May presentation along with other family members. 10, at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center in the Flag tion, go to the MDVA website and clicking on resources, Atrium Balcony from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Attorneys, MACV employment, Veteran Business Owners. staff, veterans service officers and others will be on hand to Silver Bay Fishing Trip assist veterans. For more information, call 651-200-4750. The annual Minnesota Veterans Home at Silver Bay Round Tables Lake Superior Fishing Trip will be held Monday, June 27. The St. Croix Valley Civil War Rountable will have a National Day of Prayer Veterans from Silver Bay, Minneapolis, Hastings and dinner meeting on May 23 and hear from Doug Dammann Fergus Falls veterans homes will leave at down from the on 1st Wisconsin Regiment. For more information, contact The annual Rice, Minnesota, National Day of Prayer will Knife River Marina. Over 60 residents were on hand last be held on Thursday, May 5, 2016, at the Shepherd of the Steve Anderson at 715-386-1268. year. Donations from Legion posts are being solicited for The World War II History Round Table will meet at the Pines Lutheran Church. There will be a meal at 5:30 p.m. the trip. For more information, call 218-353-8703. and the event at 6:30. The event will feature area clergy, the Fort Snelling Visitor Center on Thursday, May 12, and hear Rice American Legion and Auxiliary and Gold Rush, a from author Micael Neiberg on “Potsdam -- Agreement to bluegrass band. The event is free. Charm School settle Allied Victory in WWII.” Admission is $5 and the A Charm School for veteran small business owners will program starts at 7 with a pre-program at 6 p.m. Taps Hogeveen, Harry James, 92, Army veteran of World Bleloch, Donald, 79, Navy veteran of the Vietnam War, War, died March 25, 2016. He was a member of New War II, died April 10, 2016. He served in the 15th Air Force died April 3, 2016. He was a member of Marshall Post 113. Richland Post 75. stationed in Italy and was a ball turret gunner on a B-24 and Buysse, Gustaff, 96, Army veteran of World War II, Young, Elmer J., 94, Army veteran of World War II, was shot down over Yugoslavia in 1944. He was a member died April 9, 2016. He was in combat on the island of died March 15, 2016. He served in Italy and was seriously of Raymond Post 420. Guam. He was a member of Marshall Post 113. wounded, earning a Purple Heart. He was a member of Gilbert, Dorothy E., 92, Navy veteran of World War II, Hanegmon, Anthony E., 68, Army veteran of the Freeborn Post 552. died April 5, 2016. She was a member of Thief River Falls Vietnam War, died April 13, 2016. He was a Huey helicop- Stangl, Edward Joseph, 90, Army veteran of World Post 117. ter door gunner in Vietnam serving with the 191st Assault War II, died March 10, 2016. He was a member of Pierz LaBlanc, Gary, 71, National Guard veteran of the Helicopter Company, 1st Aviation Brigade, out of Can Tho. Post 341. Vietnam War, died March 25, 2016. In a 37-year career in He was a member of Chisholm Post 247. Hard, Robert W., 83, veteran of the Korean War, died the Guard, he rose from private to brigadier general and was Trowbridge, Leslie B., 84, Marine veteran of the March 4, 2016. He was a member of Pine City Post 51. deputy adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard. Korean War, died March 31, 2016. He was a member of Teich, Ervin H., 88, Army veteran of World War II, died He was a member of Little Falls Post 46. Alexandria Post 87. March 7, 2016. He was a member of Pine City Post 51. Safe, Richard, 69, Army National Guard veteran of the Bennett, Leland L., 92, Navy veteran of World War II, Robbins, Gerald H., 85, Army veteran of the Korean Vietnam War, died March 26, 2016. He was a member of died April 6, 2016. He was a member of Alexandria Post 87. War, died March 9, 2016. He was a member of Pine City Red Wing Post 54. Knapper, Chris D., 85, Army veteran of the Korean Post 51. Sucket, Kenneth F., 83, Army veteran of the Korean War, died March 8, 2016. He served in Korea. He was a Erickson, Robert, 88, Army veteran of World War II, War, died April 15, 2016. He was a member of Cold Spring member of Waconia Post 150. died March 26, 2016. He served in the Philippines. He was Post 455. Anderson, Elroy, 91, Army veteran of World War II, a member of Granite Falls Post 69. Brown, Charles W., 89, Army Air Corps veteran of died March 4, 2016. He was a member of Hoffman Post Larson, Rocky A., 62, Marine Corps veteran of the World War II, died April 2, 2016. He was a member of 393. Vietnam War, died March 16, 2016. He was a member of Willmar Post 167. Schmitz, Emment L., 92, Navy veteran of World War Albert Lea Post 56. Schroeder, James Frederick, 97, Navy veteran of II, died March 22, 2016. He was a member of Waconia Post Broskoff, James M., 72, Army veteran of the Vietnam World War II, died April 5, 2016. He was a storekeeper in 150. War, died March 25, 2016. He was a member of Albert Lea the South Pacific. He was a member of Monticello Post Stearns, John L., 95, Navy veteran of World War II, Post 56. 260. died March 26, 2016. He was a fireman on the USS Kirchner, DuWayne G., 78, Army veteran of the Janson, John Joseph, 75, Army veteran of the Vietnam Richmond. He was a past commander of Bearcat Post 504. Korean War, died March 30, 2016. He was a member of War, died April 10. He was in the military police and sta- Cordt, George, 83, Army veteran of the Korean War, Albert Lea Post 56. tioned in Germany. He was a member of Monticello Post died April 2, 2016. He was a member of Cold Spring Post Heilman, Dale K., 89, Navy veteran of World War II, 260. 455. died April 8, 2016. He was a member of Albert Lea Post 56. Lyon, Gale C., 83, Air Force veteran of the Korean War, Taylor, Tom, 68, Army veteran of the Vietnam War, died Klinger, Irvin, 98, Army veteran of World War II, died died April 8, 2016. He was a member of Blue Earth Post 89. March 26, 2016. He was stationed in Germany. He was a April 20, 2016. He served in the Pacific and earned two Kea, Clement A., 94, Army veteran of World War II, the member of New London Post 537. Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts. He was a member of Korean War and the Vietnam War, died April 10, 2016. He Gravley, Mark, 67, Air Force veteran of the Vietnam Dent Post 148. was in the First Special Service Force, a U.S.-Canadian spe- War, died March 27, 2016. He was a member of New Lundberg, Robert, 83, Army veteran of the Korean cial forces unit in World War II and earned a Congressional London Post 537. War, died April 21, 2016. He was a member of Red Wing Gold Medal. He earned a Purple Heart in Vietnam. He was Dronen, Dennis L., 68, Navy veteran of the Vietnam Post 54. a member of Redwood Falls Post 38. War, died March 30, 2016. He was a member of Sandstone Anderson, Homer, 83, Air Force veteran of the Korean Bever, Gary C., Navy veteran of the Vietnam War, died Post 151. War, died April 20, 2016. He was a member of Red Wing April 10, 2016. He was a member of Redwood Falls Post Jenkins, Kenneth F., 93, Army veteran of World War II, Post 54. 38. died March 31, 2016. He served as a field lineman in Sartorius, Raymond John, 87, National Guard veteran Stacy, Darrell H., 82, Air Force veteran of the Korean Europe. He was a member of Bigelow Post 496. of the Korean War, died March 27, 2016. He also served in War, died April 29, 2016. He served in the security service. McDonald, Ruth, 95, Army veteran of World War II, the Navy aboard the USS Rowan. He was a member of He was a member of Austin Post 91. died March 17, 2016. She was in the nursing corps, serving Windom Post 206. Qunell, Robert, 72, Navy veteran of the Vietnam War, as a lieutenant. She earned the Bronze Star. She was a mem- Heaser, Donald, 84, Air Force veteran of the Korean died March 4, 2016. He was a member of Marshall Post ber of Millerville Post 527. War, died March 8, 2016. He was a crew chief on bombers 113. Sponberg, Darrol H., 84, Army veteran of the Korean in Korea. He was a member of Eyota Post 551. may16Legionnaire_Layout 1 4/26/2016 3:31 PM Page 6

Page 6 Minnesota Legionnaire May 2016 Sons of The NewContinued veterans from Page 1 homes faceit will have uphill to start over and battle compete not only with the American Legion If the projects can survive the legislative hurdle, the fed- existing applications but with the new applications that eral hurdle may be even greater. come in from across the country. By Minnesota has five veterans homes at this time, located “The state legislators understand this. They have been Gene Olswold in Fergus Falls, Silver Bay, Minneapolis, Hastings and briefed,” Johnson said. Luverne. In the end, the solution for applications that don’t ever The people of Montevideo have been working to create advance would simply be that Congress would have to put more money into the pot, Johnson said. Greetings from the Detachment of Minnesota. the sixth home for over 10 years. This past month, a group The first step, though, will be to get the state funding in With only two months left in this 2015-2016 member- of about 35 veterans from Montevideo showed up at a vet- order so that the federal application can be made. It’s possi- ship year, we are still holding our own and making our erans’ legislative rally with signs and placards promoting ble that the Legislature could, in conference committee, national goals. the new home. decide to only fund one of the projects this year. As everyone knows, these last months are the toughest “Montevideo has put a lot of elbow grease into their pro- It’s also possible that at some point, the state could take months for renewals, however, we are committed and keep posal,” said Rep. Bob Dettmer, R-Forest Lake, chair of the on all the construction cost and not seek the federal two- striving forward by contacting all the squadrons within the Veterans Affairs Division in the House. “Both proposals thirds. While that’s possible, Johnson said, it’s not likely at state and knocking on doors to get those final few would be in good locations, and the strength of both is that this time. renewals. the communities are strongly involved.” The projects, he said, would have a tremendous benefit As the old saying goes, “When the going gets tough, the In both areas, local money has been set aside to purchase not only for the veterans who would use the homes, but tough get going.” If you are a Son who has not yet the land the new homes would be built on. there would be an economic impact for the areas where they renewed his membership for this year, please contact your Holding up the process for the past several years has are built. In just salaries and benefits, each community squadron to remain in good standing and pay your 2016 been the huge project at the Minnesota Veterans Home in could see as much as $8 million a year coming into the local dues. Minneapolis. The project, now in its third phase, has includ- economy. National has sent out the last renewal notices for this ed demolishing buildings, building new state-of-the-art And, he said, there is a growing need for more homes year and will start printing the membership cards for the buildings and replacing hundreds of beds at the facility. The where veterans can get the unique services and camaraderie membership year 2016-2017. I want to make sure your Legislature was not eager to begin any new projects until that they seek. In Minnesota, about seven percent of the new card is among them. Our last national goal of 100% Minneapolis was fully funded, which happened last year. population are veterans, but 24 percent of people 65 and is May 11th so your renewal is important. “This project predates my time in the Legislature,” Rep. older are veterans. May is the typical month for all 10 Districts to have John Persell, DFL-Bemidji, who has served for eight years, “The groundswell of support in Montevideo and Bemidji their conventions so I will be on the road much of the time told the Bemidji Pioneer. “But we were waiting for the will be instrumental in getting the bill passed,” Johnson for the Friday and Saturday conventions. This is the time Minneapolis veterans home to get fully funded.” said. when the new officers for the coming year are elected and Even with that roadblock out of the way, much still The legislators who represent the areas where the homes installed within the districts. needs to happen. would be built are confident that this is the year. I hope to see many of you at your district’s convention The Legislature not only must approve the bonding for “We’re on our way, but ask us on the 23rd of May,” Sen. to say “Hi” and shake your hand. the construction, it also much assure the federal government Tom Saxhaug, DFL-Grand Rapids, said. May 30th, we will be honoring our dead on Memorial that the state will pay for the operation of the homes. “We’re going to have to knock on wood pretty hard Day. Let’s not forget the many service men and women In the Senate bill, $10 million has been promised for before we can say it’s definitely going to happen,” said Rep. who laid down their lives and paid the ultimate price in all 2018 and 2019 for the operation of the homes. These “tails” Persell. “But doing nothing is not an alternative. The state the great wars to keep the freedoms we still enjoy today. as they are called, show the feds that the state will run the Many communities will be having Memorial Day serv- homes if they are built. ices so plan on attending one nearest you. I will be the With money promised for both 35 percent of the con- guest speaker at one of these services in a small communi- struction and for running the homes, an application can then ty in southwest Minnesota. What an honor for me to be be made to the federal government for the remaining 65 doing this. percent of the construction cost. Veterans Affairs Another event coming up is Boy’s State the week of At this point there is some disagreement on how much June 12th in Marshall. The new Alumni Boys State the cost of building the homes will really be. One projection says it will cost $85 million total, which would mean the and Rehabilitation Squadron will be having their first meeting with the elec- By tion and installation of new officers for this coming year. state share should be more like $30 million. But not all What a truly great event this will be and I am looking for- agree with that projection, saying construction costs are James Miller ward to being one of the participants for this event. lower in rural areas. This squadron is either the 2nd or 3rd Boys State But even with state support, this is where the going gets Squadron in the Nation. sticky. American Legion Claims Division A reminder also is the Sons campout/convention com- According to Ben Johnson, the legislative director for the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, Minnesota’s Field Operations ing up at Legionville on the June 24th and 25th. The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Field request would then be considered in Washington, but it Registration for this campout/convention will be coming Operations Division seeks to identify and serve Veterans of would be in competition with requests from the other 50 out shortly so be sure to get your registration in if you plan all social and economic backgrounds including those who states. on attending. This is your convention where you have an are unable to seek assistance due to disability or geograph- In 2014, the federal government had about $280 million opportunity to elect your state officers for this coming year. ical location. We act as a liaison and personal advocate to to build or repair veterans homes across the country. A total This is your voice as to who you want to be your leaders. those seeking State benefits such as subsistence, dental, of 19 projects were funded. “Every state in the nation has I hope to see many Sons at this convention. optical, counseling, and Federal benefits from the USDVA. veterans funding needs,” Johnson said. “All those needs go Remember in your prayers the many service personnel The Field Operations Division is the mobile unit of the on the same list.” that remain in harm’s way for their safety and return home MDVA Claims Division with flexibility to travel to those in Analysts in Washington would look at the Minnesota to their loved ones. God Bless our troops around the world need while offering professional service and advocacy. application and prioritize it. Those high on the list would and God bless America. Our Division is based out of Central Minnesota and has get funding, while those at the bottom would not. A major 12 advocates spread across the state. We can be found in factor in how applications are prioritized is whether there both St. Cloud and Minneapolis VA Medical Centers, area are “health and safety” issues involved – as there were at Vet Centers, CVSO Offices, Native American Reservations, Endorsement the Minneapolis home. and other various locations in the state. We work closely The Second District Sons of the American Legion at its The problem with the Montevideo and Bemidji propos- with County Veteran Service Officers to assist them with mid-winter meeting endorsed Gene Olswold for his second als is that they would be new construction and there would resources they need to advocate for the Veterans in their term as Detachment Commander for the SAL for the year be no health and safety issues, thus a lower priority. area. 2016-17. Olswold is presently serving as the state com- And, Johnson said, it’s not like a proposal will continue One of the focuses this year has been assisting with the mander. to move up from year to year if it is not funded. Each year, Ending Veterans Homelessness Intuitive. Wendy Sederstrom and Eric Meline, who work out of the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, have been Thank you devoting time and expertise Membership Chart To all of our Legion Family members who sent prayers, in aiding the Department in concerns, flowers and gifts on the passing of Bill, I extend this endeavor. They assist As of April 20, 2016 a very sincere thank you. My family was amazed at how by case managing Veterans District 2016 Total Total Percent Same many came to the services and the many flowers, and the who are currently or are in Goal 2015 2016 of Goal Date ’15 Honor Guard attending the funeral and giving the salute and danger of becoming home- 1 9,627 9,574 9,173 95.28 taps. It was an amazing show of affection for a man who less. They continuously truly loved the American Legion Family. He served the work with Veterans on the 2 7,779 7,705 7,366 94.69 Wayzata Legion as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, homeless registry to ensure 3 12,165 12,116 11,743 96.53 Membership Director for the Sons of The American Legion they have applied for the 2,561 2,560 2,447 95.55 for many years. On the 10th District level, he was Judge benefits they have earned. 4 Advocate and on the Department level, served on the Post The Field Operations 5 2,829 2,788 2,617 92.54 Development Committee and was Judge Advocate for the Division stands ready to 6 12,485 12,415 11,862 95.01 10th District SAL and 8th and 10th Vice Commander for assist Minnesota Veterans the Detachment of Minnesota. He also drove the vehicle in navigating the increas- 7 6,997 6,926 6,536 93.44 for 6 years as Chaser for the Legacy Fund and was a proud ingly complex Veterans 8 4,630 4,593 4,262 92.05 Legion Rider. He was co-chairman of the Disabled Deer benefits system. Please 9 7,332 7,172 6,843 94.62 Hunt each year at Legionville. Wherever he could be of contact your local County service, he was there and always ready. He’s going to be Veteran Service Office to 10 10,964 10,917 10,388 94.75 deeply missed by all of us. Again, thank you American discuss or contact us direct- At-large 3,734 2,661 2,651 71.00 Legion Family. ly at 612 970 5662. Totals 81,000 79,427 75,888 93.69 Judy Stein may16Legionnaire_Layout 1 4/26/2016 3:31 PM Page 7

May 2016 Minnesota Legionnaire Page 7

A good time was had by all at Commander Jim Kellogg’s Testimonial at Adams Post 146. From left: Brenda Kellogg, Kellogg, Tom Schottenbauer and Jimmy Foster. Commander’s Testimonial

Commander Kellogg responded at the end of the testimonial.

The Forte Milers provided the entertainment at the event.

National Vice Commander Al Davis spoke. Among the many gifts for the commander was this young pig, wheeled in by Richard Skillestad.

Steaks and fried chicken made for some happy diners at the Adams Post.

Past National Commander Dan Ludwig shared some serious thoughts.

Granddau ghter Aria K e l l o g g had a front row seat for the festivi- Past National Commander Jimmy Foster of Alaska Champagne and a small glass were presented by ties. was the keynote speaker. Auxiliary President Sandy Fredrickson. may16Legionnaire_Layout 1 4/26/2016 3:31 PM Page 8

Page 8 Minnesota Legionnaire May 2016

Mel Dahlberg joined the Airborne because he liked the boots and he wanted to see some action. The action he saw included close calls when a mortar shell that landed right next to him didn’t explode, and later THE when he slept in a building that blew up moments after he walked out the front door. Along the way, he was chosen to be a scout, the first person to head into SCOUT enemy territory. By Al Zdon vived. A lot of guys who couldn’t take the training dropped out.” hen Mel Dahlberg was a young man, a friend Dahlberg also trained at Camp McCall in North of his father’s came to visit at the house in Carolina, and did his jump training at Fort Benning, Minneapolis. The visitor was a master para- Georgia. trooperW stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia. “The first two jumps I was just numb. I was so nervous, “I saw that uniform and I saw those boots and I said, I was just in a fog. Somehow you get out of the plane and ‘Boy, that’s what I want to do,’ ” Dahlberg said. you look up at silk above you and it’s a wonderful feeling. And when he got the chance, that’s what he did. “By the third jump you’re starting to get it, and by the fifth jump we were all getting out of the airplane pretty Dahlberg was born at Anchor Hospital in St. Paul in fast.” 1924 only days after his family had arrived from Sweden. He trained as part of the 17th Airborne Division, part of They lived in an apartment above the Hamline Theater in which became the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment. That St. Paul, and then moved to the Prospect Park area in south- unit then became the 517th Parachute Regimental Combat east Minneapolis where Dahlberg attended Sydney Pratt Team when it added artillery and engineer battalions. Grade School. Dahlberg was assigned to F Company. “When I was in kindergarten, I had to cross the tracks to The unit was known as the “Battling Buzzards” but get to school, but one day there was a train in the way. I did- sometime other troops referred to them as the “battling bas- n’t want to go all the way around it, so I crawled under it. It tards” because they served with so many different units dur- wasn’t moving.” ing the war. “I didn’t like that very much.” Unfortunately a railroad detective saw the move, and After some arduous maneuvers in Tennessee, the combat canvassed the neighborhood to find the family who had a team was ready for war. “We went up to Newport News and young lad who would crawl under a railroad train. got on board the Santa Rosa, a Grace Line ship. We left on “My mother met me about halfway home from school. May 17. The 517th left on 5-17. show up. That was the biggest whipping I ever got in my childhood. “There were about 500 WACs on board the ship and that The 517th was slated to land on the beach at Anzio to I never went under the train again.” caused a lot of problems. They tried to keep the WACs sep- help out in the mopping up operations following the deadly It wasn’t his only adventure, though. “I was kind of a arate, but why they wanted to put a bunch of WACs in with battle, but instead the landing ships were sent further north rambunctious kid and I liked to do a lot of things. I really a bunch of young paratroopers I’ll never know. There were to Civitavecchia. enjoyed ski-jumping and I did a lot of that. We would go many instances that I won’t go into.” “Our job was to get to the Germans coming away from down to a bridge over the Mississippi River and tie a rope The ship reached Naples on May 30. “We got our Anzio and to stop them from going further north.” The on the girders underneath the bridge. Then I would fly way weapons out of the Cosmoline and trained for about 10 517th was sent to Grosseto where they experienced their out over the river.” days.” The unit was waiting for its artillery and vehicles to The family moved to Northeast Minneapolis and Dahlberg attended Minneapolis Edison for three years. “I had a paper route delivering the morning Tribune. All of Columbia Heights was my route. Those winter mornings were something else.” After his family moved back to southeast Minneapolis, he graduated from Marshall High School in January 1942, just over a month after Pearl Harbor, and got a job at the First National Bank in downtown Minneapolis. He was mainly a messenger for the bank. Dahlberg knew at some point that he would be drafted, and Uncle Sam did call on him in June of 1943. He imme- diately volunteered for the Airborne. While he was waiting for his orders, Dahlberg worked as a secretary at the fort. His sergeant liked his work so much, he tried to convince Dahlberg to stay. “I could have spent my whole military career at Fort Snelling. I told him, ‘No way.’ ”

e was soon on his way to Camp Taccoa for basic airborne training. He and other voluteers were interviewed to see if they had the stuff it takes to be Ha paratrooper. “I learned to say certain things that would satisfy them. I couldn’t say that I wanted the extra money because they’d boot me right out.” Paratroopers were paid an extra $50 a month. “Every morning at 5 a.m. we would run to the top of Currahee Mountain. I was kind of a lanky kid who had MEL DAHLBERG MEL DAHLBERG worked in a bank and I wasn’t in real good shape. But I sur- As a paratrooper during World War II At a recent World War II HIstory Round Table may16Legionnaire_Layout 1 4/26/2016 3:31 PM Page 9

May 2016 Minnesota Legionnaire Page 9 first combat. “I had been made a scout right away. I was a pretty good shot and a fast runner, but I don’t know why they made me a scout. “During the night I was leading the way in pitch dark- ness up a hill when I heard a voice saying ‘Dummkopf.’ I learned later it meant, ‘Dumbbell.’ I dropped down, but he threw a hand grenade in my direction. It hit a little ways away, and a piece of shrapnel hit my hand. It was no big deal, but I still have the scar.” Dahlberg was patched up by a medic, and he never left the front lines. “The next morning we could see the Germans off in the distance, with the Americans chasing them.” After some additional days of fighting, the 517th in late June 1944 began to get prepared for Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France. The Allies had invaded northern France on June 6, but a second invasion was planned to capture southern France and also to involve the French army. The troops, of course, didn’t know their destination. “We didn’t know for sure where our jump would be, but rumor had us going into France.”

he Allies wanted a large force of Airborne units in the invasion because while the Germans only had F Company, 2nd Battalion, 517th Parachute Infantry Combat Team posed for a photo at Hill 1098 in southern 30,000 men guarding the beaches, they had anoth- France. Dahlberg is in the top row, sixth from the right. er 200,000T not far away. The Airborne would be used to dis- rupt the German plans and keep the reinforcements away from the beachheads. The 517th would attack in 180 C-47 aircraft. “With the seven bandoliers of machine gun ammunition wrapped around me and my leg pockets filled with mortar rounds and all the K-rations and the rest of my gear, I bet I weighed over 300 pounds.” On August 15, the transports took off from bases in Italy. “The pathfinders went in at 2:30 a.m. but they were so spread out and the cloud layer was so low that that the pilots of the main force never saw their beacons. As a result, a lot of the jumpers ended up far from the drop zone.” The 517th took off at 2:30 a.m. and were dropped about 4:30 a.m. In the airplanes, the men discussed the fact they were wearing Mae Wests, a nickname for life preservers. “We knew that we were flying over water, but they were just an extra burden, so most of us just took them off and left them on the airplanes. “But then after I jumped I looked down and it looked like they had dropped us right over the water. I got my knife out and I was getting ready to cut my parachute free.” It turned out, though, that the water Dahlberg saw was actually just the cloud cover. “I drifted through the cloud and the ground was right there. I went crashing through a tree and hit some rocks. I hurt my ankle pretty badly. I didn’t take off my boot for two weeks because I knew it would swell up and I’d never get it back on.” Dahlberg with his paratrooper wings. Also on impact, Dahlberg’s M-1 rifle was damaged and rendered useless. Part of the job for the paratroopers was to secure the area so that the glider planes, which would come in at daylight, would not be attacked. “I saw the first glider pilot come in at about 8:30. He crashed right into an olive tree and it was like hitting a stone wall. I went over to take a look. The glider had been carry- ing mortar rounds, and it had all shifted forward and crushed the pilot. I also noticed that he was wearing a .45 sidearm. “I didn’t have a weapon, so I took it. I kept it with me the rest of the time I was in the war. You couldn’t have too many weapons. I knew guys who carried German A photo taken by an AP photographer shows the para- Lean and lanky, Dahlberg had this photo taken in Italy. Mausers.” troopers guarding a road in southern France. It was colorized. Dahlberg examined the holster that contained the pistol. “It said on it, ‘Lt. Johnson, Minneapolis.’ I always thought I’d try to look up that family when I got back, but did you ever look in the Minneapolis phone book for the name Johnson?” The troopers took to the road, trying to find their way. “We hadn’t gone very far when we were approached by an Associated Press photographer. We were looking for Germans and instead we found an AP guy, or he found us. He had apparently jumped in with us. He had us all get down in the ditch like we were protecting the road and he took our picture. I saw the picture later, and you can see me grimacing with pain holding my .45.” Suffering greatly from the pain in his ankle, Dahlberg first joined up with some British paratroopers. Eventually, the members of the 517th gathered at their rendezvous point in St. Roseline Chateau, the site of a major French winery. Once assembled, the 517th began to drive the Germans north. “They called it the ‘Champagne Campaign.’ The townspeople along the way were so grateful to us for chas- ing the Germans out. They went into their basements and brought up the best wine for us.” Dahlberg said, though, that the fighting was often intense. “I lost a lot friends. We were on the line for 94 straight days, and I think that’s still a record for the U.S. Army.” In a blow-up of the photo above, Dahlberg is in the middle of the picture holding his 45 pistol that he had taken One action he remembers clearly is the taking of Hill from a dead glider pilot. At his side is a French resistance fighter. The photo was taken on the day of the jump 1098. “We were on one side of the hill and the Germans as part of Operation Dragoon. “We didn’t find any Germans, but we found an Associated Press photographer. were on the other side and we were lobbing mortars at each Or he found us.” may16Legionnaire_Layout 1 4/26/2016 3:31 PM Page 10

Page 10 Minnesota Legionnaire May 2016 other. We were supposed to dig in, but the ground was just too rocky to dig. I could hear a mortar coming in and I hit the ground. It landed about four or six feet away from me, but it didn’t explode. It just showered me with dirt and splinters of rock. I’ve often thanked that German who put that mortar shell together so that it didn’t work.” The Americans took the hill at great cost. However, the Germans were nearby in the heavily- defended Sospel Valley, where they had artillery protected in concrete bunkers. Dahlberg led patrols into the valley. “I was chosen to be the scout for D Company and part of E Company because I knew the area. I was volunteered for the job. “We started around midnight and by early morning we had reached a chalet in the valley that had been used for a German headquarters. They were already gone. We figured they probably booby-trapped the chalet, but we searched all day for bombs and we didn’t find anything. They guys were grabbing a lot of souvenirs, and I got some nice silver tongs. I still have them.” The men spent the night in the chalet. “I knew that F Company was coming in from another direction, and I wanted to join them. So about 8 a.m. I left the chalet and I was about a block away when it blew up. They must have Mel Dahlberg, center, and a couple of comrades enjoying some free time in Nice, France. used a lot of explosives because it was just demolished. “I went back to help, but I’m not a medic so there was- n’t much I could do. You could hear the cries for help in the rubble. One guy was trapped under a piano. I think only about four or six guys died, which was a miracle.” Dahlberg said the close call shook him up. “I wasn’t a Christian at that time, but I remember saying, ‘Thank you, God.’ ” In November of 1944, the 517th was finally relieved. After a long hike down to Nice for some rest, they were sent north to Soissons. “We were put in those 40 and 8 railroad cars. That was a terrible time. The only time you could relieve yourself was when the train slowed down. When we went through a vil- lage, we’d try to get some bread. Otherwise all we had were K-rations.” They were bivouacked in Soissons by Dec. 10. “They told us we were going to start training to be sent to Japan.”

ut then a funny thing called the Battle of the Bulge happened. “We heard about it on Dec. 16, and the Along with a buddy, Dahlberg, left, posed for a photo next day we were re-armed, all new rifles in the with a machine gun. Operating a machine gun was CosmolineB again. They put us all in two-and-a-half ton not Dahlberg’s specialty. trucks with canvas over the top, and we drove through a huge snowstorm. “We got to a point west of Bastogne and joined the 82nd Airborne. Our company got off the trucks okay, but some of the other guys had to fight their way off the trucks. I saw truck drivers jump down and just start running.” Dahlberg immediately went back to work leading patrols Dahlberg just before his jump into southern France. into the woods. “I remember we came on one cabin with smoke coming out of the chimney. We opened the door and looked inside and the table was set for Christmas dinner. The food was in the pots on the stove. It sure smelled good, but we didn’t stay. We figured it was booby-trapped.” On Jan. 3, 1945, the 517th was ordered to move out. “I saw Gen. Gavin of the 82nd Airborne talking to our offi- cers, so we knew something big was going on.” Dahlberg was again in the lead. “The Germans had dug these big holes in a cemetery we had to go through. We did- n’t understand what they were, but we think they had those holes zeroed in with their mortars. When the guys would dive into the holes for safety, they would be hit with the mortars.” Dahlberg and the company commander were leading the way, and had moved passed the field. “I’ll never know what it was, an artillery shell or a mortar or whatever, but it came down right on top of us. The company commander was killed instantly. I didn’t get a scratch on me. “But I didn’t wake up until February in a hospital in England.” Dahlberg had been severely concussed by the shell. In the end, he was moved to four different hospitals in England for treatment. “My mind was affected. It was very difficult to focus.” By April, he was okay and released from the hospital but was declared a non-combatant. Rather than send him back to the 517th, which was now in Germany and again getting Late in the war, after recovering from a concussion, Dahlberg was assigned to an 8th Air Force unit that did ready to be sent to Japan, Dahlberg was sent to the 8th Air mainly clerical work. He also drove a Jeep for the commander of the air base in England. Force. “That disappointed me because I would not see my bud- dies ever again. We were like brothers, and we’d trained and when we pulled into New York Harbor and saw the Statue Dahlberg still proudly carries his International Alliance fought together for over two years.” of Liberty, I don’t think there was a dry eye on the whole of Theatrical State Employees gold card. During the war, the 517th suffered 1,576 casualties ship. That was quite a sight.” He met Mae at the bank and they had a daughter, Mary. including 252 men killed. Dahlberg was mustered out at Camp McCoy and went Mel and Mae have four grandchildren and five great-grand- right back to work at the bank, where he stayed for 41 years. children. t an 8th Air Force base at Burtonwood, he was Although he never had any formal accounting training, he In 2003, after watching the Band of Brothers series, assigned to the 31st Statistical Control Unit became an auditor and bank examiner for First National, Dahlberg began to have more severe symptoms of Post where he and others, including WACs, were later U.S. Bank. Traumatic Stress Disorder. It had been lurking beneath the chargedA with keeping track of all the day reports for the 8th. In addition, he moonlighted a second career in show surface all those years. “I’m better now, but I still don’t Part of his job was also to drive a colonel around in a Jeep. business. For 51 years he was a wardrobe dresser for all the have any finger nails because I bite them.” “When V-E Day happened, I was in bed in the Quonset theaters in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Along the way he met The Dahlbergs live in a spacious home near a river in hut and I wanted to stay in bed. But all my buddies carried Carol Burnett, Mickey Rooney and hundreds of other major Jordan. me and the bed out into the street. Yes, they were celebrat- and minor show biz personalities. ing, I can tell you.” “Steve Allen was the worst I ever dressed. He brought This story was based on an interview, but parts of it In December he went back to the United States on the his show to St. Paul, and it was an awful week. He was came from an interview Dahlberg gave for a book on the Queen Mary, suffering through some terrible weather. “But never happy. And in the end, he never tipped me a dime.” 517th some years ago. may16Legionnaire_Layout 1 4/26/2016 3:31 PM Page 11

May 2016 Minnesota Legionnaire Page 11 World War II History Round Table

Invasion of southernother places and left the HurtgenFrance alone. “It was totally recountedfamous Higgins boats used to land troops during invasions. avoidable and stupid.” PT-306 was a Higgins boat, 78-feet long and powered by By Nov. 19, the Allied forces in the south had reached three Packard V-12 aircraft engines that could generate the Rhine. The liberation of Strasbourg in the contested area 5,400 horsepower. “We could carry 3,000 gallons of gas, of Alsace was a high point for the French forces. and we could go through that every day.” Devers, Wheeler said, had anticipated reaching the The boat could go over 40 miles an hour. “But we only Rhine and had done much planning on how to get across the used that speed if we were chasing something or being river and into the German heartland. He had 256 DUKWs chased.” or “ducks,” amphibious vehicles, and a huge supply of The boats contained a variety of armament including two bridge building equipment. 50 caliber machine guns. Romano said it also had Mark 4 Devers’ patrols found the area on the other side of the torpedoes on board that were “not reliable. They just went river nearly empty. “It was an incredible opportunity,” bobbing along, and hopefully they went where you wanted Wheeler said. them to go.” A visit from Eisenhower, though, put the kibosh on the The ship’s hull was made of ¾ inch plywood, which was southern invasion of Germany. Not only did Eisenhower hardly a deterrent to enemy fire. “I never gave it a thought,” stop Devers from crossing the Rhine, he took a corps away he said. from him. Devers argued in a lengthy meeting, but Romano was asked if he knew about the impending Eisenhower prevailed. Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France. “I Wheeler wonders if Eisenhower was acting for objective went on 60 or 70 missions, and I never knew where the mis- reasons, or if his antipathy for Devers was at the base of his sion of the day was going. When we got out to sea, the skip- decision. per would sometimes tell us where we were going.” MARTY ROMANO Wheeler also wonders what would have happened if However, PT-306 did train one day on launching rubber SCOTT WHEELER Devers had been able to cross into Germany and force boats. “We did it for maybe an hour, hour and half.” Germany to shift forces to the south. On Dec. 16, Germany On Aug. 10-11, 1944, the whole base was shut down By Al Zdon was able to assemble enough troops to mount a major attack with nobody allowed to enter or leave. in what became the Battle of the Bulge. Romano was an engineer on the boat, mainly expected to ould it be that a personality conflict between gen- “Some people see it as a real mistake, I see it as blind- troubleshoot the engines. There were three other engineers erals Eisenhower and Devers cost many American ness,” Wheeler said of Ike’s decision not to allow Devers to in the crew. Everybody on the crew was trained on every lives in the Battle of the Bulge? cross the Rhine. job. Guest speaker James Scott Wheeler, the author of a book Wheeler spent the rest of his presentation restoring the “There were these three aircraft engines in this small C reputation of Devers, sometimes at the expense of space. It was so loud, if you came down to the engine room, on Gen. Jacob Devers, the leader of the invasion of south- ern France, makes an argument along that line. Eisenhower. For instance, Devers had over 14 years of actu- I’d hand you a pencil and paper.” He was joined by two veterans of Operation Dragoon at ally leading soldiers while Eisenhower spent less than a Preceding the invasion, the boat left the base in the early the first April meeting of the World War II History Round year. afternoon. “We had not only a full crew but people I didn’t Table at the Fort Snelling History Center. He summed up the two generals’ personalities. “Devers know aboard.” Those people were French commandos. The Allies had landed in northern France at Normandy in talked too much and was a congenital optimist. Eisenhower He said the invasion fleet was “an awesome site” and the June of 1944 and began a push toward Germany. always took it personally.” PT-306 roared through it at high speed to get to the front. Meanwhile, southern France remained in German hands. “Don’t get me wrong. We won the war and Eisenhower His group was commanded by the movie actor Lt. Cdr. The idea of a southern invasion, some historians say, was a great, great leader. But he made a couple of costly, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. began with Gen. George C. Marshall, the top military leader costly mistakes.” When they got to the beach, they launched the rubber in the U.S. Many others opposed the idea because it would boats “because we were so highly trained.” divert military resources and troops away from other places arty Romano grew up in New Jersey, and in The commandos reached shore, but one of them tripped where they could be better used, such as Italy or the 1943 was inducted into the U.S. Navy. After a mine, and the rest were killed by the alerted Germans. Normandy invasion. training, he volunteered to be a crewman on a Romano ended the war in the other ocean, stationed near British leader Winston Churchill opposed the invasion, motorM torpedo boat. “I didn’t know what a motor torpedo the Philippines. and legend has it that the name was changed from boat was, but it sounded good.” After the war, he moved to Minnesota and was an engi- Operation Anvil to Operation Dragoon because Churchill He was assigned to Squadron 15, later Squadron 22, neer and a designer. He designed the Lowry Hill tunnel in said he was “dragooned” into agreeing with it. based in Italy, and was on the crew of PT-306. PT stood for downtown Minneapolis and the Bong Bridge between A key element in the invasion was that it would rely Patrol Torpedo. Duluth and Superior. heavily on French troops. Wheeler noted that “France is our Romano said there were several manufacturers of PT The other veteran at the Round Table was Mel Dahlberg, oldest ally.” boats made in the U.S. during the war including Elco, and his story is on page 8. Wheeler called Devers “Eisenhower’s forgotten gener- Huckins and Higgins. Higgins was also the maker of the al,” and said the two had very different upbringings and out- looks on life. Eisenhower was known for his terrible tem- per, while Devers (rhymes with nevers) was an eternal opti- mist. The main object was the capture of the French ports at Marseille and Toulon. The northern ports captured on D- Day were not sufficient to supply the Allied advance toward Germany. The invasion was preceded by a massive bombing attack that destroyed many bridges and hurt the German effort to bring in reinforcements. And, at the same time, large air- borne drops and glider landings were carried out 18 miles inland. The invasion was also helped by French resistance fight- ers throughout the area. At 8 a.m. on August 15, 1944, three American divisions and a French armored division landed near the city of Draguignan. The next day, four French divisions began pouring ashore. “They expected a really tough fight with the Germans, but the Germans didn’t expect us to strike where we did,” Wheeler said. The landing of the French troops was accelerated. “They were anxious to kill Germans.” Many of the French troops were from the North African nations that were part of the French empire. “The invasion wasn’t as big as Overlord or Sicily, but it was a big operation. By this time of the war, we were get- ting pretty damn good,” Wheeler said. He noted that some called it the “Champagne Campaign,” and the Germans were driven back 480 miles in less than a month. PT 306 -- Crew members on the PT 306 relax during an off day in World War II. Marty Romano did 60 or 70 By October, the advance had become a stalemate. “We missions aboard the boat, which was powered by three aircraft engines and could go faster than 40 miles an had outrun our logistical space. We had to rebuild railroads. hour. We were out of ammunition. For our 105 mm howitzers, we were down to six rounds per tube per day. You can’t win a war that way.” Eisenhower was promoting a broad front, which other commanders thought was a mistake. The biggest mistake might have been in Hurtgen Forest along the German bor- der where eight U.S. divisions were deciminated because of strong German resistance and impossible terrain. Some thought Eisenhower should have engaged the enemy at may16Legionnaire_Layout 1 4/26/2016 3:31 PM Page 12

Page 12 Minnesota Legionnaire May 2016

DistrictFIRST CommandersSIXTH EIGHTH DISTRICT DISTRICT DISTRICT Roland Hanson Commander Dewayne Collins Jennifer Havlick Commander Commander Hello Comrades, First I would like to thank everyone Our April showers brought us our May flowers, the grass Greetings. who attended my testimonial dinner. It was a lot of fun and is starting to grow, and is time to plant the garden. As our First things first, let’s talk membership. We are current- I got some awesome gifts. Thank you. I hope the people Legion year is coming to an end we still have lots of work ly hovering at 92% of goal. We have roughly six weeks to who got the Four Pillar table decorations will put them to to do on membership. We need your help for the revital- meet our membership goal. I will be including each Post good use. ization. Which is to be headquartered out of Waite Park membership numbers in our next district newsletter. There was a good turnout for our Dept Commander’s Post on May 19th through the 21st. Let’s show the other Adjutants and or membership directors please call those testimonial also. Good food and entertainment with lots of districts what the 6th district can do. members who have not paid their dues for 2016 and get laughter to salute Jim Kellogg’s great job this year. If you April has been a very busy month with all the testimoni- them to do so immediately. Next is our District didn’t attend you missed a good time. al dinners. I attended Department Commander Kellogg’s Convention. This will be held on June 3rd and 4th. The donations to Brain Science are looking good. If you on April 9th in Adams. President Lynn Spilman on April Executive Committee(s) will meet on Friday night after still want to contribute you still have till convention time in 16th in Park Rapids, and the ROTC Dinner to present our Flag Retirement Ceremony at Grand Rapids Post 60. July. Thanks for your support. awards to an outstanding ROTC officer on April 22nd in St. The main session of our convention will start at 9 a.m. on The Rally on April 17th had a low turnout but a great Cloud. I even made it to my own dinner on the 23rd in Saturday, June 4th at the Christ Episcopal Church in Grand program on Children and Youth. Presented by Wayne Brainerd. Had a great time and a big thank you to all of Rapids. More details to follow with convention call. Hammon, it contained a lot of good information on the those who attended the great meal. Remember each Post is allotted at least two delegates to Fourth Pillar. There is a funeral service for Harold Bergstrom on represent their Post interest at District Meetings including Remember the District 1 Convention is coming up on Saturday, May 7th at 11:00 am at the Crosslake Lutheran the Annual Convention. District Convention is where we May 20 and 21 in Mabel hosted by Post 299. Church on County Road 66 with visitation at 10:30. elect district officers and any other business that may need Remember to thank a veteran. Following the service there will be a luncheon at the to be addressed by the delegates. Officers up for election Crosslake Legion Post 500. Let’s show our Legion support are District Commander, Four District Vice Commanders, for his wife Pat. Harold was a great Legionnaire and friend District Treasurer. Nomination for these offices by a Post THIRD and will be missed. should be sent to the District Adjutant Larry Pocrnich. DISTRICT We have two conventions coming up. The 6th district The 8th District President and myself have decided not convention will be June 4th in Nisswa. We will start at 8 to have a Testimonial event this year. We welcome dona- Don Skow a.m. and end hopefully by 4 p.m. Let’s make this one the Commander tions to our projects, Presidents project – Tee it up for the best and biggest one yet. The Department Convention will troops and my project the 23rd Veteran. Remember our be on July 21-23 in Rochester, Hope see you there. strength to champion veteran’s issues is in our membership Greetings Thundering Third, It is also that time of year to get out and volunteer with so let’s get those renewals in. We are on the final stretch of our Legion year; our 3rd Poppy’s and raise funds for the Veterans. District Convention will be in Forest Lake on May 20 – As your elections of New Officers in your post, be sure 22nd. Now is the time to get all the yearend reports com- you send in the information into Department. It will keep pleted and sent back to District and Department. The most everyone happy that needs the information. Reminder to do NINTH important being the Consolidated Post Report. This is the your consolidated post report and they are due now. DISTRICT Legions report card so every post needs to have it to Let’s take time to fish, as opener is May 14th. Don’t for- Denise Milton Department by June 1st. The last renewal notice for 2016 get to take life jackets along and wear them. Commander dues is sent out the last week of April so one more push to Let’s keep the 6th district the best in the state as we work get that last 4%. together as Legionnaires. Have a great month. At the end of May we have Memorial Day, a day that has Greetings Roaring Ninth District. signified the start of summer for most people. For the fam- Continue to finish up your Consolidated Post reports, ily of a veteran who made the ultimate sacrifice for the free- SEVENTH they are due to Department by June 1st. We know what we dom we enjoy, the price is very high. We as the American DISTRICT do, so let’s show others all that we do! We are a great organ- Legion Family need to be there for them. Memorial Day ization which continues to serve our country, fellow com- should be a mindset we try to live throughout the year, the Karen Welander rades and communities. honor and respect we owe to these families must go beyond Commander We will have had our Spring Fling at the Fergus Falls one day of ceremonies. When one of these people needs to Veterans Home by the time this newspaper is released. It promises to be a great day-several activities have been tell a story, we need to listen. Our children and their chil- Greetings from the Mighty Seventh. dren need to know the price that was paid for the opportu- planned to include a short presentation by the Legion As May approaches in our Legion year, I think we are all Family to let the residents know what the Legion has been nities that are given to the citizens of this great Country of looking forward to nice weather and the highpoints of a lot ours. doing, donut making and sampling, sing-a-long, trip down of our Legion Programs. As I go around the District I see Main Street and just having fun! Thank you all for all that you do and remember “Attitude the planning, execution and the benefits of our American is Everything.” Membership has slowed down, now is the time to make Legion programs in our communities. It is an exciting time the personal contacts to get the remainder of your members of the year. to renew. I would like to see each post form a membership Testimonials and installation of new Post officers are team (if you haven’t done so already), check your member- FIFTH showing up on the calendar. It has been an honor to attend ship roster for unpaid members, divide them up amongst DISTRICT these events and the hospitality and comradeship has been your team and start making house calls. Let them know they wonderful. are wanted and needed as a member of your post. Tell them Gary Martin Don’t forget some things don’t change and that is how why you’re a member. All you need to do is ASK! If you are Commander Americans feel about the freedoms that we live by and the in need of assistance please contact your Area Vice willingness to fight and die for that. So in a lot of ways Commander, membership Director or myself. We are only a Greetings from the Fifth District. these young men and woman are not really different from call away. First of all let’s complete contacting the unpaid members the older generation. We remember all of them this My District Commanders project is the National of your posts. This is the most challenging part of mem- Memorial Day 2016. Take some time with your family to Emergency Fund and I am asking for ‘Two Bits” from bership, getting the job done. attend not just your Post observances but also other com- every member of the district. This is a worthy cause, one The Fifth District Joint Family Testimonial will be May munity events remembering the fallen. Remember those that many members of our district in the past has benefited 21 at Minneapolis Post 1, 2507 25th Avenue South, veterans at the VA Hospital during the long weekend by from. Thank you for your support. Minneapolis. Social will be at 5 p.m. and dinner to follow stopping by to cheer up our fellow veterans who are tem- Our District Convention will be held in Mahnomen this at 6. Call Becky Nelson at 612-722-8861 for reservations porarily down and out. It only takes a few minutes of your year on June 10-11. Check our district newsletter and by May 13. time. The result is priceless. God bless our POW-MIAs. Facebook page (MN Ninth District) for details. Look for- Our Fifth District Family Convention will be held June God bless our troops and veterans. God bless our Gold Star ward to seeing everyone there. 3 and 4 at the Bloomington Holiday Inn off I-35W and 94th families. God bless this great Nation. Still serving proudly. Street. Legion Family Memorial Service Friday at 7 p.m., with fellowship to follow. Legion and Auxiliary Convention sessions begin 9 a.m. and SAL at 10 Saturday morning. Installation of new offi- Kathy Vitalis leaves MACV CEO position cers immediately after the convention. Banquet social at 5 Kathy Vitalis, longtime CEO of the Minnesota “During this time, our mission remains what it always p.m. and banquet seating at 6. Post Commanders and Assistance Council for Veterans has left that position. has been. To provide assitance throughout Minnesota to Adjutants have received the Convention Call. She will be replaced on an interim basis by Nathaniel positively motivated veterans and their families who are Nominating Committee headed by Jim Munson is look- Saltz. homeless or or experiencing other life crisis. Our staff will ing for officers for 2016-2017. Please get your endorse- “I am grateful for her years of leadership within MACV continue this critical work.” ments in A.S.A.P. and in the community,” Saltz said, “and also for the relatio- MACV was established in 1990 with a goal of finding Report time, due now are your Consolidated Post ships she helped build. I will be serving in the interim homes for homeless veterans. It also sponsores legal clinics Report, Children and Youth, Blood, Rehabilitation etc. capacity as our Board of Directors conducts a full search for and StandDowns for veterans. Again this year the Fifth District is striving for 100% a new director,” Saltz said in a statement released to the Vitalis had worked for the agency since 2001. Prior to reporting. state’s County Veterans Service Officers. that, she worked for 14 years for AT&T/NCR as a market- Commander Kellogg's testiminal was well attended and No explanation was given for Vitalis’ departure. ing research consultant. an enjoyable evening. Saltz was worked for MACV since 2003 and has served She was involved in all aspects of the non-profit Happy Brithday to Past Fifth District Commander as an employment and housing case manager and as agency’s organization including day-to-day management, Wayne Glanton who was 94 years young April 22. statewide program director. fiscal responsiblities and budgeting, coordinating programs As always, "Keep Moving Forward and Keep It Saltz has a degree in technical communication from and managing grant activity. Positive." Metropolitan State University. may16Legionnaire_Layout 1 4/26/2016 3:31 PM Page 13

May 2016 Minnesota Legionnaire Page 13 Listening Post

THREE GENERATIONS AT BOYS STATE -- Three generations of the Wick family have attended Boys BARRY BAHL PINE CITY RE-DEDICATION -- The Pine City State, all sponsored by different posts. From left: Veterans Memorial will hold a rededication program Grandfather Bruce Wick, 1951, sponsored by Le on May 21 at 10 a.m., sponsored by Pine City Post 51. Center Post 108; Son Bob Wick, 1979, sponsored by Waseca Post 228; Grandson Ross Wick, 2014, spon- Barry Bahl retires as sored by Lakeville Post 44. Bruce Wick’s wife attend- ed Girls State. “It’s a great experience for any boy/girl to attend Boy’s/Girl’s State,” he said. director of St. Cloud VA Health System Barry I. Bahl today announced his retirement as Director of the St. Cloud VA Health Care System after more than 40 years of federal service. Initially serving as the Acting Health Care System Director beginning June 3, 1996, Bahl was appointed as Health Care System Director in 1999. In a statement released to employees earlier today, Bahl said: “After 40 years in the VA, I am at a point in my life where I would like to spend more time in the sun, with friends and family. I am looking at June 3, 2016, as my retirement date. This is certainly a time of mixed emotions for me. I am so proud to be working with so many excep- tional staff. You have put St. Cloud up top in the VHA in quality and efficiency. Daily I hear testimonials from our BACKUS DONATES -- Backus Post 368 donated Veterans that are so impressed with our organization. Truly $6,000 from it gambling program to food shelves in WOW indeed! I am going to miss all of you wonderful the area. From left: Don Van Vorst, adjutant and gam- folks.” bling manager; Jodi Perry, Pine River Area Food As Director, Bahl provided leadership and strategic Shelves; Eugene Gagnon, commander; Bill Taylor, guidance to a health care system with 388 multidisciplinary first vice commander. The post also gave $2,000 to beds providing treatment in psychiatry, general medicine WAITE PARK HONORS MEMBER -- Waite Park Post the Hackensack food shelf. and extended care. The St. Cloud VA serves a 27-county 428 presented a 50-year membership certificate to area in central and west central Minnesota and includes the Dennis Borud. VA medical center in St. Cloud and three VA clinics located in Brainerd, Montevideo and Alexandria. Bahl oversaw the St. Cloud VA during a period of tremendous growth and change as increasing numbers of Veterans sought care. In 1996, when he was appointed Acting Director, the St. Cloud VA treated 8,716 Veterans. At the end of the last fis- cal year, the health care system treated 38,603 Veterans. During his 20 years in the Director’s role, Bahl focused efforts on modernizing and expanding the health care serv- ices needed by today’s Veterans, and transformed the St. Cloud VA from a small inpatient hospital to a dynamic and growing regional health care system focused on the deliv- ery of a comprehensive array of services, including primary and specialty medicine, mental health, and extended care. WAITE PARK HONORS LONG TIMERS -- Long serv- During his tenure, three VA clinics in outlying commu- ing members at Waite Park Post 428 were honored nities were established, and numerous Veteran-centered recently: From left: Warren Opp (70 years), Melvin LAKE CITY HONORS MEMBERS -- Lake City Post service enhancements and capital improvements were com- Butz (50); Walter Kosel (60), Clarence Butkowski (50); 110 Commander Emery Fick, left, presented longtime pleted. A partial list of the improvements made include: Harold Young (50); Robert Johnson (70). members Merlyn Kohrs and Don Ludwig with certifi- construction and expansion of an outpatient mental health cates honoring their long-time membership. clinic; expansion of primary and specialty care clinics; expansions of the Dental, Audiology and Respiratory Care clinics; upgrades and expansions of the Pharmacy and Laboratory; expansion of the Imaging Clinic and addition of MRI services; construction and addition of an Ambulatory Surgery Center; a remodeled and expanded Urgent Care Clinic; and the construction of a new Rehabilitation Center and Acute Psychiatry building. Ongoing improvement activities include the construc- tion of a new Food Service building, the complete remodel- ing of a Community Living Center building, and a 20-bed expansion of the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program. St. Cloud VA Health Care System currently employs 1,741 employees and has a total budget of $272 million for this fiscal year. A native of Montevideo, Minnesota, Bahl served in the U.S. Army from August, 1969 to September, 1971. He received his B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Minnesota in 1977. Mr. Bahl is married to the former TYLER HONORS MEMBERS -- Tyler Post 185 Kristine Satre of Montevideo, Minnesota, and they have recently honored Allen Lund (60 years), Glen Meyer two children, Jennifer and Brian. REDWOOD FALLS TOP MEMBERS -- Redwood (60 years) and Gerald Thompson (50 years) for their Mr. Bahl is a member of the American College of Health Falls Post Commander Jerry Ludwig, left, named long time service to the post. Care Executives, Minnesota Pharmacists Association, Dennis Kissner as the post’s Legionnaire of the Year. Moose Club, Pan Towners, VFW, American Legion, DAV, His wife, Darlene, was presented with a certificate of VVA, and AMVETS. appreciation by Auxiliary President Jeanette Mertens. A successor has not been named. may16Legionnaire_Layout 1 4/26/2016 3:31 PM Page 14

Page 14 Minnesota Legionnaire May 2016 The Auxiliary Bulletin No. 16-9 May 2016 President Sandy Fredrickson Secretary Sandie Deutsch Department Headquarters, Veterans Service Building, St. Paul, MN 55155 651-224-7634

The Auxiliary loses Kris Nelson, President’s Column aThe greatentire American Legion mentorFamily has lost a mentor, personal and note, the year friend Kris was National President was the friend, volunteer and many more accolades with the passing first year I started working here. of Kris Nelson. One of my first events was to attend the National Kris accomplished so many things and gave so much to President’s homecoming. From that very first meeting, of By our organization in the short time God lent her to us. which I was a nervous wreck as I never met a “National” Kris fought a courageous battle with brain cancer and anything before, Kris made me feel very welcome and we Sandy succumbed to it on April 20, 2016. became fast friends. Fredrickson Kris held many offices within the organization which Something just clicked and we seemed to see things included Brainerd Unit 255 President, 6th District through the same eyes. Kris was always willing and able to President, many National Chairmanships and culminating help me out through my trials and tribulations and I will with being elected National President of the American miss her very much. I had the opportunity to meet Terry Legion Auxiliary for the 2011/2012 Auxiliary year. and both of Kris’ children Sarah and Troy and most of the On behalf of the Department of Minnesota American After completing her very busy year with the National grandbabies. Legion Family, we extend our deepest sympathy to the Kris organization, Kris returned to Minnesota and threw herself What a wonderful family - a true tribute to Kris in itself. Nelson family. right back into work within our own Department. She took On behalf of the entire American Legion Auxiliary We have lost not only a great mentor to the National on Girls State Director, worked on the Department Department of Minnesota we hope and pray that God con- organization, but to the Department of Minnesota. She was Governing Rules Committee and also was hands on devel- tinues to use Kris’ many talents and somehow she looks a friend to many. Her knowledge, enthusiasm, and smile oping our Department Strategic Five Year Plan. over my shoulder once and awhile with the encouragement will be missed. Kris had the vision to see what needs to be worked on to I have always been given by her. We would ask, as the family requests, memorials are pre- maintain our organization and grow it in future years. On a -- Sandie Deutsch, Department Secretary ferred instead of flowers. As a Department, please keep the family in mind first. If other donations are given, remember the National ALA Foundation, and our own, Minnesota Strategic Planning program. Coleman-Woods to lead Department juniors Kris was an advocate of supporting all of our programs, Bryce Soltis, Department Honorary Junior President, of Class II First Place: Kimberly Johnson, Westport 638 but we must keep the “family” in our thoughts and prayers Waite Park Unit 428, called the 53rd Annual Department of Class II Second Place: Ashley Koehn, Monticello 260 foremost. MN Junior Conference to order on Saturday, April 9th. The Class III First Place: JoJo Welter, Stewartville 164 Junior members of Minnesota would like to thank the mem- Class III Second Place: Amelia Welter, Stewartville 164 Happy May Day, Mother’s Day, and do not forget bers of the Second District and Northrup American Legion Poppy Memorial Day Wreath Memorial Day. Family for hosting this year’s conference and making it Class I First Place: Kaylee Rauer, Westport 638 As the year progresses, I have been evaluating how our such a memorable weekend. Class I Second Place: Kori Oskerson, Westport 638 year has gone. As the year moves forward, I have tried to The Junior Conference is for our Juniors, and is run by Class II First Place: Hannah Pederson, Warren 27 assess how I feel. Have I, have we, made a difference in our Juniors. They serve on the credentials, nominating, res- Class II Second Place: Brooklyn Hoshal, Delano 377 the lives of our members? Have I, have we, been team olutions, and awards committees. Honorary District Class III First Place: Amelia Welter, Stewartville 164 players in the progress of and for our organization, the Presidents gave their reports of the district Junior members Class III Second Place: JoJo Welter, Stewartville 164 American Legion Auxiliary? and the work they did this past year. Senior members are in Poppy Junior Membership Recruitment Board I ran across a saying that fits very well with how I feel at attendance to support and mentor our future leaders. The Class II First Place: Harley Donnelly, Northrop 522 this moment: Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, Juniors worked hard this year and they used Honorary Class II Second Place: Kimberly Johnson, Westport 638 earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual expe- Junior President Bryce’s theme, “Juniors Blossoming the Class III First Place: JoJo Welter, Stewartville 164 rience of living every minute with love, grace, and grati- Lives of Veterans,” throughout the year. Junior Scrapbook tude. -- Denis Waitley Sandy Fredrickson, Department President and Gene First Place: Foster-Bernhardt, Trimont 373 This is a real picture of the places and people I have met, Olswold, Detachment Commander brought greetings and Second Place: Warren, Warren 27 worked with and strategically planned happenings for the congratulated the Juniors for their hard work this past year good of organization, the American Legion Auxiliary. on behalf of the Department American Legion Family. The day’s activities concluded with President Sandy Gratitude to all of you for the good you do for the organi- Honorary Junior President Bryce had a special guest, Fredrickson and First Vice President Carol Kottom zation. Charles Kapsner, the commissioned artist for the monument installing the 2016-2017 Department Honorary Junior Our year is not over. We still have many things to at the MN State Veterans Cemetery north of Little Falls. Officers: accomplish this year. We cannot sit like “lame ducks” in This is Honorary Junior President Bryce’s project this year Honorary Junior President – Kiana Coleman-Woods, finishing the year 2015-2016. As team players have you and as of the conference has raised over $2,800. Lino Lakes 566 done something in your community or Unit that needs to be Kiana Coleman-Woods, Lino Lakes 566 of the Tenth Honorary Junior First Vice President – Courtney Rogat, noticed? Have you done something special for a veteran District, was elected by the Junior members as the 2016- Bloomington 550 and their family this year? If not, do it now. 2017 Department Honorary Junior President. Kiana’s Honorary Junior Second Vice President – Madison Where are you at with membership? Have you asked theme is “Juniors are the Key-Opening Doors to the Sloves, Minneapolis 1 anyone lately? Offer them a deal, give them ½ price for the Future,” with her symbol being the key. If approved, the Honorary Junior Treasurer – Harley Donnelly, Northrop rest of the year and collect next year’s dues at the same special project for the Juniors this year will be to collect 522 time. Please, take one last stab to at least getting the same socks and undergarments for homeless and hospitalized vet- Honorary Junior Chaplain – Dayanna Johsno-Garst, Two numbers as last year. erans. Congratulations Kiana. Harbors 109 If your Unit has made change practicing “a Culture of A big highlight of many is the poppy contests and the Honorary Junior Sergeant at Arms – Desirae Braun, Two Good Will,” have your members been attending your meet- beautiful use of our poppy by our Juniors. The following Harbors 109 ings or volunteering for things that need to be done? Has are the winning entries for the poppy contests and scrap- Honorary Junior Secretary – Ashley Bruzek, Delano 377 your unit connected with our younger generation, more book contest: Honorary Junior Historian – Emily Suess, Monticello diverse members, etc.? Poppy Corsage/Boutonniere Contest 260 We need to share different ideas of what is working in Class I First Place: Madelyn Haas, Bemidji 14 Thank you to all unit and district members, who have the Units. How has it affected your Unit, the Veterans, your Class I Second Place: Kaylee Bauer, Westport 638 mentored, educated, involved Junior members in your community, etc? We have asked you to let the Department Class II First Place: Elizabeth Spoden, Kimball 261 activities. These young women are future leaders of our know (send it in mail or e-mail) so we can forward it to Class II Second Place: Markelle Pederson, Warren 27 Auxiliary and they inspire each of us to be better members National or print it in the Legionnaire. Have you sent your Class III First Place: Kylee Swanson, Warren 27 and role models. article in? Class III Second Place: McKenna Nelson, Forest Lake Bottom line, you are the grassroots to this organization. 225 JUNIOR PRESIDENT’S PROJECT It is up to you and me to grow it. It is up to us to be civil, Poppy Centerpiece Contest Department Honorary Junior President Bryce’s special be nice. With this being done, we will have people wanting Class I First Place: Kylee Bauer, Westport 638 project this year was to raise funds to help complete the to belong, be a part of, the largest patriotic women’s organ- Class I Second Place: Katelyn Runge, Sanborn 286 murals at the Veterans Cemetery at Camp Ripley. Bryce ization in the world. Class II First Place: Brooklyn Hoshal, Delano 377 made a presentation already in the amount of $1,500.00 and May is Poppy Month. Remember, we distribute the Class II Second Place: Harley Donnelly, Northrop 522 has raised another $1,330.00 which will be presented at the poppy, we do not sell the poppy. May is a busy month, Class III First Place: JoJo Welter, Stewartville 164 end of our fiscal year. District Conventions, Confirmations, Graduations, etc. Class III Second Place: Amelia Welter, Stewartville 164 Thank you to all the Units and members of The Let us not forget: Take a moment and remember why we Poppy Jewelry/Accessories Contest American Legion Family that provided funds in support of have a holiday called Memorial Day. God bless each of you. Class I First Place: Kori Oskenson, Westport 638 Bryce’s Department Honorary Junior President’s Project. God bless America. Class I Second Place: Kaylee Bauer, Westport 638 may16Legionnaire_Layout 1 4/26/2016 3:31 PM Page 15

May 2016 Minnesota Legionnaire Page 15

AuxiliaryContinued from Preceding Bulletin Page SECRETARY SANDIE’S CORNER This has not been the best of months as I lost two very dear friends within our American Legion Family. The pass- ing of Past National President Kris Nelson and also Duane Kropuenske have shaken me to the core. May they both rest in peace and watch over us. The Department Office is running wild right now with Annual Reports, Poppies, Girls State, Budget Planning, Trophies and Awards and yes Department Convention. Never a dull moment around here. Regarding poppies if any veteran has an interest in making poppies for us, please contact the Department Office. Veterans do receive a stipend for each one made. I have had to purchase poppies from other Departments and would love to have veterans from Minnesota be the ones to supply our Department next year. My shout out this month goes to dear Richard “Dickie” G. from Montgomery Post 79, love you to pieces.

POPPIES NEW HONORARY JUNIOR OFFICERS -- New Honorary Junior President Kiana Coleman-Woods, center, is Governor Mark Dayton has proclaimed May as Poppy surrounded by her new officers at the annual Junior Conference held this year at Northrup. Month. Have you organized your Poppy distribution? We hope all Units are planning to place special emphasis on our Poppy program during May, educating the public on the available. Our National Convention will be held August meaning and purpose of the Poppy, and to actively partici- 26-September 1, 2016. April 5, 2016, Auxiliary Membership pate in Poppy Day. We will have shipped out 711 dozen large poppies and UNIT MAILING over 318,000 small poppies to our Units and Posts in The last Unit mailing of this Auxiliary year has been sent Minnesota this year. out. Though annual reports have been sent in there are still three months left of activities and programs in this year of DEPARTMENT CONVENTION “Serving Those Who Served.” The annual Department Convention will be held at the Included in this last mailing were two delegate and two Kahler Grand Hotel in Rochester on July 21-23, 2016. The alternate cards for our Department Convention as well as a Convention is being hosted by the Rochester American chart to help you determine your Unit’s delegate strength Legion #92 Family. All Auxiliary sessions will be held at based on your Unit’s membership 30 days prior to the con- Kahler Grand Hotel. vention. (June 21) Additional cards are available upon Will your Unit be represented? A pre-registration is request. available in this issue of the Minnesota Legionnaire. Please note: The Department does not have the dele- District caucuses will be held at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday. gate/alternate cards for District conventions. These must be The parade will be held on Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. in obtained from your District. Rochester. There will be two Poppy Contest this year - they are as 2016-2017 OFFICERS’ LISTS follows: How time flies. All Units will soon be electing their Wearable Poppy Art: Make any item that you can wear 2016-17 officers. As soon as they are elected, please com- using poppies. Some of the possibilities are: a cap, hat, plete the form (2 copies) sent to each Unit in the last Unit scarf, jewelry, shoes, boots, vest or anything else. The mailing. One copy should be returned to the Department entries will be worn into our hall to be shown off by our Office as soon as possible. The other copy is for your members. Please use the “Auxiliary Emblem” on your District President-Elect. The due date for this information entry. It can be a patch, sticker, your Auxiliary pin, from a is June 12, earlier if possible. This form is not the same one magazine or computer, any copy or size is acceptable. your Unit sent in for the 2017 direct billing last winter. We Dress a Doll or Teddy Bear: Using poppies decorate will send your 2017 membership supplies and cards to your and dress a doll or teddy bear (any size). Use Department 2016-17 Membership Chairman, as per the information you President Sandy’s theme “Serving Those Who Served.” It send in now. This form can also be found on our website, can be handwritten or typed on a computer. Also use an mnala.org. You can fill it out and email it to the Department “eagle” in any form or size or you can use a paper cutout. Office. One new item this year is all membership packets will be available at Department Convention this year for Independent Rural Living GIRLS STATE your Unit to pick up. Senior apartments for elderly and those with The 2016 session of ALA Minnesota Girls State will be We are asking for the names/addresses of your Unit disabilities. Safe, convenient, comfortable, and held June 12 - 18, 2016 This year the event will be going President, Secretary, Treasurer and Membership Chairman affordable rural living in Southeast Minnesota. back to Bethel University in St. Paul. All Girls State regis- for the 2016-17 year. Be certain the address for each offi- tration materials (enrollment card, information sheet, cer is her current address. This form can be found on the Also available: Auxiliary website www.mnala.org. Housing with pledge and Capitol Day t-shirt order form) are due into the Services, Department Office by May 1st. As of this writing 390 Nursing Home, young women will have the experience of learning about RESOLUTIONS TO BE PRESENTED Subsidized Contact: Minnesota government by “doing”. We are very excited to As the Department Office receives Resolutions to be Rent, be going back to Bethel University this year and we are presented to the Department Convention in Rochester this Homemaker Samantha services 507-864-7714 looking forward to many new, exciting events! summer, they will be posted on our website www.mnala.org or www.goodshep-rushford.org About the middle of May each ALA Minnesota Girls under the ABOUT US tab - RESOLUTIONS. We are doing State citizen will receive her packet of information from the this in order to allow our Units to read the Resolutions and Department. If your citizen has not received her packet by discuss them within your Units so you can have questions May 22nd contact the Department Office immediately. Do answered before they come up for a vote. We want all keep in touch with your ALA Minnesota Girls State citizen members to understand the reasoning behind the to answer any questions she may have prior to her coming Resolutions, so if there are any questions prior to the to Bethel on June 12. All ALA Minnesota Girls State citi- Convention, please contact one of the Department Officers, zens are to be at the Bethel University prior to the opening Karen Thygeson, Department Constitution and Standing session at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 12. Rules Chairman or the Department Office. Special District ALA Minnesota Girls State buses are being arranged by several Districts. Check your District bulletin or contact your District ALA Minnesota Girls State Chairman for details. There are many items in the Shirt Shack this year that girls may purchase. Some items are hooded sweatshirts, both pull-over and zip up, jogging pants, tee shirts and more. These are quality items which the girls will have for- ever. NATIONAL CONVENTION Cincinnati is the site for our 2016 National Convention. Delegates and alternates will be elected at your District Convention. Each District’s representation is based on the District’s 2016 membership as of July 26th. In order to ensure Minnesota its full delegate strength at FUND RAISING -- Arlene Grover, Staples Unit 70 the Convention, we ask that if you are nominated as a dele- came to the Department Office to turn in thousands of gate or alternate and are not planning to attend, you with- stamps and many post cards which will generate draw your name from consideration. Information will be funds for our Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation sent to each delegate and alternate as soon as it becomes Program. Sandie Deutsch is at right. may16Legionnaire_Layout 1 4/26/2016 3:31 PM Page 16

Page 16 Minnesota Legionnaire May 2016

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