Forward May 2021 The Dream: In the spring of 2018, during a Brownsville VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post 6801 meeting, Ed Gittens shared his dream of Brownsville having a memorial to honor all veterans. Not just VFW members, but everyone who has served. His dream included honoring those who have gone before us and those who are still living to share their stories. Ed’s dream took life as the whole Brownsville Post 6801 embraced the dream. That summer, realizing that the community needed to be involved, Post Commander, Shawn Virock, shared the dream with the City Council as well as the Brownsville Lion’s Club. In the fall, locations were discussed and the City Council approved building the memorial in the back of the parking lot on the east side of the Community Center. The Vision: Once a location was determined, the actual memorial began to take shape as Ed Gittens, using his skills, created a painting showing what the Memorial and the surrounding environment might look like. Over the winter of 2018-19, while Ed was creating this masterpiece, a true community collaboration was shaping up. This Memorial Committee was established and included the mayor, a city council member, a Lion’s Club member, veterans beyond the VFW, and representation from the VFW Auxiliary. They began the new year with their famous pancake breakfast fundraisers which included a bake sale. These went well until COVID-19 shut everything down in the spring of 2020. However, before that happened, tee shirts became another part of the fundraising. Many sold even during Covid. Anyone who has ever worked on a project of this size knows that there are always obstacles which became the focus of the committee. By December of 2019, the committee was “stuck.” In January of 2020, the question was posed by a community member, “Why don’t we put the memorial in the front yard of the Community Center?” The team was reenergized and new ideas began to flow again. It was decided that Post Commander Shawn Virock and Mayor Allen Whitesitt would present the idea to the City Council. The Reality: In February of 2020, the City Council approved the change of venue and the committee was off and running. In a few months time, a new design, drawn to spec fitting the new site was created. Dana White from La Crosse Memorials patiently presented on numerous occasions, hauling in bricks and stones of a variety of styles, colors, and materials. After a few months of no meetings, the committee picked up steam and in August, the large memorial stones were ordered, River City Lawnscape were consigned to do the brick and block work, CR Masonry’s bid for the concrete work was approved, the bricks were decided upon, and Ed once again worked his magic and created the reality of what the memorial would look like. Within a week’s time, Ed’s painting became the front of our brick order brochure. The brochures were printed, an online order was created, the brochures were mailed and delivered door to door, and an electronic brochure was posted on the Brownsville website. By the middle of September, the brick orders were rolling in. On Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2020, the Ground Breaking Ceremony took place with over 60 people participating from a distance, wearing masks to keep each other safe as COVID-19 was still raging. On December 1, 2020, the first brick orders were placed with La Crosse Memorials. In January of 2021, the memorial bricks and the large memorial stones were engraved. In February of 2021, the committee consigned Flags and Poles to do our flag poles. Graf Electric was consigned to do the electrical and lighting. All of the players were officially in place. On Friday, April 23, 2021, the official ground breaking began for the retaining walls in the front of the Community Center. On Wednesday, May 5, 2021, ground was broken where the Memorial is now standing. As with any project, once you start, there’s always something else that needs to be “upgraded.” The Merry-Go-Round originally sat where the Memorial is. The City Council, VFW, and the Lions wanted to maintain something for the youth. Hence, while you’re meditating on this great memorial, our children, will have a place to enjoy the freedom that our veterans fought for. The Merry-Go-Round was repaired, powder-coated, and a safety mat now protects our children during falls. Please be sure that you share your stories with our youth so that they learn to appreciate the meaning of this complex that will share old memories while creating new ones. I know that I’d be remiss if I did not take a moment to thank the many general donations that came from as far away as California, the support during all of the fundraisers, the countless musicians who performed at fundraisers, the many families who are helping us to honor those who served by purchasing memorial bricks, the generous contributions in the donation jars at our local businesses, as well as the four little girls who set up a Lemonade Stand and gave all of the proceeds to the Memorial project. This dream and this vision included the whole community. The reality is just that. It’s been my honor to be a part of this project; working with a team of passionate people who gave so much for us and who continue to give to our community. While never enough, there are only five words left to say, “Thank you for your service!” ________________________________________________ Allen Whitesitt – Mayor of Brownsville Brownsville Veterans Memorial Committee Jack Farnham - Veteran/VFW Quartermaster Tricia Foellmi Long - VFW Auxiliary Debbie Darling Gittens – VFW Auxiliary Ed Gittens – Veteran/VFW Junior Vice Jim Hakes – Veteran John Jangula – City Council Jeff LeJeune – Brownsville Lions Position Joan Mitchell – VFW Auxiliary/Secretary Sharon Rohrer - Veteran Ron See – Veteran Shawn Virock – Veteran/VFW Commander Allen Whitesitt – Mayor Cheryl Whitesitt - Community Brownsville Veterans Memorial Committee Allen Whitesitt, Cheryl Whitesitt, Jeff LeJeune, Joan Mitchell, Debbie Darling Gittens, Ed Gittens, Shawn Virock, Jack Farnham. Committee members not pictured: Tricia Foellmi Long, Jim Hakes, John Jangula, Sharon Rohrer, Ron See CHARTER MEMBERS LEROY D. HOLZWARTH VFW POST 6801 BROWNSVILLE, MN 1946 DONALD BISSEN RONA HEILLER JOHN BISSEN AARON HOLZWARTH CALVIN BISSEN ED HOLZWARTH HENRY CORDES WM KLETZKE LEO CORCORAN CARL KUECKER FRANCIS CORCORAN RAY LANGE LLOYD TESSMER WILLIAM MILLER JOHN S. MULLEN RAYMOND MILLER JOHN P. MULLEN JOE TOOMEY GILES QUILLIN ED WIEDMAN JOSEPH S. SERRES GENE WIEDMAN JOSEPH L. SERRES RICHARD BECKER HARLEY HANKE LEO BAIER FREDRICK HEILLER BERNARD BISSEN ERWIN HEILLER FRANCIS DRISCOLL THOMAS RYAN ALBERT ENOS RICHARD STEPHAN OMAR GOETZINGER ROMIS DAVY FRANCIS GRAU JOHN C. FORSCHLER JOE WALTERS HAROLD HARER WARREN WIEDMAN THE NUMBERS AS OF MEMORIAL DAY 2021 • 120 ARMY • 43 NAVY 195 • 20 AIR FORCE # BRICKS ON • 10 MARINES THE • 2 ARMY AIR CORPS • 8 WOMEN MEMORIAL • 187 MEN • 5 CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY THE NUMBERS AS OF MEMORIAL DAY 2021 2 10 Civil War WWI Veterans John “Jack” Davy Edward P. Holzwarth Veterans Albert Franz Johnson Carl A. Kuecker (father & son) Fred A. Miller Herman J. Mitchell William Heiller Joseph J. Serres Paul Theobald Henry Heiller George H. Winslow John M. Winslow THE NUMBERS AS OF MEMORIAL DAY 2021 2 KIA Leroy D. Holzwarth WWII William T. Quillin Viet Nam THE NUMBERS AS OF MEMORIAL DAY 2021 3 Prisoners of War Henry Heiller Civil War Rona Heiller WWII Glen A. Jostad WWII THE NUMBERS AS OF MEMORIAL DAY 2021 10 PURPLE HEARTS EARNED George H. Winslow WWI Ronnie Colsch Viet Nam John M. Winslow WWI Dan Kirkpatrick Viet Nam John Clare Forschler WWII Dan Schnedecker Viet Nam Rona Heiller WWII Pat Toomey Viet Nam Leroy D. Holzwarth WWII Edward C. Gittens Viet Nam Memorial Day 1946 Mass at Catholic Cemetery In 1946 the VFW and Auxiliary were formed. Memorial Day 1946 Memorial Day 1966 The VFW and Auxiliary march into the Cemetery for services. The fence and gate were newly installed that spring by the VFW. ALPHABETICAL LIST OF NAMES ON THE MEMORIAL 2021 An asterisk (*) after a name indicates there is a page with service overview, submitted by the veteran or family member, included in this book. If service overview has not been submitted for a Veteran, as of this printing, it may be submitted AT ANY TIME to be added to this historical record. Email to [email protected] or USPS to Joan Mitchell, 912 Wildwood Court, La Crescent, MN 55947 US NAVY ROBERT ALECKSON QM3 WWII Robert Aleckson served in World War II as a Signalman. He achieved the rank of Quartermaster Third Class (E4). US NAVY ROBERT BACON SEAMAN 1C WORLD WAR II Robert T. Bacon was born on August 14, 1925. He served in the US Navy with the rank of Seaman First Class from 1943 to 1946. Robert was stationed in North Africa and the Philippines. US ARMY JOSEPH S BECKER STAFF SGT WWII Joseph S. Becker served in the US Army from April 28, 1942 to January 14, 1946. He attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was stationed at the following bases: Fort Chafee, Arkansas with the 174th Infantry Camp Rucker, Alabama with the HQ Company 29th Tank Destroyer Group Fort Hood, Texas with the HQ Company 26th Tank Destroyer Group He received the US Army Maneuvers Medal. US ARMY RICHARD BECKER T5 101ST AIRBORN WWII Richard J. Becker was born on December 3, 1921. He was inducted into the US Army 11th Airborne 472nd Glider Field Arterial Battalion on October 10, 1944 and was discharged on November 29, 1946.