Another phase of Allamakee County Veterans Memorial nearing completion

The Memorial, which will be placed on the front lawn of the Allamakee County Courthouse Square, is intended to honor and recognize the service and sacrifice of all military veterans with ties to Allamakee County.

The initial phase of construction was completed last fall. The final details, including placement of the monument and the bricks honoring area veterans, will be completed when weather permits this spring. Dedication of the Memorial is scheduled for Sunday, May 29, the day prior to the Memorial Day festivities that take place every year in Waukon.

DESIGN CHANGES

As planning for the Memorial has been ongoing, some changes to the original design and content have been made. The centerpiece of the Memorial will be a black granite monument. The names of Allamakee County veterans who were killed in action, from WWI to the present, will be engraved on its front panels.

To recognize the service of veterans who were serving their country when they died of other causes (e.g. accident, disease, etc.), either during wartime or peacetime, and those who were prisoners of war, the design of the memorial was changed. The granite monument was moved forward in the memorial plaza, and the sidewalk, which was originally planned to lead up to the front of the monument, now continues on to encircle the monument. The names of the prisoners of war and those who died from other causes while serving their country will be engraved on the reverse side of the monument. Lighting plans were modified to incorporate nighttime lighting of both sides of the monument.

The Veterans Memorial is envisioned as a living and growing memorial, with allowances made for those who serve in the future to be recognized for their service. With that in mind, the site of the Memorial was moved to the north on the courthouse lawn, to accommodate future expansion, should it become necessary. The new location will also provide better balance on the courthouse lawn with the currently existing Civil War monument.

MEMORIAL BRICKS

Memorial bricks, purchased by or for individual veterans, will fill the available space in the plaza in front of the monument. To date, over 600 bricks have been purchased. Additional bricks may be purchased for any veteran of military service with ties to Allamakee County.

To again help clarify who may be eligible to be recognized with the placement of a brick, the following information is provided. In addition to active duty service in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine, those who served in the Reserve of any branch of service, including the National Guard, are eligible. Those currently serving are also eligible, as are those who served in the military prior to World War I (e.g. Civil War etc.)

The deadline for memorial brick orders has been set as March 31 of this year. Brick orders received after March 31 may not be placed before the dedication, although every effort will be made to do so. It is expected that new bricks ordered after the deadline and after the Memorial is dedicated, will be placed in the plaza on an annual basis.

Many families have requested that their family’s brick orders be placed together on the plaza. The committee is incorporating those requests in the planning of the brick layouts, and will try to accommodate such requests. If family members have not stated that desire with their original order, they may contact any member of the committee to make their wishes known.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

The Allamakee County Veterans Memorial Committee is made up of representatives from each community in the county. Committee members may be contacted for additional information. The members are as follows: Chairman Dr. David Hahn, DVM, Waukon; Vice Chairman Paul Howes, Dorchester; Bob Peters, Lansing; Cloy Kuhse, Postville; Maury Mooney and Franklin “Doc” Weymiller, Harpers Ferry; Dale Reiser, New Albin; Carl Christianson, Waukon and Waterville; Essie Campbell, Waukon; Maury Gallagher, Postville.

A major challenge in planning for the Memorial has been the development of a thorough, comprehensive and accurate listing of those killed in action since WWI. Additionally, the development of a comprehensive listing of those who died of other causes while serving in the Armed Forces has been a challenge.

After ten months of extensive research, names are still being found, with the latest added to the listing only last week. Engraving of the bricks is now in process, and the names to be engraved on the monument will have to be submitted soon. Included with this article is the listing of names identified to date.

CHECK THE LIST

The assistance of the public in verifying the accuracy of this listing is requested. If any errors are noted (e.g. spelling, middle initial, etc.), or if anyone is aware of a service member who was killed in action, a POW, or a service member who died from other causes while serving and whose name is not listed, they may contact Carl Christianson at 563-568-4453, email bj1@rconnect. com, or Maury Gallagher at 563-864-7843, email kapnj37@netins.net. Any and all assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Current list of names to be engraved on Allamakee County Veterans Memorial

Killed in Action (KIA)

WORLD WAR I (WWI)

Beck, William E.

Beale, Roy C.

Bock, Forrest W. M.

Brandt, Arthur F.

Brooks, Myron J.

Glynn, George H.

Iverson, Martin O.

Kidder, Hugh P.

Kroeger, Carl H.

Morken, Lewis H.

Raymond, Richard M.

Sandry, Harry H.

Slattery, James P.

Strong, Robert

Thompson, Jesse

Waters, Ralph D.

Wettleson, Theodore C.

Wines, John E.

WORLD WAR II (WWII)

Ahearn, Gerald J.

Anderson, Lawrence D.

Bloxham, Charles W.

Burnham, Earl B.

Carpenter, Robert J.

Casey, Kenneth E.

Christ, Robert E.

Collins, Thomas A.

Colsch, John W.

Damon, Victor M.

Darling, Douglas

Dreivold, Donald S.

Erickson, Roland M.

Fink, Lavern A.

Hagen, James B.

Hamm, Lawrence G.

Hanson, Arthur C.

Heim, Howard

Heim, John F.

Henderson, James W.

Hermanson, Earle S.

Huebner, Dwayne H.

Humphrey, Howard C.

Johnson, Russell G.

Jones, Harry J.

Kelly, Daniel P.

Kelly, Maurice R.

Kenney, Carleton E.

Kerndt, Gustav F.

Knapp, Rudolph H.

Kneeland, Robert W.

Kosbau, Donald O.

Krueger, Otto

Laughlin, Dale J.

Lawson, Donald W.

Manning, George P.

McCurdy, John S.

McDougal, Francis E.

Mohn, Joseph R.

Oelberg, Andrew J.

Olloff, Donald L.

Pederson, Wendle A.

Pierce, Harry T.

Quillin, Earl E.

Regan, James J.

Spinner, Robert G.

Teff, Robert P.

KOREAN WAR

Vickery, Roy M.

Baxter, Donald T.

VIETNAM WAR

Dreier, Mark S.

Bresnahan, Alan R.

Lampert, Arlyn L.

Riley, James F.

GRENADA

Robinson, Russell L.

DIED NON-BATTLE

Barnholtz, Henry W;

Beall, Henry, H.

Bigelow, Kenneth J.

Brennan, John N.

Brooks, Kermit L.

Campbell, William C.

Cassidy, Maurice D.

Dahlstrom, Alto L.

Dundee, Franklin

Engen, Gilman

Gordon, Virgil

Green, Lloyd W.

Haas, Charlie J.

Halvorson, Albert H.

Held, Albert E.

Houlihan, Victor

Kasten, Leslie A.

Keenan, Patrick

Kelly, Walter A.

Kesselberg, Elmer L.

Land, Keith M.

Leikvold, Gordon R.

Ludeking, Frederick S.

Martens, Richard J.

McMorrow, James P.

Meyer, Warren G.

Mitchell, Leon P.

Monson, Henry J.

Mouw, Dean R.

Myhre, Alf M.

Peters, Dale R.

Peters, Kenneth J.

Poesch, Lyle C.

Reeder, Donald E.

Regan, Leo P.

Schukei, Albert E.

Schulte, Karen J.

Siegele, Ronald

Slattery, John P.

Smith, Susan H.

Teff, Donald G.

Wachter, Joseph J.

Wallace, Keith E.

Weymiller, Raymond L.

Wiemerslage, Albert F.

Wilde, John A.

Young, Robert L.

PRISONERS OF WAR(POW)

Baxter, Donald T.

Britt, Albert J.

Bulman, DuWayne E.

Cassidy, Richard R.

Chevalier, Marvin F.

Fortune, Merrild L.

Gass, Leroy J.

Goeke, George A.

Hagen, Glenn A.

Kappmeyer, John W.

Keenan, Clement J.

Messler, Jack A.

Morrow, Lynn W.

Olloff, Donald L.

O’Malley, Robert J.

Paeper, Donald

Reeder, Dale L.

Ryan, John E.

Vickery, Roy M.

Unterberger, Cletus J.