Posted: 7/12/07
Caledonia veterans impressed by outpouring of thanks by public
 These three World War II veterans from Caledonia attended the dedication of the war memorial in St. Paul on June 9. They are, from left, Russ Krech, Stanley Engen, and Gerald Noel. Photo by Charlie Warner |
By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
"I was surprised so many turned out to thank us. It was overwhelming. I had a 12-year-old boy come up to me and personally thank me. My wife said she has never seen me as excited as I was during the dedication. I wanted to talk to each and every World War II vet there."
Thatís the way Stanley Engen described the World War II Memorial dedication, held June 9 in St. Paul. Engen, Gerald (Jug) Noel and Russ Krech, all WW II vets from Caledonia, attended the dedication. Over 22,000 persons turned out for the dedication ceremony, including thousands WW II vets.
Krech agreed with Engen the outpouring of thanks by the massive crowd was really something. But the highlight for the former Houston County Extension agent was when he was able to visit with Charles Lindberg and shake his hand. Lindberg was the only U.S. Marine still living who helped post the first American flag on Iwo Jima during the war in the Pacific. Lindberg passed away on June 25, just 16 days after he and his comrades in arms were honored near the State Capitol in St. Paul.
"That was really something getting a chance to talk to Lindberg and shake his hand," Krech said. "On thing I thought was so amazing about the day was how respectful everyone was for the memorial and the state grounds. There were over 22,000 people there that day, and I read that following the dedication, after everyone had left, there was less than one garbage bag of garbage left behind. That says a lot for the people who were there. Can you imagine how much garbage would be left behind for just about any other type of function involving 22,000 people?"
Noel, who traveled to the dedication in St. Paul with Engen and a busload of veterans from the La Crescent area, said he was amazed at how many people turned out for the event. "There were so many people, it was hard to see the memorial. I saw Charles Lindberg too, but never got close enough to shake his hand."
Engen was drafted in the U.S. Army and served three years in the European Theater. Krech enlisted in the U.S. Navy in December 1943 and served in the engine rooms of the USS Karnes until he was discharged in July, 1946. Noel was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1944 and served two years in the Pacific.
The bill to create the World War II Memorial was authored by state Representatives Bernie Liedere and Irv Anderson, both WW II vets. The project got underway in June 2006 and was completed 11 months later at a cost of $1,376,000.
Memorials for those serving during the Korean and Vietnam wars had been erected years before the World War II Memorial. When asked why it took so long for those who fought in WW II to be recognized, none of the three Caledonia veterans answered.
"Iím just glad the memorial was built and that I was able to be part of it," Engen said.
"When youíre young, you think life is eternal, that youíre going to live forever. But when you get older, you see that youíre not. So many kids didnít make it back. They had their entire lives in front of them," Krech added.
More than 326,000 Minnesotans of all races and religions served in the armed forces of the United States during the Second World War. More than 6,000 gave their lives. Ten were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. An estimated 47,000 Minnesota veterans of WW II are living.
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