I joined DAR in 2009 after my family history research identified a Patriot ancestor and I was able to prove lineage and his service. I share DAR's goals of historic preservation, education and patriotism, plus I've met remarkable women and made good friends through DAR membership. My husband, Bill, and I have lived in Orono for nearly 30 years. My hobbies, in addition to genealogy, are quilting, playing piano duets and reading.
The Lake Minnetonka Chapter is proud to announce the winners of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution 2021 essay competition. The annual essay competition is designed to recognize outstanding research and writing talent among middle school students while promoting their enthusiasm for American history.
Wayzata West Middle School student, Grace Li, was awarded first place at the Minnesota state level for grade 8. Wayzata Central Middle School student, Aaratrika Mondal, was awarded first place at the Minnesota state level for grade 7. Wayzata West Middle School student, Tahmid Reza, was awarded first place at the chapter level for grade 6. These talented students will be recognized for their accomplishments at upcoming state and local DAR events.
Students were invited to compose essays inspired by the 250th anniversary of the Boston Massacre. On March 5, 1770, five Massachusetts Bay colonists were killed in a conflict with British soldiers on King Street in Boston. The conflict outraged people across the thirteen American colonies and proved to be a pivotal event leading to the American Revolution. Students were challenged to imagine that they were colonists living in Boston at the time and to describe their family’s discussion after witnessing the horrific events of March 5.
Grace Li wrote her essay from the perspective of a young girl named Cecile Miller living in Boston in 1770. An excerpt from her essay vividly describes her character’s shock at witnessing the scene of the Boston Massacre. “Cecile was walking down the street when the first gunshot rang out. She stumbled forward in surprise and let out a little scream, her basket falling to the ground and the eggs spilling out. Looking around in alarm, she hurriedly picked up her skirts and sprinted as fast as her legs would take her towards the safety of her home.”
The Lake Minnetonka Chapter DAR congratulates these students on their well-earned awards.
In honor of Veterans Day, the Lake Minnetonka Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution awarded Quilts of Valor to four deserving Minnesota veterans whose lives were impacted by war. During socially-distanced ceremonies conducted at the Wayzata City Hall, Chapter Regent, Gigi Hickey, and Mayor Ken Willcox delivered remarks and congratulated the honorees.
Each of the 2020 Quilt of Valor recipients currently resides in the Lake Minnetonka area and is a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. The Purple Heart medal is awarded to members of the U.S. military who have been wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy.
Michael McElhiney of Independence, MN
Andrew Ellerbrock of Mound,MN
David Peterson of Minnetonka, MN
Donovan Nash of Deephaven, MN
Mr. McElhiney and Mr.Ellerbrock received their Quilts of Valor during an event on November 11. To accommodate their personal schedules, Mr. Peterson and Mr. Nash were awarded their quilts at a similar ceremony on October 25.
The Lake Minnetonka Chapter DAR has a long history of supporting veterans. In addition to Quilt of Valor presentations, the chapter has hosted public Veterans Day programs in prior years. Chapter members have also donated hand-crafted face masks, scarves and hats to veterans at the VA Medical Center. Most recently, the chapter hosted a lunch for 41 members of the Cyber Security Unit of the Minnesota National Guard upon their deployment.
2020 DAR Quilt of Valor Recipient Biographies
Michael McElhiney
Mr. McElhiney joined the United States Army shortly after graduating from high school in 1989. Between 1990 and 1994, he was stationed in Schweinfurt, Germany as a member of the 3rd Infantry Division where he achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant and the position of Squad Leader.
Mr. McElhiney attended the Special Forces Selection and Assessment Course and was selected to attend the Special Forces Qualification Course, attend Airborne School, and attend the Persian Farsi Language School at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. Upon successful completion of this training, he was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Airborne Group at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky where he served as the Junior Weapons Sergeant for Operational Detachment Alpha 573, Battalion Assistant Operations Sergeant, and Senior Weapons Sergeant for Operational Detachment Alpha 574.
Shortly after the attacks on 9-11, Mr. McElhiney was deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. His unit was the first group to infiltrate and lead the insurgency in the southern region of the country. The group brought with them Hamid Karzai, who was soon to become president of Afghanistan.
On December 5, 2001, Mr. McElhiney was engaged in a conflict north of Kandahar. Every member of his unit was either killed in action or sustained near fatal wounds. Upon healing from the wounds sustained in this conflict, Mr. McElhiney remained with the 5th Special Forces Airborne Group, serving in Rochester, Minnesota where he applied his experience and expertise in roles such trainer, advisor, First Sergeant, and battalion asset to the Minnesota Army National Guard’s 2-135 Infantry Battalion.
In 2010, Mr. McElhiney retired from the United States Army following over 21 years of active duty service. Among many other well-deserved decorations during his distinguished career, he was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor Device, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.
Now a resident of Independence, Minnesota, Mr. McElhiney currently serves as Chief of Staff at the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.
Andrew Ellerbrock
Mr. Ellerbrock entered the United States Army in 2008 at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. He participated in Operation Enduring Freedom between 2008 and 2011. Responsible for the health and welfare of 40 infantry soldiers, he served as a Line Medic attached to Bravo Company 2/327 Infantry 1st BCT. His duties included treating wounds and administering proper medications, as well as evacuating and treating critical patients. In addition to the direct medical care he provided to his patients, Mr. Ellerbrock was responsible for delivering hands-on training to both American and Afghan soldiers, preparing them to properly treat themselves and others when wounded.
Mr. Ellerbrock currently serves in the Minnesota Army National Guard where he continues to use his extensive medical experience and expertise. He is a member of the Treatment Platoon with the 204th Marine Corps Air Station at Cottage Grove, Minnesota and is in charge of treating casualties with serious injuries and overseeing the medical supply inventory. Additionally, he serves the people of the state of Minnesota with COVID-19 support and participated in Minneapolis riot control this past spring. He actively engages in continued medical training in preparation for future duty obligations.
Mr. Ellerbrock has earned numerous awards and recognitions throughout his military career. Among his is many well-deserved decorations are the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, the Purple Heart, the NATO Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, and the Defense Service Medal.
Mr. Ellerbrock currently resides in Mound, Minnesota.
Gigi Hickey presents QOV to Andrew Ellerbrock
David C. Peterson
Mr. Peterson grew up in the Excelsior area and graduated from Minnetonka High School with the class of 1965. He was drafted into the United States Army in 1967 and was deployed to Vietnam.
Mr. Peterson served in Delta Company, 2/12th, 25th Infantry Division from June 1967 through January 1969. He courageously fought in such dangerous conflicts as The First Battle of Loc Ninh in November 1967, the Tet Offensive in Winter 1968, and The Horseshoe in April 1968.
A natural leader, Mr. Peterson assumed the treacherous role of Company Point Leader and Navigator because, in his words he, “wanted to have some control of his destiny.” In this role, he was responsible for setting the pace and scrutinizing the surroundings for danger as his company trekked through the Vietnamese jungles.
Mr. Peterson related the story of one of these expeditions in his own words recalling, “One day in the dark, dense, triple canopy jungle, I saw something out of place. It was shimmering in the dappled light, shiny and bright red and yellow. I took my time trying to determine whether it was a very appealing booby trap. Churchill, my back up man Friday, quietly asked about the situation. I told him to back off and be patient, as with one little misstep we could be blown to smithereens. Was the object real, a gift from heaven, or diabolically deadly? I grabbed the shiny packet with shaking hands. I peeled the wrapper and took a bite. Oh, sweet Jesus! Returning to Churchill, I reported, ‘We’re SAFE!’ Puzzled, he looked at me and said, ‘You smell like garlic.’ Smiling from ear to ear, I handed him the Slim Jim wrapper and said, ‘Somebody up there loves me!’”
Mr. Peterson, known to his colleagues as “Sergeant Pete,” currently resides in Minnetonka, Minnesota, where he opens his home and heart to support other Vietnam veterans as they “share each other’s struggles.” While he is too modest to share that he was awarded a Purple Heart himself, he is quick to say that most of his best friends are Purple Heart recipients. He states, “Vietnam and the army framed my life. Most of us young men of draft age growing up in the 1960’s didn’t have many choices. Patriotism and the call to serve was our coming of age story.” He feels both lucky and humble to have survived his ordeal in Vietnam. He proudly says, “To have bled and survived for your country is an honor.” And remembering his 32 compatriots killed in action he adds, “To have died for one’s country is the ultimate act of patriotism.”
L to R: Mayor Ken Willcox, Karen Peterson, Veteran David Peterson, DAR Chapter Regent Gigi Hickey
Donovan Nash
Mr. Nash hails from a family who valued military service to their country. Following the example of his father and other family members, he voluntarily enlisted in the United States Army in 1966. After completing advanced inventory training and receiving his security clearance, he was sent to Vietnam in December at the age of 20.
Immediately upon his arrival on New Year’s Day, Mr. Nash was transported by helicopter to join his unit which was already engaged in combat. Despite having just arrived, he secured a truck and drove straight into the middle of the conflict to rescue the wounded. The friend accompanying him in the truck declared that he must be crazy to drive directly into the line of fire, but Mr. Nash selflessly replied, “Not at all. We have to go out there and save our comrades or they won’t survive!” The comrades he saved survived to express their heartfelt gratitude for the rare combination of compassion and courage Mr. Nash displayed on that dreadful New Year’s Day.
Having so nobly performed his first mission, Mr. Nash participated in many maneuvers in formerly French controlled areas of Vietnam as part of a special unit called the “Black Scarf Battalion.” Ultimately, he was assigned to the Long-Range Reconnaissance group. As part of this special group, Mr. Nash was secretly helicoptered in to explore remote areas of jungle. These missions resulted in identifying and securing places to set up new base camps. The men participating in these highly dangerous missions were dropped off alone for several days and instructed to avoid all communication with each other – and with the enemy – until they met again at the landing strip designated as their rendezvous point. If they did come into contact with the enemy, they were ordered to “run like heck out of there!”
Due to his exposure to the elements on those missions, Mr. Nash developed pneumonia. On what would become his final mission to explore old North Vietnamese bunkers, he and his unit were caught in an ambush. Tragically, 47 of the 50 men on that mission perished. Mr. Nash was shot by enemy fire and fell unconscious into a bunker, out of sight of the enemy. Though gravely wounded, he experienced incredible peace and what he describes as “a perfect light in a tunnel full of beautiful angels floating around.” But he also recalls learning that this was not his time to die.
His next memory was waking up in a Japanese hospital 30 days later. He has no memory of his rescue. He was subsequently sent to several hospitals in the U.S. to treat his near fatal wounds.
Though in excruciating pain from injuries sustained on his last mission to those North Vietnamese bunkers, Mr. Nash was determined to continue his service. Fighting through his pain and never feeling sorry for himself, he bravely served at Fort Leavenworth in Missouri where every two weeks, he oversaw the development of a new platoon of recruits.
Mr. Nash now resides in Deephaven, Minnesota.
L to R: Mayor Ken Willcox, Caren Nash, Veteran Donovan Nash, DAR Chapter Regent Gigi Hickey
Birchview Elementary is the enthusiastic recipient of a Little Free Library donated by the Lake Minnetonka Chapter DAR. Members were on hand at the school to celebrate the library’s grand opening on October 11, coinciding with the 130th anniversary of the DAR.
Birchview Elementary teacher and DAR member, Rebecca Wilkens, says, “We are so excited to have a Little Free Library at Birchview to give all our families free and easy access to books.” According to the school’s website, Birchview is prepared to flex between in-person, distance, and hybrid learning situations during the 2020-2021 school year based on COVID trends. Wilkens adds that, “Students involved in distance learning are required to read twenty minutes a day and will appreciate now having a safe way to choose new books to read.”
“Our DAR chapter believes that one way to a better world is education,” says Chapter Regent, Gigi Hickey. She further states, “We want to encourage literacy and the love of reading by sharing our passion for history and providing a great selection of fun and interesting books.”
Members donated their favorite children’s books to stock the bright blue, two-story library box. While the focus will be on children’s books, the library also features books for adults.
The library is already a hit in the neighborhood. A family spotted the grand opening event when out for a walk and chose a selection of books for their 2nd grade son.
The Little Free Library donation is the DAR’s most recent effort to promote education. The chapter has historically supported students with scholarship awards, essay contests, and by volunteering their time with tutoring and in-class reading.
Orono Mayor, Denny Walsh, issued a public proclamation at the September 14 City Council in honor of Constitution Week. The proclamation encourages residents to read the Constitution and reflect on the privilege of being an American with all the rights and responsibilities which that privilege involves.
The Constitution was framed at the Constitutional Convention held between May 14 and September 17, 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Known to historians as the “100-day debate,” the convention’s purpose was to determine how America would be governed. The original intent was to simply revise the Articles of Confederation. However, outspoken delegates such as Alexander Hamilton and James Madison brought ideas to recraft the national government instead.
The outcome of the convention was one of the most powerful and influential legal documents in the world. The U.S. Constitution is now one of the world’s oldest surviving constitutions. Since its creation 233 years ago, more than 100 countries have used the U.S. Constitution as a basis for their own constitutions.
The original Constitution has been on display in the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. since 1952. The document is displayed behind protective glass framed with titanium in cases containing argon gas and kept at 67 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of 40 percent to protect the parchment from deterioration.
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution initiated Constitution Week in 1955, when the organization petitioned the U.S. Congress to dedicate September 17–23 of each year to the commemoration of Constitution Week. Congress adopted the resolution, and on August 2, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into Public Law #915.
The Lake Minnetonka Chapter DAR is delighted to join Mayor Walsh in recognizing the importance of this foundational document in American government. “Constitution Week is a good time to learn more about the Constitution and its impact on the American way of life,” states Chapter Regent, Gigi Hickey. “We are grateful to Mayor Walsh for his enthusiasm in commemorating and celebrating the Constitution and the historic events that led to its writing.” The Chapter has historically promoted Constitution Week by distributing pocket copies of the document and sponsoring educational events such as a U.S. Constitution poster contest for area elementary students.
One of the largest patriotic women’s organizations in the world, DAR has more than 185,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters across the country and several foreign countries. DAR members promote historic preservation, education and patriotism via commemorative events, scholarships and educational initiatives, citizenship programs, service to veterans, meaningful community service and more. For additional information about DAR and its relevant mission, visit www.dar.org.
Pictured left to right: Vice Regent Michelle White, Orono Mayor Denny Walsh, Regent Gigi Hickey
The Constitutional Convention
Did You Know?
·Discussions during the convention continued from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. six days a week, with only a 10-day break.
·The debate between large and small states over popular representation was resolved by a proposal from Connecticut delegate, Roger Sherman, that called for proportional representation in the House, and one representative (later changed to two) per state in the Senate. This compromise passed 5 to 4, with one state, Massachusetts, divided.
·The original Constitution failed to articulate requirements for the right to vote. As a result, only white male property-owners could vote until later amendments were ratified. African American men were granted the right to vote in the 15th amendment, ratified in 1870. Women were granted the right to vote in the 19th amendment ratified in 1920. And Native Americans were granted the right to vote in in 1924 with the passage of the Snyder Act which guarantee their U.S. citizenship and therefore the right to vote under the provisions of the 15th amendment.
·The oldest person to sign the Constitution was Benjamin Franklin, aged 81, and the youngest was Jonathan Dayton of New Jersey, aged 26.
·The final Constitution was hand-written by Pennsylvania General Assembly Clerk, Jacob Shallus, for a fee of $30.
·George Washington and James Madison were the only presidents who signed the Constitution.
·The Constitution contains 4,543 words, including the signatures and has four sheets, 28 3/4 inches by 23 5/8 inches each. It contains 7,591 words including the 27 amendments.
·At the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin observed the symbol of a half-sun on George Washington’s chair and remarked, “I have the happiness to know that it is a rising and not a setting sun.”
Long Lake resident and Orono High School graduate, Meghan Flannery, has been selected as the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Outstanding Junior by her Lake Minnetonka Chapter. Flannery earned this honor for her outstanding leadership, community service, and dedication to the preservation of local history.
Flannery’s extraordinary community and DAR service stems from her history-centered life mission. “It is my mission to educate the public about history and share our common heritage,” says Flannery. Her deep love of American history goes back to her childhood when she and her mother took historic trips together. The pair enjoyed many historical adventures, exploring such places as the Lewis and Clark Trail and Revolutionary War sites. Flannery has fond memories of a trip to Mount Vernon where she began a life-long interest in the career of George Washington. After graduating from Orono High School in 2011, she attended the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University where she pursued her love of history by earning a B.A. in History with a minor in Communications. She chose George Washington as the subject of her senior thesis. “I admire his strong moral code and the importance he placed on civic responsibilities of all citizens in a republic,” reflects Flannery.
Inspired by Washington as her role model, Flannery takes her civic responsibilities seriously. She is currently Curatorial Assistant at the Edina Historical Society where she undertook the multi-year task of completing an exhaustive collections and archives inventory. She catalogued and photographed objects and archival documents for future generations to enjoy and study. She acquired the talents necessary for this extensive undertaking from experience in impressive prior positions at the College of St. Benedict Archives, Stearns History Museum, Rethos, and the Carver County Historical Society.
Flannery’s commitment to civic responsibly extends to her volunteer community work as well. She has held several important leadership positions on the Board of the Lake Minnetonka DAR. She serves on the Membership Committee, assists prospective members in researching their lineage to Revolutionary patriots, and serves as a colonial costumed reenactor portraying Revolutionary heroine, Sarah Osborne Benjamin, who courageously brought much needed food and supplies to the front lines of George Washington’s Army. And, of course, Flannery serves as Chapter Historian, caring for the organization’s archives. Of her DAR work, Flannery says, “I enjoy all the different ways I can promote American history in the local community.”
Flannery became interested in the DAR when she discovered that she has patriot ancestors on her father’s side of the family. She is descended from Bartholomew “Long Bart” Somers who is her 5th great grandfather. Somers marched from his home in Rygate, Vermont to New York to participate in the famous American victory at the Battle of Saratoga. The Ryegate town records hold the story of how Somers courageously volunteered to swim across the Hudson River to steal the first of several critical British supply boats. Flannery says with understandable pride, “I like to think that without these vital supplies, British General Burgoyne could not hold out much longer and was forced to surrender.”
Flannery also brings her historical talents to the work of her parish, the Church of St. George in Long Lake. She meticulously researched and drafted the parish’s history in preparation for the its centennial celebrations in 2016. “I am fascinated by how St. George has changed and grown though its 100-year history,” says Flannery. She also enjoys serving as the publicity chair for the parish’s annual Corn Days Festival. “I love spreading the word about Corn Days, a festival that has always been a fun hometown party,” declares Flannery.
Despite the already impressive accomplishments in her historical career, Flannery has even higher aspirations. This fall, she will attend the University of Loyola in Chicago to pursue a master’s degree in Public History. This deserving and dedicated young lady declares, “I am enthusiastic to continue developing my abilities as a public historian and museum professional.” Reflecting on her life mission, she states, “I strive to use my academic and professional talents to preserve precious historical resources and encourage everyone to be involved in the pursuit of history by telling and sharing their stories.”
The Lake Minnetonka Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution congratulates Meghan on her selection as Outstanding Junior and wish her future success as she embarks on new historical adventures and writes the next chapter of her own historical story.
Meghan Flannery, Lake Minnetonka NSDAR Chapter Outstanding Junior
As a reaction to the COVID-19 crisis and national face mask shortage, hospitals throughout the country have issued pleas for home sewers to donate masks made from fabric. A local organization requesting help was the Minneapolis Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center, where the Lake Minnetonka DAR Chapter has already been donating hand-knitted/crocheted scarves for veterans.
Several of our members immediately responded to the VA request, turned to their fabric stashes and began sewing masks.
Below are photos of the first face mask shipments mailed off to the VA Medical Center.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), fabric masks are a crisis response option. Ideally the masks are used by health care professionals in combination with a face shield or by hospital staff not directly involved with patient care. However the shortage may grow so severe that a fabric mask is the only protection between medical personnel and patients tested positive for the virus.
CDC guidelines now state Americans should consider wearing face masks to prevent the spread of the virus, not necessarily to protect the wearer but to prevent transmission from infected people who still are not showing symptoms.
A variety of face mask patterns are available online. The one pictured here was the type specified by the VA: tightly-woven cotton rectangles, backed in flannel, with thin elastic straps to circle the ears. An unfortunate result of all the DIY masks being sewn was a skyrocketing demand for elastic, which quickly came to be in short supply. Sewers responded by creating masks with long ties.
Local DAR members have joined Daughters across the country to “put the pedal to the metal” on their sewing machines and donate thousands of face masks. Thank you to all who’ve participated!
We continue to be deeply grateful to all medical personnel and first-responders who are risking their health to serve the public during the coronavirus epidemic. We pray the homemade face masks will make a difference.
The Lake Minnetonka Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution is proud to announce the deserving winners of its 2020 student competitions. Each year the DAR honors students with awards that recognize their enthusiasm for American history as writers, their academic accomplishments as students, and their passion for community service as young leaders.
Middle school students were invited to compose essays related to “The Voyage of the Mayflower,” in honor of the event’s 400th anniversary. This year’s sixth-grade winner is Spencer Wang who chose to write about the passengers bound for the new world aboard the ship, Speedwell. The Speedwell was forced to return to England after developing leaks 300 miles into its journey after which some of its determined passengers ultimately joined those on the already crowded Mayflower instead. The seventh-grade winner is Yuv Magan who chose to write about the social aspects of the Mayflower’s voyage. Yuv discussed the problems of illness and boredom experienced by the ship’s passengers during the voyage, as well as their experience meeting and interacting with indigenous people upon their arrival. Emmaline Wang is this year’s eighth-grade winner. Emmaline chose to write from the perspective of a passenger keeping a diary aboard the Mayflower. She described the jubilant emotions her diary-keeper must have felt when arriving at the new world on November 9, 1620. These three essay competition winners all attend Wayzata Middle School.
Wayzata High School’s Alice Cerney is the 2020 winner of the prestigious DAR Good Citizenship Award. This special recognition is given to an academically accomplished student who is recognized by her teachers as a leader, a hard worker, and a generous community volunteer. Candidates for this award must submit their grades, document their extra-curricular activities, and write a short perspective on the meaning of the DAR’s values of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism. Additionally, students were given two hours to write a 550-word response to the essay prompt, “How would you energize America’s youth to fully engage as effective citizens?” Based on her experience helping to plan and execute an event that provided healthy meals for families in need, Alice’s essay focused on the importance of engaging young leaders through meaningful community service. Already a licensed pilot, Alice plans to take her leadership skills to the University of North Dakota where she will study commercial aviation.
Wayzata High School senior, Rhynn Paulsen, is the recipient of the Lake Minnetonka Chapter DAR scholarship award. Winners of this award are chosen for their academic achievement, leadership in extra-curricular activities, and the student’s intention to pursue a career that benefits society. Rhynn has developed an empathy for people experiencing chronic pain based on her personal experience with a loved one. She intends to go into the medical field and says that she hopes to become the kind of doctor who “really listens to her patients” and “doesn’t stop looking for a cure” for the pain they experience.
The Lake Minnetonka Chapter DAR congratulates each of these students on their accomplishments and wishes them well in their future leadership pursuits.
America is poised to honor the brave men and women who served in the Vietnam War during the observance of National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29. The purpose of the observance is to express our deep gratitude for those who courageously served and sacrificed during the Vietnam War. This special day was first observed as a one-time event in 2012 to launch The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration, a 13-year-long celebration honoring these veterans across the 50th anniversary milestones of the war. The day has since been officially designated as an annual observance through the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017. The Lake Minnetonka Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) is a proud partner of the Commemoration and encourages the public to honor the men and women who served.
America’s involvement in the Vietnam war spanned twenty years, from 1955 to 1975, and six United States presidents, from Truman to Ford. As part of his foreign policy of Communist containment, President Truman sparked America’s involvement with a promise of support to the South Vietnamese government against Communist North Vietnamese attack. Subsequently, President Eisenhower sent military advisors and CIA operatives in 1955, President Kennedy followed by sending the first American troops, and President Johnson ordered the first combat involving U.S. soldiers. President Nixon signed the cease fire ending formal hostilities in 1973 and President Ford announced the close of America’s official involvement in the war in 1975. Communist forces ultimately overtook South Vietnam later that year.
The Vietnam War was, and continues to be, a particularly grueling one for its veterans. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2,700,000 men and women served in the war. Nearly 60,000 gave their lives in service to their country. These veterans served under extremely difficult conditions characterized by a hostile climate conducive to tropical diseases and by ambush attacks from an unconventional enemy who blended in with the civilian population. Despite strong initial support by Congress and the public, skepticism and opposition erupted as Americans watched the realities of the war in graphic television coverage. As a result, Vietnam veterans did not return home to a hero’s welcome.
This tragedy is compounded by the fact that many veterans continue to suffer from the after-effects of their service. In addition to post traumatic stress that can accompany combat experience, many have developed health issues as a result of their exposure to Agent Orange and other chemicals sprayed to demolish the jungle foliage that hid the enemy. Following studies commissioned by the United States Congress and released in 1996, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs now recognizes no fewer than eight medical conditions directly related to veterans’ exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides used during the Vietnam War.
The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration of 2012 and Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 are both intended to give these veterans the belated honor, respect, and gratitude they deserve. Beginning in 2012, the Lake Minnetonka Chapter has hosted a Veterans Day Celebration each November and has decorated Wayzata’s Heritage Park with flags. Vietnam veterans have received special recognition at this event, including a lapel pin designed as part of the 2012 Commemoration efforts. Two Vietnam Veterans have been awarded hand crafted Quilts of Valor to recognize their contributions. The Chapter provides ongoing support to veterans by contributing special items identified as needs by the V.A. Medical Center and the Minnesota Veterans Home. Chapter members continue to donate hand-knit scarves and hats to the V.A. Medical Center as part of the National WWII Museum’s “Knit Your Bit” project.
“Many in our chapter have family members who served in the military,” says Lake Minnetonka Chapter Regent, Gigi Hickey. “It’s very important to us to remember and honor their sacrifices.” One of those chapter members is Vice Regent, Michelle White, whose father is a Vietnam War veteran and served in the United States Air Force as a crew chief on a B-52 bomber. Michelle says, “I am delighted to have an official way to celebrate his service on March 29th every year.” She adds, “I am pleased to be part of an organization like the Daughters of the American Revolution that has patriotism as one of its pillars. To me, honoring veterans is the essence of patriotism.”
The Lake Minnetonka Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution invites you to join them in flying an American flag on March 29 to honor our Vietnam War veterans. If you’d like to learn more about the Vietnam War Commemoration, please visit their website at https://www.vietnamwar50th.com.
The Lake Minnetonka Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution has proudly presented the DAR Community Service Award to the Wayzata American Legion Post 118. The DAR award was designed to recognize individuals and groups who have contributed to their communities in an outstanding voluntary, heroic, civil or benevolent manner.
The American Legion’s community service pillars include veterans’ affairs, national security, patriotism and youth. To those ends, the Wayzata American Legion quietly serves and supports its local veterans living in assisted living homes and sponsors local youth programs. Regent Gigi Hickey was on hand to present the award to Noel “Buck” Doran, Post Commander and 50-year member of the Wayzata American Legion, at the organization’s 100th anniversary celebration.
