Memorial Day events return from pandemic

By TOM LAVENTURE

[email protected]

Area posts of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars are again hosting Memorial Day events as the pandemic rules now allow for most outdoor and indoor events.

The Ironwood Joint Memorial Day Committee to include Ironwood American Legion Post 5, will start Memorial Day with a 10 a.m. parade moving west from the Memorial Building down McLeod Avenue to Suffolk Street, then north to Ayer Street, where wreaths will be presented with buglers. The parade will continue west to Lowell Street, then north to Broadway Street to the mausoleum at Riverside Cemetery to conclude the event.

Bessemer American Legion Post 27, and VFW Post 3673, will host a 9 a.m. service at Hillcrest Cemetery, or at A.D. Johnston School in the event of rain. The program will include the Bessemer High School band and remarks from Al Geis, an honor guard headed by Irv Mattson, and refreshments following ceremonies at the Legion post.

VFW post 3673 will be putting flags on veterans graves at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 29. To volunteer contact Donna Frello, post commander, at 906-285-2006.

Wakefield American Legion Post 11, and VFW Post 9084, will host a 9:30 a.m. service at Lakeside Cemetery. Members will lead a march from Nunnemacher Street and Cemetery Road into the cemetery. Post 11 Commander Russel Korpi will provide remarks and lead the ceremony. The Legion and VFW will conduct a flag planting for veteran graves at Lakeside Cemetery on Saturday. Volunteers can meet at the VFW at 8:30 a.m. or call 906-224-3071 for more information.

Carleton McNicholas American Legion Post 523 will lead the 11:30 a.m. service at the Marenisco Cemetery. In the event of rain the program will be held at Marenisco Township Hall.

The public is encouraged to attend the service in memory of fallen veterans and deceased comrades. A post firing squad will provide a rifle salute along with buglers.

Post Commander John Zorich will follow by leading the pledge of allegiance and provide remarks. Post chaplain Bruce Mahler will provide a memorial prayer and veterans service along with remarks.

The Wakefield-Marenisco Band under the direction of Isaac Boehnlein will perform the "Star-Spangled Banner," along with other music selections.

Watersmeet American Legion Post 417 will host a 10 a.m. service at the Watersmeet Township Cemetery.

Over in Ontonagon County the Ontonagon VFW Post 5600 will provide ceremonies in various communities. The events start with a 9 a.m. (EST) ceremony at the Veteran Memorial Monument in downtown Ontonagon. There will be a presentation of flags, bugler and rifle squad along with the Ontonagon Area School District Band.

The post will continue with ceremonies at 9:20 a.m. (EST) in Riverside Cemetery; 9:40 a.m. at Ontonagon Marina; 10 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Cemetery; 10:20 a.m. at Evergreen Cemetery; noon at Rousseau Cemetery, and 1 p.m. at Maple Grove Cemetery in Greenland.

A luncheon at VFW Post 5600 in Ontonagon will follow the ceremonies at 1:45 p.m.

The Rockland American Legion Milton G. Preiss Post 92 will hold wreath laying, rifle squad and bugle ceremonies starting at 10 a.m. (EST) at Irish Hollow Cemetery; a 10:15 a.m. ceremony and program at the Ontonagon County Veterans Memorial, followed by a 10:30 a.m. parade down National Avenue to Woodland Cemetery for an 11 a.m. ceremony to include remarks from the Rev. Mike Laako, a retired pastor and U.S. Air Force veteran.

The American Legion Auxiliary will host a noon luncheon at the Rockland Town Hall, The hall will also be the alternative site for the ceremonies in the event of rain.

"The whole town comes out," said Post 92 Commander Howie Seid, a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel. "There is nothing more beautiful than that cemetery on the morning of Memorial Day, it's absolutely gorgeous," he said of the flags and services.

White Pine American Legion Post 462 will hold a 10 a.m. ceremony at Green Cemetery to include an honor guard, rifle squad and bugler. A luncheon will follow an 11 a.m. ceremony at the Legion post.

Former post commander Ron Howard, a U.S. Army veteran, will provide remarks at the ceremonies.

Over in Iron County, the Hurley American Legion Post 58, VFW Post 1580, and Vietnam Veterans of American Gogebic-Iron Chapter 529, will host an 11 a.m. service at Hurley Cemetery, or at the Hurley Memorial Building in the event of rain.

The invocation and benediction will be provided by the Rev. Frank Kordek, pastor of St. Mary of the Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Hurley. The ceremony will include the roll of deceased veterans, the decoration of the cross, a rifle squad and bugler.

Larry Youngs, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, will serve as master of ceremony, and will provide remarks along with Logan Dahlbacka, a Marine Corps veteran with service in Afghanistan, who is now a deputy with the Iron County SherifI's Office.

Dahlbacka joined the Marines after graduating high school in Bessemer in 2008. He served as a machine gunner and infantryman with the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division and deployed to the Helmand province of Afghanistan in 2009. He served a second tour in Afghanistan with a scout sniper platoon in 2011.

American Legion Mercier-Kero Post 371 Saxon will provide a 10:30 a.m. service at Edgewood Cemetery in Gurney, followed by an 11 a.m. service at Lakeview Cemetery in Saxon. There will not be the traditional potluck lunch following this year's ceremonies due to ongoing concerns with pandemic restrictions on indoor events, said Denny Smith, post commander.

"It is just a ceremony with some brief remarks from post members this year," Smith said.

Mercer/Manitowish Waters American Legion Post 424, and VFW Post 9536, will take part in a 10 a.m. service at Mercer Cemetery, with an 11:30 a.m. service to follow at Pine Lawn Cemetery in Manitowish Waters. The guest speaker this year is Col. Michael Biszak, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret).

Biszak is a UW-Platteville graduate and served as an infantry officer who deployed seven times to the Western Pacific and Iraq. He also served at NORAD-US Northern Command.

Biszak was awarded the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal and numerous personal and unit awards. He retired after 27 years of service in 2013, before serving as the Vilas County Veterans Service Officer for six years and is currently the District 3 Vilas County Supervisor.