Star Eagle Thursday, May 23, 2013 19

MEMORIAL DAYMAY 27, 2013

Memorial Day EventsVeterans organizations will celebrate

Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, 2013 in

accordance with the following schedule.

Please set aside time to attend one of these

featured events in commemoration of those

who have and are currently serving our

country in the military. As citizens of the

United States of America, we especially

pay tribute to those who have given the

ultimate sacrifice of life so we may experi-

ence freedom in the United States of

America.

Waldorf

The Waldorf American Legion Post #587

Memorial Day program will be held at

10:15 a.m. at the Waldorf Community

Center located on Main Street. Guest

Speaker will be Terry Ziemke, a Vietman

Veteran. There will be Readings and Music

selections by the JWP High School

Students. The program will be followed by

a parade to the Community and First

Lutheran Church Cemeteries for graveside

services. A potluck dinner will be held at

noon at the Community Center. Everyone

welcome.

New RichlandAt 8:30 a.m. all veterans and those who

wish to visit area cemeteries assemble at

the Legion building. Cemeteries will be

visited in the following order: Calvary, St.

Peter, St. Olaf, LeSueur, Vista Lutheran

and Vista Covenant. At 10:45, units are to

assemble at NR City Hall for the parade to

Central Park.

The Memorial Day Ceremony will begin

at 11 a.m. in the park. Pastor Paul Andree

will give the invocation. Philip Hodapp,

retired Minnesota State Trooper, will be the

keynote speaker. The NRHEG High School

band will provide the music. A chicken din-

ner will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church

following the program.

Ellendale and Geneva

American Legion Post #296 and Veterans

of Foreign War Post #8941 will provide

Memorial Day Services on Monday, May

27, 2013 at the following times and loca-

tions, weather permitting:

8:15 Holy Trinity Cemetery, Litomysl

9:15 St. Aiden's Cemetery, Bath

10:15 Geneva Community Cemetery,

Geneva

11:15 First Lutheran Church Cemetery,

rural Ellendale

The American Legion and VFW Posts

will provide an honor guard and firing

squad at all locations. A commemorative

message will be delivered at the Geneva

and rural Ellendale locations, as well as,

several selections by the NRHEG Middle

School Band under the direction of Mr.

Frank Whitcomb. The school band faithful-

ly provides inspiring selections which are

appreciated by all who attend. Pastor

Richard Sliper from First Lutheran will

deliver the Invocation and Benediction.

All area service men and women, both

veterans and active duty personnel alike,

are asked to join the ranks, whether you

have participated in the past or not. Meet at

the Ellendale Community Building at 7:45

a.m. If you have any questions please con-

tact Roger Shaunce (507-383-3750) or

Larry Otto (507-475-1023).

HartlandMemorial Day services at Hartland will

begin with a parade from the bank corner to

Cross of Glory Church at 9 a.m. The speak-

er will be Jim Johnson.

Clarks GroveMemorial Day Services will be held at

the First Baptist Church Cemetery, rural

Clarks Grove, on Monday, May 27th.

beginning at 9:00 a.m.

The Clarks Grove Boy Scout Troup #

219, led by Scoutmaster, Mike Rudau, will

conduct the flag raising ceremony. Richard

Nelson will lead the morning program and

Pastor Jamie Cameron will provide the

morning message. Doug Rudau will play

"Taps" as the Colors are retired.

Area Memorial Day ceremonies

20 Thursday, May 23, 2013 Star Eagle

MEMORIAL DAY • MAY 27, 2013

Lyle Byrne Donald Peterson Thomas Ribbe Laurence Supalla

Harry A. Anderson Robert Arnfelt Terence Babcock Ralph Baker

Glen Bakken Oscar “Buddy” Berg Sylvan Berg George Billing

Robert Billing Andrew Borgen Frank Bruzek Lawrence Bruzek

Dennis Byrne Neil Christenson Gary Churchill Russell Krueger

Star Eagle Thursday, May 23, 2013 21

MEMORIAL DAY • MAY 27, 2013

124 years of Service

George Clunis Melvin Demmer Richard Dinneen Don Eustice

Howard Fischer Armand Fox Herbert Hatle Kenneth Kelleher

Gene Nelson Jacob Neubauer George Olds Gerhardt Proehl

John Ratigan Paul Romine Charles Root Vernon Root

Warren Rudolph Arnold Schember Ewald Schlaak

22 Thursday, May 23, 2013 Star Eagle

MEMORIAL DAY • MAY 27, 2013

BY KATHY PAULSENStaff Writer

People you come in contact with every day, may have stories

in their past that would amaze you.

One of these stories is about Ed Reiss, who with his wife,

Gwen, have lived in Ellendale for the past 28 years.

Edward Herman Reiss was first of the four boys in the Herman

and Rosella Reiss family to serve his country. Second oldest, Ed

served from 1965 to 1967. Gerald, the third son, served from

1967-1969. Lawrence, the youngest, served from 1969-1971,

and Paul, the eldest, served from 1972-1974. Everyone except

Paul served in Vietnam.

Paul currently lives in Palm Springs, California. Gerald lives

in his hometown of Charles City. Ed lives in Ellendale.

Lawrence died seven years ago from pancreatic cancer. The sur-

geons performing surgery on Lawrence in October discovered

cancer, closed him up, and he died two months later.

Ed says that Lawrence’s ninth grandchild, who was one year

old at the time he passed away, looks exactly like his grandpa.

The Reiss family also had one more boy, Donald. He was

killed in a tractor accident back in 1975, when he was only 15

years old.

Through a strange twist of fate, Ed Reiss, who is a quiet man

and has never talked much about "Nam," has a story to tell.

Ed put his Purple Heart, along with all of the medals he had

earned during his tour of duty with the Army, in a plastic bag

when he was discharged. They were stolen from him, over 45

years ago.

General George Washington established the first United States

military decoration back in 1782. He awarded his soldiers the

"Badge of Military Merit," the Purple Heart, for acts of unusual

bravery. After the Revolutionary War, the Purple Heart was not

used again until 1932.

Now the Purple Heart is awarded to any member of the armed

forces wounded in action against an enemy. The first Purple

Heart decoration was simply a silk or cloth heart of purple

trimmed with white lace. The decoration awarded today is a

heart-shaped medal of purple enamel on bronze with a profile

heart of the Revolutionary Army.

Ed’s Purple Heart was presented to him on June 19 of 1967, at

Pleiku, Vietnam, and has his name, Edward H. Reiss, inscribed

on the back.

Ed’s injuries occurred while driving the truck back to camp.

Hit by a land mine, the truck became airborne, and traveled 3 1/2

lengths before it came back to earth.

A gunner was riding along with him, and he flew out the win-

dow when they were hit. The steering wheel helped keep Ed in

the truck.

Ed wore a steel helmet, and his head pushed up the roof of the

2 1/2 ton army truck.

Ed sustained several injuries, including chest, head and mouth

injuries, and injuries to two lower vertebrae in his back, two ver-

tebrae in his neck, and damage to his right leg.

Ed had to have stitches inside his mouth, and the doctors used

a type of "liquid band aid" on the outside of his lip. Ed’s mouth

continued to bleed for several days following his injury, and he

could hardly move for several days. He was given first aid,

including stitches inside his mouth. He also had to have shrap-

nel removed from his right leg.

Believe it or not, just one day after he sustained his injuries he

was called back to combat.

Once they were discharged from the service, Ed says, the men

quickly bought civilian clothes and a hat or cap to cover their

short haircuts, so people wouldn't know they had been in the

military.

Ed took a bus back home to Charles City, Iowa, walked the

half-mile home from the bus station, and was greeted by his dog,

who bit him. Ed had been gone for two years, and the dog no

longer recognized him.

Ed never talked about the medals he had been awarded, but

through a strange fate after 45 years, he received a call from a

Bill Reese, from Haymarket, Virginia, who informed him that he

had found, by chance, a box in a dresser his sister had used,

when they were disposing of things after his parents died in

Dallas, Texas.

The box contained several medals including a Purple Heart

which had the name Edward H. Reiss inscribed on the back. Bill

was interested enough in his find to spend over two years trying

to locate this man, Edward H. Reiss, so that he could return his

Purple Heart to him.

Searching the Internet, Bill was finally able to find the where-

abouts of an Edward H. Reiss. Bill called and talked with Ed for

only 15 minutes, but did learn that he had located the correct

man, and got Ed’s current address. On January 25 of this year,

Bill sent a package containing Ed’s Purple Heart, and several

other medals, along with a letter.

The letter said, "Thank you for your service and sacrifices dur-

ing the Vietnam War. Although I was a child at the time, I have

several friends who also served in that war and I understand

some of the troubles you faced coming back.”

War medals are returned after 45 years

THE PURPLE HEART – “Badge of Military Merit”was created by General George Washington to honoracts of bravery in combat.

LONG LOST MEDALS – Ed Reiss of Ellendale displayshis war medals which were stolen from him 45 years ago,and just recently returned.

In Memoryof All Those Who Served