The Spring Grove Area Veterans Memorial, LLC
New Feature In Progress -- Veterans Biographies
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The SGAVMG his begun a program to enable the public to view veterans’ pictures, military history and biographies by using existing internet communications in the city park.
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Log onto our website at https://www.springgroveveteransmemorial.org and navigate to the Veterans Biographies tab at the top of the page.
New Names for 2023
The Spring Grove Veterans Memorial Group, LLC, is pleased to announce that we are adding three new names to the Spring Grove Veterans Memorial located in Viking Memorial Park.
As of 2/1/2023
Korea and 1950s:
Charles E. Peterson
Vietnam
Roger O. Lanswerk
Lebanon, Grenada, Panama 1976 – 1989
Rosemarie F. Ulven
New Names for 2022
The Spring Grove Veterans Memorial Group, LLC, is pleased to announce that we are adding three new names to the Spring Grove Veterans Memorial located in Viking Memorial Park.
List of Names to be Added in April - May 2022
As of 3/1/2022
Korea and 1950s:
Paul W. Johnson
Kenneth “Buzz” O’Connor
Vietnam
Garfield “Guy” Gregerson
Lebanon, Grenada, Panama 1976 – 1989
Terry L. Lund
Persian Gulf and Iraq, Afghanistan Global War on Terror, 1990
Joseph S. Dokken
New Names for 2021.
The Spring Grove Veterans Memorial Group, LLC, is pleased to announce that we are adding three new names to the Spring Grove Veterans Memorial located in Viking Memorial Park.
Memorial Day Observance.
Charlie Sylling, SGAVMG Board Chair, said, “We are proud that we are able to honor these additional veterans by adding their names to the Memorial. We urge all Spring Grove area residents and visitors, young and old, to visit the stunning Memorial to gain a perspective of the immense sacrifices made by our men and women in the defense of our country. We cordially invite you to honor our veterans by attending the Memorial Day Observance in Viking Memorial Park on Monday, May 31, 2021, at 10 AM.”
Adding New Names in 2020
The Spring Grove Veterans Memorial Group, LLC, is pleased to announce that we are adding new names to the Spring Grove Veterans Memorial located in Viking Memorial Park. The deadline for accepting new names for 2020 is fast approaching.
Completed requests to add names must be in our hands by February 1, 2020.
Please visit our Names page to obtain necessary forms and and criteria for adding names.
4 New Names Added in May 2020
The Spring Grove Veterans Memorial Group, LLC, is pleased to announce that we have added four new names to the Spring Grove Veterans Memorial located in Viking Memorial Park. The veterans whose names have been added include:
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Osmund S. Gilbertson served in the US Army and the Reserves from 1955 to 1963. Ossie graduated from Spring Grove High School in 1953, and he resides in Lincoln Nebraska.
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David L. Peterson served in the US Air Force from 1960 to 1986 where he made a career serving his country as a mechanic on B-52s. David resided in Spring Grove from 1986 to 2018. He was also the Commander of the Legion for a number of years. He passed away in 2018 in Fair Play, MO.
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Robert J. Gross served in the 1st Cav Division, Aviation Brigade as a combat medic in the US Army from 1995 to 1999 during the Persian Gulf Era. Rob resides in Spring Grove and was the Houston County Veterans Service Officer from 1999 to 2015, past President of the Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers and is currently the Administrator of Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery-Preston, MN.
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Melville W. Roland served 20 years in the US Navy. His service spanned both the Korean and Vietnam wars, and he was twice decorated with the Bronze Star. After the Navy he lived and farmed near Blackhammer, MN. Melville passed away on August 29, 2017.
See the Complete List of Names on the Memorial
The Spring Grove Area Veterans Memorial located in Viking Memorial Park honors the service of Spring Grove area veterans, both living and dead, who have honorably served our nation both in peace and in war. The memorial lists the names of 1073 Spring Grove area veterans that are carved into large black granite stones standing more than six feet tall. The memorial contains the names of 60 Gold Star Veterans who gave the last full measure of devotion to our nation. The memorial was dedicated on June 26, 2017.
Charlie Sylling, SGAVMG Board Chair, said, “We are proud that we are able to honor these additional veterans by adding their names to the Memorial. We urge all Spring Grove area residents and visitors, young and old, to visit the stunning memorial to gain a perspective of the immense sacrifices made by our men and women in the defense of our country.”
The policy and criteria for listing names on the memorial are:
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Verified honorable service in either the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, and also the Merchant Marine during time of war, and
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Ties to the Spring Grove area which includes the town of Spring Grove, the Spring Grove and Blackhammer townships, and the western half of Wilmington township.The memorial includes veterans who grew up in Spring Grove area, and also those who grew up elsewhere but later settled in Spring Grove.
Sylling says that while the SGAVMG seeks donations, they are absolutely voluntary and not a requirement for listing a name on the memorial. “It is the policy of the SGAVMG that no veteran will be denied the honor of having his or her name placed on the memorial for lack of a donation.” Anyone wishing to have a name added to the memorial or seeking to make a donation to the memorial should contact the SGAVMG at charliesylling@gmail.com or visit our website at www.springgroveveteransmemorial.org.
5 New Names Added in May 2019
The Spring Grove Veterans Memorial Group, LLC, is pleased to announce that we have added five new names to the Spring Grove Veterans Memorial located in Viking Memorial Park. The new names include Virgil V. Winjum and T. Stanley Solberg from the Korean War era, and John Foss, David Solberg, and Michael Schulte from the Vietnam era. John Foss and Dave Solberg are living. Vigil Winjum, Stan Solberg, and Mike Schulte are deceased.
34 New Names Added, May 25, 2018
The Spring Grove Veterans Memorial Group, LLC, is pleased to announce that we have added 34 new names to the Spring Grove Veterans Memorial located in Viking Memorial Park. The new names include 1 from the Civil War era, 3 from the World War II and 1950s era, 14 from the Korean War and 1950s era, 14 from the Vietnam and 1960 – 1976 era, and 2 from the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan era. Eleven of the newly listed veterans are deceased, and 23 are living. Many are currently living in Spring Grove, but others live as far away as Maine, Florida and California.
The stunning memorial now lists the names of 1064 Spring Grove area veterans that are carved into large black granite stones standing more than six-feet tall. It’s located in the northeast corner of Viking Memorial Park, and it was dedicated on June 26, 2017, during Spring Grove’s Homecoming Celebration.
Charlie Sylling, SGAVMG Board Chair, said, “We are honored and proud that we are able to add these additional names. We spent most of a year since the Dedication Ceremony in June of 2017 tracking down the additional names. It took hundreds of phone calls and emails to collect the information needed to add these new names. Living veterans must give us permission to list their name on the memorial. We are especially pleased that 24 living veterans came forward and granted us consent to honor their service by listing their names on the memorial.”
The policy and criteria for listing names on the memorial are:
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Verified honorable service in either the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, and also the Merchant Marine during time of war, and
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Ties to the Spring Grove area which includes the town of Spring Grove, the Spring Grove and Blackhammer townships, and the western half of Wilmington township.The memorial includes veterans who grew up in Spring Grove area, and also those who grew up elsewhere but later settled in Spring Grove.
The SGAVMG was formed in 2015 to establish a memorial in Spring Grove Minnesota to honor the service of Spring Grove area veterans, both living and dead, who have honorably served our nation both in peace and in war.
SGAVMG Is Seeking Names to Add to the Memorial, October 30, 2017
The Spring Grove Area Veterans Memorial Group, LLC, reminds veterans and their families that we are still collecting names of Spring Grove area veterans for inclusion on the memorial. The Spring Grove Area Veterans Memorial, located in the Viking Memorial Park, currently contains the names of 1030 living and deceased veterans who honorably served our nation both in peace and in war. Charlie Sylling, SGAVMG Board Chairman, states, “Even though the SGAVMG and their researchers worked very hard to compile and verify the list of names, we have no doubt that the list is incomplete. We need help from the families and friends of deceased veterans, and also from living veterans, in order to collect and verify additional names for the memorial.”
The SGAVMG will add additional names on an annual basis as they become known. Living veterans or family members of deceased veterans should visit the group’s website for information on how to nominate names for inclusion on the memorial.
Criteria for inclusion are: honorable service in either the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, and also the Merchant Marine during time of war; and ties to the Spring Grove area. National Guard and Reservists are also eligible to be included.
Family or friends of deceased veterans need to submit a Nomination Form to the SGAVMG. Living veterans who wish to have their name on the memorial must complete a Request Form to grant permission to put their name on the memorial. Forms can be obtained from any board member, at the Legion Post, from the SGAVMG, or at our website, www.springgroveveteransmemorial.org. Those wishing to add names must also submit documentation of proof of service and an honorable discharge.
The first batch of new names will be added in May 2018. The deadline for submitting new names for the May update is January 30, 2018.
DEDICATION !!!
June 24, 2017 During Homecoming 2017
Completed Memorial
1st Brigade Band
And Laides
Living WW II Veterans
Beautiful Day and Big Crowd
Wreath Laid by Boy & Girl Scouts
Nisse Treehouse Preschoolers Visit the Memorial During Syttende Mai
Nearly Finished!
Curb, Gutter & Handicapped Access Ramps Poured
Installation of Limestone Star, 4/21/2017
Trinity Lutheran Church Captured in Reflection
Gold Star Stones with the names of 60 men who lost their lives in the service of our country
KTTC TV Rochester Channel 10 did a nice news piece on our Memorial yesterday, 4/18/2017.
http://www.kttc.com/story/35183033/2017/04/18/memorial-in-spring-grove-honors-veterans-current-service-men-and-women
April 18, 2017
La Crosse Memorials placed the completed granite stones on the memorial
Dick Wieser and his crew from La Crosse completed and installed six large granite stones on the memorial. Each of the 6' tall stones weighed over 5000#, but all were skillfully and carefully placed in their final positions.
November 11, 2016
The WW I Memorial that has stood in the park since 1920 was successfully moved from the old site to its new location on the memorial plaza.
Day 22, Oct 26, Sod is Down
Thanks to Howard Deters and Tyler Hunzeker for their generous in-kind donations!!
Day 17, Oct 21, Slab is Finished!
Day 15, Oct 19, Completed the Exposed Aggregate Slabs and Started Landscaping
Jim Stoen, Cody, Dylan and Tony Stone, and Gary VanMinsel Spread Concrete.
Color variation is wet vs dry concrete.
Landscaping Begins
Day 14, October 18, 2016, Pouring the Exposed Aggregate Slabs
Weather Delays, October 13 - 15, 2016
Three days of cold or rainy weather have caused a pause in construction. The next step is pouring the concrete slabs. We should be able to pour them Tuesday and Wednesday.
Day 7, October 12, 2016, Cleaned WW I Memorial, 10/12/2016
Before After
Day 6, October 11, 2016 Pouring Star, Flagpole Bases, and Rebar
Day 5, October 10, 2016 Pouring Grade Beams to Support Granite Bases
Day 4, October 7, 2016 Backfill
Day 3, October 6, Piers for Granite Stones
Day 2, October 5 Foundations
Day 1, October 4, 2016, Excavation
Construction Begins !! Oct 3, 2016
Thanks to the outstanding support of Spring Grove area veterans and citizens and more than 220 donors, we've begun contstruction! We broke ground on Monday, October 3, 2016, and on Tuesday, October 4, our contractor, Four Season Maintenance, started and completed excavation. We also passed inspection of the underlying soil at the site. Over the next three weeks we will complete excavation, pour the footers and foundations, and complete the cement plaza.
Revised Polcy for Including Names.
On July 11, 2016 the Board ammeded our policy to include a new criteria:
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If the family cannot locate the DD214 or other discharge papers, burial in a national or state veterans cemetery or proof of a VA gravestone will suffice as proof of honorable service.
Spring Grove Herald Article, May 18, 2016
Spring Grove memorial group asks public to proofread, submit names
By Craig Moorhead, Government/Sports Writer
Wednesday, May 18, 2016 11:57 AM
Plans for a new veterans memorial in Spring Grove are progressing well, but there are a still a few vitally important things that community members need to do.
“It’s not too late to submit names for the memorial,” said Charles Sylling. “But don’t delay too long. And please remember, living veterans must give us permission to list their name on the memorial.”
Sylling serves as chairman of the board for the Spring Grove Area Veterans Memorial Group, which is building the commemorative structure in Viking Memorial Park.
Living veterans who wish to be included need to submit a “Living Veteran Request form,” which is available on the Spring Grove Area Veterans Memorial website (www.springgroveveteransmemorial.org)
“We have to order the granite stone in July in order to have them finished in time to dedicate the memorial on June 24, 2017, during Homecoming,” Sylling stated. “It takes almost a year. And once the stonecutter begins etching names into stone, they are quite literally chiseled in stone. At that point it’s too late to make changes.
See the full-page article on page 8 of this week’s Herald for the complete list of known veterans.
“A problem we want to avoid is miss-spellings or duplications. Particularly back in the Civil War, people changed their names or the spelling of their names. We’re working hard to make sure we have the correct name. I’ve got at least two cases, where there are four different spellings of what I believe is the same veteran’s name.”
Sylling said the memorial group needs families to look at the list and ask themselves, “Is this the way we want it to appear on the stone?”
He added, “We want people to please check the spelling and make sure it is listed exactly the way you want it to appear.”
Click here to view the full lists of names.
KTTC TV Channel 10 Published the Following Report on May 8, 2016.
Click here to view the new feature
SPRING GROVE, Minn. (KTTC) -
Spring Grove may be a tiny town, but its lasting tradition of military service is large.
"We have identified and verified 168 veterans who served during the Civil War," said Charlie Sylling of the Spring Grove Area Veterans Memorial Group. "168 from a town that was then probably 300 to 400 people."
The Spring Grove Area Veterans Memorial Group hopes to cement that tradition by turning a part of Viking Park into a memorial for every Spring Grove veteran. Sylling is among the veterans, with more than 20 years of service in the Air Force, and he hopes the memorial will educate and inspire the community.
"We want to honor the surviving veterans of course, but also help people gain an understanding of the service and the sacrifice of their fellow community members here," said Sylling.
Viking Park is home to a war memorial already; however, that memorial was built in 1920 and only honors World War I veterans.
"It honored 101 veterans and army nurses from that period, but nothing has been done before or since," said Sylling. "We want to fix that."
The names of 850 veterans were expected to be engraved on the memorial's granite walls. However, Sylling says he already has found 850 veterans to honor...and he expects even more veterans and their families to step forward.
"The support from the public has been very good, very enthusiastic...not only with identifying names but with donations as well," said Sylling.
The group says 70 percent of their fundraising goal has been reached in only five months; a link to donate and add possible names to the memorial can be found here. They hope to break ground in November and plan to have the memorial ready for Spring Grove's 10-year Homecoming in June 2017.
Living Veterans Need to Request to be Included on the Memorial
January 6, 2016
Some living veterans do not want to have their names listed on the memorial while they are still living. The SGAVMG will honor their wishes. In order to avoid listing a name and then later discovering that the living veteran did not want to be named on the memorial, the SGAVMG is requiring living veterans to take action to be included. They must submit a Request for Inclusion Form to the SGAVMG.
YOU NEED TO TAKE ACTION. Living veterans need to request to be included in order to be listed on the memorial. Positive action is needed. If you do nothing, your name will not be included on the memorial.
PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN THE REQUEST FOR INCLUSION FORM BY MAY 1st in order to have your name included on the memorial. You can download the form from the Names for the Monument Page, or you can contact any board member.
City Council Approves a Site in the Park !
November 17, 2015
Last night the City Council again voted to approve a site for the Spring Grove Veterans Memorial in the Viking Memorial Park. The site is in the northeast corner. The design is the Keystone shown on the Gallery Page. We and the majority of the council agreed to reconstruct and incorporate the Legion Auxilary Star flower planter into the new Veterans Memorial and to rededicate it at the memorial dedication during Homecoming in June 2017.
On behalf of the more than 850 living and deceased veterans from the Spring Grove area, we thank the Council members for this courageous and we think correct decision!