God Bless you & Thank you for your service!
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A Memorial Day Tribute!
Eunice's Granddaughter Taylor at the Idaho Falls, ID "Field of Honor"! Taylor was told that each flag represents a person who served in the Army and died. She became very quiet and respectful, just look at her, she is only 3 years old!!
A Memorial Day Tribute!
Eunice's Granddaughter Taylor at the Idaho Falls, ID "Field of Honor"! Taylor was told that each flag represents a person who served in the Army and died. She became very quiet and respectful, just look at her, she is only 3 years old!!
The Vietnam Moving Wall
Comes to Esmond ~ 2001
Sgt. Vincent Leier ~ US Army ~ World War II
From bro James: When Grandpa Jacob Leier passed away the family looked for Uncle Vincent with his social security number, and they found him in Germany serving in the Army. After returning home from Germany, Uncle Vincent would often tell the story of how he went to this Cemetery in Germany looking for our Leier ancestry, and he was told he would find all of the "Leier's" in the Jewish Cemetery!
Daniel Marthe ~ US Army ~ World War II
Daniel Marthe, US Army, WWII, "Battle of the Bulge" in Germany. He entered the service at Fort Snelling, MN, Nov 7, 1942 with the 55th Armed Engineer Battalion. His training station was at Fort Benning, GA. He received his honorable discharge on Nov 13, 1945.
Walter Leier ~ US Army ~ World War II
Albert Horner ~ US Navy ~ WWII
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A MEMORIAL DAY MEMORY: I grew up in a small town in ND,
named Esmond. In the 1970’s, when I was in high school it had a population of
about 420. I played trumpet in the high school band and every year in May, I,
along with some of my fellow trumpeters, became buglers. In this small town in
ND, we always honored our Veterans on Memorial Day. We had a program that
included a student who read the Gettysburg Address, a speaker that spoke about
our freedom, our Gold Star Mother's were recognized by our VFW Auxiliary (this
is a mother who lost a child in active duty), and other readings and
recognitions were made. The program was held in the high school
auditorium, after the program, the VFW Color Guard marched down to the 'memorial'
that was erected across from Harley's Gas Station. There was a 21-gun salute
and I played 'Taps'. The Color Guard continued its march to the VFW Hall, where
we had a community dinner prepared and serviced by the Auxiliary.
I am sure many people thought that was where the honors stopped. But that Color Guard had a few more stops to make that day. Even before the program on Memorial Day, those Veterans had already been out to the cemeteries in Esmond, along with several other rural cemeteries, putting small flags by the headstone of each deceased Veteran buried in those cemeteries. After they nourished their bodies, they loaded their guns and flags into several vehicles and along with the buglers and headed to the rural cemeteries and honored the deceased Veterans with a 21-gun salute. Sometimes there were family members of the deceased there to witness this honor, but they were given the honor even if no one was there to witness but the Color Guard itself. Then at dusk, the Veterans made one more trip to all of the cemeteries to remove the flags and store them safely away for the next year.
After we honored all the deceased veterans at all of the cemeteries, we still had time for family gatherings and backyard BBQs, the part of Memorial Day in Esmond I remember most is the VFW post and it's Auxiliary bringing the entire community together to honor all of our Veterans. I am very proud and honored to have been a part of that Memorial Day tradition for all my high school years. (From Shirley Horner Ketenli, daughter of Albert & Florence Leier Horner, granddaughter of Jake & Kate Leier)
I am sure many people thought that was where the honors stopped. But that Color Guard had a few more stops to make that day. Even before the program on Memorial Day, those Veterans had already been out to the cemeteries in Esmond, along with several other rural cemeteries, putting small flags by the headstone of each deceased Veteran buried in those cemeteries. After they nourished their bodies, they loaded their guns and flags into several vehicles and along with the buglers and headed to the rural cemeteries and honored the deceased Veterans with a 21-gun salute. Sometimes there were family members of the deceased there to witness this honor, but they were given the honor even if no one was there to witness but the Color Guard itself. Then at dusk, the Veterans made one more trip to all of the cemeteries to remove the flags and store them safely away for the next year.
After we honored all the deceased veterans at all of the cemeteries, we still had time for family gatherings and backyard BBQs, the part of Memorial Day in Esmond I remember most is the VFW post and it's Auxiliary bringing the entire community together to honor all of our Veterans. I am very proud and honored to have been a part of that Memorial Day tradition for all my high school years. (From Shirley Horner Ketenli, daughter of Albert & Florence Leier Horner, granddaughter of Jake & Kate Leier)
James Leier ~ US Marine Corps ~ 1952-1954
From Joan: Dad served in the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing from 1952-1954, stationed in Miami, FL where he lived with my Mom and brother Jimmy. Dad referred to Jimmy as “such a sweet little boy”. Dad says he lived next door to and took care of Captain Cutler’s plane. He cleaned it, fueled it, started it and loaded all the bombs and rockets onto it. Dad and three other Marines spent three months in Puerto Rico. Dad recently was traveling through an airport in the lower 48 and met up with a long time retired Marine that remembered reading a story in the local Miami newspaper of “those four Marines” and how they were constantly called upon to throw drunk sailors out of the local bar in Puerto Rico. Dad said the Navy and the Marines never got along and the Navy was glad when they left. Dad was supposed to go to Korea but the war was closing down. Dad says they threw the bombs in the water and went back to Miami.
Corporal Rochus W. Leier ~ US Marine Corps
Louis Weber ~ US Army National Guard
Bernard Anderson ~ US Army ~ Germany
Capt. Robert A. Leier ~ US Army Reserve ~ 1964-1984
Curtis Leier ~ US Army National Guard
Daniel Garman ~ US Army ~ 1961
Robert Sage ~ US Air Force ~ Vietnam War
Mickey Shultz ~ US Navy ~ Vietnam War
Petty Officer James M. Shultz, Vietnam Vet/Combat Medic
Terrance Leier ~ US Army Scout ~ Korea
October 8, 1969 - 1975, Stationed in Korea DMZ, 2 years active duty, and 4 years National Guard
Randolph Marthe ~ US Army ~ Vietnam War
Our Fallen Hero (click): Randolph Lee Marthe ~ 1971
Johnathan Hortman ~ US Army ~ 1981-1986
Master Sgt. 1st Class - Middle East Conflict