Remembering Veterans Field Dedication Day

            It was a dream of many for the ball field that today we call Veterans Field at Minnetonka High School.  What is special about this athletic complex is that it is the result of a community wide effort, organized by a private charitable organization, the Minnetonka Diamond Club, to respond to the shortage of baseball and football fields in the Minnetonka School District and to update an inadequate Minnetonka High School baseball field.  On May 5^th, the Minnetonka Diamond Club, its corporate partners, Cambria, who purchased the naming rights to the field and named it Veterans Field and Maynard’s and the Minnetonka School District dedicated Veterans Field to the youth, young adults, residents and supporters of the Minnetonka School District.  This was a great day in the history of Minnetonka as approximately 1,700 people witnessed this event at Veterans Field.

            The Minnetonka Diamond Club put in place a Veterans Field Dedication Committee to plan the May 5th event, headed by Chris Farni, its Chairman.  This committee was comprised of many, many talented men and women of the community along with its corporate partners, Cambria and Maynard’s, in coordination with the Minnetonka School District and the City of Minnetonka administrations who worked together tirelessly to plan the May 5^th activities.  The day was a collage of  young boys and girls in their uniforms , baseball games, youth softball and football players in their jerseys , transportation to the event by buses from the Minnetonka Middle Schools East and West, food service from Maynard’s and Papa Johns, coordinators working hard to arrange a Blackhawk and WW II aircraft flyover, event marketing, veterans from all periods of service from WW II to the present, communities volunteers providing assistance on many levels,  moms, dads, donations to the field, active duty military, a three star general and it was all topped off with a fantastic fireworks show at the end of the Skippers-Totino Grace baseball game, that Minnetonka won in the first inning of overtime.   It was, as it was planned, a day to long remember in Minnetonka history.  Following is a step by step synopsis of how the planning for this Veterans Field Dedication Day started and then came to fruition on May 5, 2007.

Meetings

            Starting eight months prior to the May 5^th event the Veterans Field Dedication Committee assembled and started weekly and then bi-weekly meetings at Chris Farni’s and his partners Redline Marketing office in Excelsior, or in the Fireside room at the Marsh health club.  There where also many e-mails exchanged in the interim periods and voice mails and personal calls.  Side meetings were also held in coffee shops, gas stations, corner bistros, boat docks and baseball dugouts, as a master plan for this May 5^th event was put in place.  The Veteran Field Dedication Committee labored long and hard and never lost its vision of providing the Minnetonka community with the very best and most memorable dedication day for this great community asset we will all now enjoy – Veterans Field.  It was to be a celebration of youth and young adults and the Veterans who fought so valiantly to secure the freedoms we enjoy today, who in large part made it possible for us to build this Veterans Field Athletic facility for our community.  We must always remember that.

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The Event

            The Veterans Field Dedication Day was a shinning day of celebration from morning to night.  A complete package of celebration of the values of our country, our veterans, our community, and our future, through our youth.  It was about baseball, it was about apple pie and the American Dream.  It was about remembering and dreaming of even better things all around a baseball park called Veterans Field.

            The whole program was to bring all of these pieces together in such a way as to leave a memory, a touch to the heart strings of everyone who was present.  It gave purpose to old men who thought that maybe the world had forgotten what they had done when they were so young so long ago…or would the country remember the veterans that were in harms way today…and would they say thank you…and would they remember them too.  It was reflection back to when they were young and the young looking back to see what others had done when they too were young like each of the active duty were today.

            Military units from the American Legion to the Veterans of Foreign Wars all stood ready to serve the day of celebration.  They brought their brothers and sisters of WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, all the way up to the current War on Terror and veterans of Iraq.  They put on their best uniforms and insignia.  They took another hole on the belt loop to get that color guard strap for the American Flag nestled in their belly.  They stood with honor on the base line of first and third representing the Excelsior and Chanhassen posts.  The other members from all other posts came with their colors and their memories and their pride and honor to be standing with their fellow veterans.  Dick Juhl has his unit from Excelsior looking great.  Ed Holt from Chanhassen had all their helmets shinning.

              

            The buglers were on hand.  Tom Mullen, WWII veteran of the Philippines, blew the morning program with the stunning United State Naval Cadet Color guard.  These young men in their dress white Navy uniforms and crisp white gloves, worn only once for each presentation, were proud to be called to service by a bugler blowing Assembly and then To Colors.  They crisply conducted their proper color guard duties while the Minnetonka Boys Choir lead by Joel Gotz sang our national anthem and other high school students stood behind them proudly holding the flags and colors of each military service in the United States.  The baseball teams from Minnetonka and Breck both lined the base line and with hats over their hearts, took part in the first of the day’s events for Veterans Field.  Doc had made it a point many days before the event to visit with the Minnetonka ball players and share with them what was going to be happening and who and why people were doing the things they were.  Doc told them about Viet Nam…the Veterans Field pin and how this was going to be something that they would be giving to other teams as a memento for playing here at Veterans Field.  Doc wanted the players to not see a pin but see the purpose behind why we were all doing these things to give them a baseball park to play ball.  Doc made it a point to visit the other visiting team and tell them the same story and that they were going to be getting a pin from the other players.  Doc met each and every ball player.  A couple of the coaches came up after and said  thanks Doc, a corpsman just like you saved my brother in Viet Nam before the Corpsman was killed…he was never able to say thanks to another Corpsman until today…he said thanks Doc.

            In the afternoon, Bugler, Bob Pellow, USMC Korea, was on hand to blow Taps.  Bob and Tom are at Fort Snelling daily blowing Taps for WWII and Korean Vets who are passing away at a rate of over 1300 each day.  Bob and Tom say on a light day they blow Taps 10 times…and on some days, as many as 22 times.  It was an honor for Bob to blow Taps on May 5^th for Veterans Field and have his living Veteran brethren hear the tune and learn the history of how and why those notes were written during the Civil War.

            Other active duty military units joined the day’s celebration.   Lieutenant General Richard Bergman, Commander US Marine Corps Forces Reserve commissioned one of his finest silent color guards for the day’s main program.  NCOIC Sgt Ricco & Sgt Bailey drove up to the event in a black government Suburban with the finest and the best of the Marine Color Guard.  And just as the very young Naval Sea Cadet pulled out “once only” white gloves for their uniform so did this elite group of Marines.  Their dress blues, their red blood strip as a common bond and the visible seriousness of the mission at hand was clear.  They knew their orders and they knew their mission.

                        

            Master Sgt Hines and Sgt First Class Welder both knew the mission they had been given by the Assistant Adjutant General Joseph Kelly.  Bring 40 Minnesota Army National Guardsman and Women to tend the large American Flag given to the Veterans Field Event by the ROTC of the University of Minnesota.  Sgt Nolan of the University ROTC knew these men and women were up to the mission as they had used this large flag before.  The Army Guard was made up of three of three units.  Many of the Guard tending the Flag were veterans of Iraq.  They also had brothers and sisters who are currently in Iraq as a deployment of Minnesota Guard.  Captain Kristen Auge, a 17 year veteran has tended to all the details of this unit’s assignment as well at making sure that Colonel Kelly would be present to speak for the Army National Guard 

            Captain Auge also made sure that, to the best of their ability, they could schedule a UH60 Black Hawk flyover for the dedication day.  Warrant Officers Shane Hawlesy and John O’Tremba, along with their Medi-Vac crew, made the day with their flyover at exactly 5:35 PM.  This was a spectacular sight to see.  This hovering Blackhawk helicopter, whose crew was training for deployment to Iraq, was a privilege to behold.

         

            During the very emotional Presentation of the Bronze for Corporal Johnathan Benson from North Branch, Spook Johns and a team of two other T-6 aircraft flew over the field in a dramatic head on fashion.  Spook and two of his other buddies had planned on flying a four plane missing man mission over the presentation of the Bronze of the Brave…but one of the T-6’s would not fly…so it was meant to be that the missing man formation was from take off to touch down.  Spook flew a great mission and great tribute to Cpl Johnathan Benson and his family.

                        

            All of these players started the main field event day from their positions on the field.  All of this started happening about 4:40.  Mike Condon and his crew got to work just after the afternoon game and put plywood down on the field and assembled 100 chairs for the Veterans and dignitaries.  All the units and veterans started arriving at 4 PM.  They were given free hamburgers and treated like royalty.  They got their Veterans Field Pins and certificates.  The young ball players who were going to be brought on the field all assembled in the West Gym where Frank Kuzma and Charlie Kanan were getting them ready for their day on the field.  Sam Patterson with the Bronze of the Brave and Lt. Colonel Bob Stephenson, USMC gunship pilot and recent vet of Iraq, brought the seriousness of the day to the attention of the kids and parents.  It was quite a surprise to the parents and kids when Col Stephenson asked a team of kids to come up to the front.  He whispered in all their ears and they all ran out of the gym.  A little bit later they all came running back in, but one was missing….Jack.  The Colonel then explained what he had told the kids.  You see that is was happens in war…you have a team…a team that lives together, sleeps together, prays together and yes die together…some times in war someone dies.  Jack did not come back with his team.  Jack happened to be Frank and Linda Kuzma’s son.  There was no way Bob knew this…it just happened.  Many parents came up and said thanks to Bob for making such an important point to their children.

            The field dedication was effected by the gathering storms of the day which did prevent almost 500 others from making the trip to the field to see the program…but the show went on and was very special to those who made the trip.  The Minnetonka Concert Choir came down to the field from the award winning production of Oklahoma that was playing that evening.  They came to sing the National Anthem.  While they were getting their instructions from Doc…who under the command of Chris Farni has been asked to choreograph the Veterans program…Doc recognized the two leading actors of Oklahoma and a number of other cast members.  He asked them if they would sing for the Veterans that were assembling ”OH what a Beautiful Morning” which Doc had heard them sing two nights before at the theater production.  They all came together and sang…there was not a dry eye for anyone who heard these absolutely gifted young people perform the song…even the Marine Color Guard, standing at ease, was touched… WOW…WOW… and the Vets…SUPER WOW.

            The choir took its place at the pitchers mound just as the boy’s choir had done in the morning.  The Flag was deployed by Guard…the Veterans assembled behind the Marine Color Guard and this kids coming down from the West Gym came flooding onto the field to fill in around the huge American Flag.  The colorful military marching music, played over the Veterans Field sound system, was inspiring to each service member as his or her branch’s music was played.  Doc got everyone ready and the Color Guard advanced leading the entire contingent.  At the third base dugout the Veterans and dignitaries turned and assembled on the field.  The Marine Color Guard continued to just behind home plate…turned and went to just in front of the Choir…turned and presented (silent) the colors as the two Legion Guards took sight cues to present.  The Concert Choir was stunning in singing the national Anthem..  The Marine Guard retired to the back of home plate and the Legion Guards joined the others on the field.  Chris Farni introduced Dr. Dennis Peterson, Superintendent of Minnetonka Schools and Marty Davis of Cambria.

                   

                        

                   

            Chris then introduced Bill “Doc” Wenmark who introduced selected Veterans and The Bronze of the Brave participants.  Each of these veterans attending were recognized and thanked for their service.  A stunning Event Program, created by Holly Olson, Lora Johnson and Janet Swiecickowski, allowed people in the stands to see each of the veterans on the field as they were when they were young.  It was remarkable to many that they looked so young.  One of the Veterans on the field, Dwight Olson, 8^th Air Force Pilot of a B-17 over Europe, commented after just celebrating his 88 birthday, that when he was flying, the pilots were getting their wings when they were 19 years old to fly B-17 missions over Europe…and that back then, an “old” man was if you made it to 25 years old alive.  Each of the Veterans recognized could have given his chair to another behind him…and then behind him…and the stories would have continued.

                        

            Doc went on to introduce selected special Veterans worthy of additional praise. They were as follows:

-Bill Bennowitz-Marine Corsair fighter pilot, Iwo Jima.

-Herb Suerth-101^st Airborne “Band of Brothers” Bastogne.

-Charles Lindbergh…Last survivor, Flag raising at Iwo Jima (mention only), helped Clint Eastwood with the movie Flags of our Fathers…Mr. Lindbergh was in ill health and couldn’t attend so we all wished Mr. Lindbergh improved health.

-Bob Holden…Pearl Harbor, his ship was entering Pearl Harbor on December 7^th 1941 when Japan attacked…his ship escaped and he spent the next 5 years in the Philippines during WW II.

Stan Nelson…Father of our Head Football coach Dave Nelson and also football coach of Doc in Anoka in High School. Was at the Normandy Invasion Europe as a Lt on LCI at Omaha Beach, where 7,000 men were killed in one day.

Earl Joswick…Graduate of Deephaven HS in 1942. Was a B-17 belly gunner on the Ten of Aces…shot down. on his 14^th mission was then a POW in Germany and was in the Winter Death March Europe, over 500 miles in 86 days…he went from 168 to 98 lbs.

Bob Pellow…USMC Korea. Led by General Mac Arthur, he was in the Inchon Landing and again with 1^st Marine battle of the Chosen Reservoir.

Frank Lindstrom…USMC Korea. Led by General Mac Arthur, he was in the Inchon Landing and again with 1^st Marine battle of the Chosen Reservoir.

Dick Juhl…USMC Crew Chief HU1E Viet Nam, Commander of the Excelsior Legion Post and Chaplin for the POW MIA.

Chris Farni…Captain US Army Strategic Communications Command – Europe during the Viet Nam War, and Chairman of the Veterans Field Dedication Program 

Alex Plechash…Graduate of the Naval Academy and a USMC pilot, he flew the F-4 Phantom in Asia, Desert Storm.

Bob Stephenson…Lt. Colonel USMC, Cobra Pilot Iraq, Air Boss over Faluja Iraq, father of 7, he volunteers for duty in Iraq.

Kristen Auge…Captain and 17 year veteran of the Mn Army National Guard Active duty.

Jake Williams…Minnetonka student and All Conference 3^rd Baseman on the 2003 - 2004 Minnetonka baseball teams. Now on active duty with USMC Special Forces, Iraq or Afghanistan.

Doc then gave special thanks to all Minnetonka Veterans past and present.

                   

            A number of weeks before the event we were contacted by Mr. Sam Patterson, Executive Director for Bronzes of the Brave.  A national project led by many of the finest retired service generals and others in the United States, spearheading an effort to commission bronzes of fallen service personal that are then presented to families that wish to accept them as a tribute to their son or daughter.  Chris Farni asked if Doc would follow up.  He did and we learned that a bronze had been made ready for Cpl Johnathan Benson of North Branch, Minnesota.  Johnathan was the first Minnesotan to be killed in the current conflict.  The Benson Family, Marjorie and Steve, were contacted and agreed to be part of the Veterans Field dedication along with many family members and community members of North Branch where the bronze and marble base will be permanently presented.  Sam agreed to have the bronze shipped to Doc and the artist, Nancy Degan, flew in from California where she does her work.  Sam would agree to fly in from his Memphis home.

            The bronze was brought to the field and kept in its shipping box where two Minnesota Army National Guardsman were on site to stand with Cpl Benson until he was presented to his family.  The bronze was then taken out and the two guardsmen stood with him while many of the veterans, dignitaries and children came by for a close up view.  The family did not see the bronze until it was presented on the field.  Many guardsmen came by and took pictures with their cell phones or cameras.  Some of the other Veterans teared up as they remembered either a long time ago or maybe just a few days before when one of their buddies had passed.  Civilians looked with wonder and I am sure many thoughts went flying through their minds.  Two guardsmen with others pulled me aside and said thanks Doc for doing this… as his buddies nodded “It is nice to know that if something happens to us someone, will remember.”  I learned that he and his buddies were due for their second tour to Iraq this summer.  The Bronze touched them deeply as did the whole day and the honor they felt as current service men and women to be in the presence of others who had served so long ago.   Later they came up and added their thoughts after hearing what had happened to the men on the field during their service.

            As the others were assembling on the field the two guardsmen picked up their charge with and American Flag draped over Jonathans head and took him down to the field.  Following an outstanding message from Colonel Joe Kelly, Sam Patterson began his presentation of the Bronze of the Brave to Marjorie and Steve Benson of their son Johnathan.

                        

            Now, if any of the previous ceremony had not already touched your heart…this one really hit home to make the day.  The flag was removed and for the first time Johnathans parents saw their son again…Nancy Degan is a remarkable artist and the likeness was spine tingling.  Steve Benson gave a very thankful tribute to everyone and many just stood without a worry in their heart…nothing else seemed to be more important than this moment as it was shared with all of us by the Benson Family.

            Then Doc introduced Bob Pellow to pay Taps…and told the story of the 26 bugle notes as they were written by a Union Officer for his confederate son.  You see, this Union Officer told of a Northern boy who was killed fighting for the south. His father, Robert Ellicombe a Captain in the Union Army, came upon his son's body on the battlefield and found the notes to Taps in a pocket of the dead boy's Confederate uniform. When Union General Daniel Sickles heard the story, he had the notes sounded at the boy's funeral. As soon as Taps was sounded that night in July 1862, words were put with the music. The first were, "Go To Sleep, Go to Sleep." As the years went on many more versions were created.  There are no official words to the music but here are some of the more popular verses:

Day is done, gone the sun, From the hills, from the lake, From the sky. All is well, safely rest, God is nigh  Go to sleep, peaceful sleep, May the soldier or sailor, God keep. On the land or the deep, Safe in sleep  Love, good night, Must thou go, When the day, And the night Need thee so? All is well. Speedeth all To their rest. Fades the light; And afar Goeth day, And the stars Shineth bright, Fare thee well; Day has gone, Night is on. Thanks and praise, For our days, 'Neath the sun, Neath the stars, 'Neath the sky, As we go, This we know, God is nigh.

    

            As the Elite United States Marine Corps Color Guard came to attention and marched off the field, we were left with the cherished moments that had just taken place.  The field was then made ready for first pitches by Dr. Peterson, Jon Guy, and Marty Davis. The final baseball game with the Skippers hosting Totino Grace then began.  The game was video graphed by North Metro Channel 15 with four cameras.

                 

            This is how the Veterans part of a great program took place.  It should also be noted that children from the field came up and shook the hands of the Veterans…one boy was heard to say…”I would like to shake your hand…you are in my history book.”  How true those simple words are that we must remember, Taps is blown everyday for these living history books that can remember, talk, and shake your hand when you say “Thanks for your Service.”  That is the vision that our Veterans Field Dedication Day committee had for this program…and we all pulled it together to make it happen…and if we are true to the mission printed on the Veterans Cloister Pin… we will ”Always Remember”.

            By the way, preceding the final game of the day between the Skippers and Totino Grace, there was a great new tradition started with the presentation of the Veterans Field Cloister Pin, by the Skipper baseball team, to the Totino Grace players and coaches. 

            Was God looking over us…well in two ways…yes he was.  It did not rain on the morning program…it rained the rest of the day…and just before the main program the sun came out and the skies cleared…God did not want anything raining on his parade.  Pastor Paul, who gave the invocation for the morning and evening program, was giving a morning prayer for all of the committee asking that the weather would hold…and as we all had our heads bowed and Pastor Paul was connected to God’s almighty world…Chris gets a call about bleachers…and there in front of God and his committee 

            And finally, there were the eight beautiful flags in a straight line array behind the right center field fence running to the scoreboard that were donated by the Cambria Company.  A huge American Flag on a 50 foot flag pole….a Flag of Minnesota on a 40 foot flag pole…and six 20 foot flag poles for all the military services and a MIA-POW flag.  These were brilliantly lit when all the lights went out for the stunning fireworks finale.

            In the end…Chris wants to sincerely thank his  exceptionally talented Veterans Field Dedication Day Committee and for the assistance of so many others from Cambria, Maynard’s, the Minnetonka School District, the City of Minnetonka and the hundreds of volunteers who made this a day to remember and be proud of for the Minnetonka School District.  They accomplished their mission in grand style….. and it is just the beginning of years and years of special events and memories that will be had at Veterans Field…a great legacy.

Doc Wenmark,

Corpsman, US Navy

Assigned to the US Marine Corp, Republic of Viet Nam 1969 to 1970.

                   

Epilogue

            I would like to thank all of the volunteers on the Minnetonka Diamond Club’s committee who helped me remember to never forget the mission we developed for this May 5, 2007, Veterans Field Dedication Day and what we wanted it mean to kids, our community, and the Veterans we wanted to honor.  These members are:

Frank Kuzma, Bill Wenmark, Chris Tjornhom, Bruce Peck, Jake Sturgis, Janet Swiecichowski, Lora Johnson, Holly Olson, Charlie Kanan, Rich Landa, Dave Nelson, Roger Lenahan, Fred Hanus, Denise Swanson, AJ Stevens, Tom Stevens, Terry Franzen, Sam Ashkar, Kevin Hoy, Jim Peck, Peter Martin, Kim Flemmer, Marty Davis, Nancy Countryman, Paul Twenge, Paul Giel, Pete Knoll, John Flynn, Paul Pettersen, Mark Gregg, Chris Pelletier, Mike Condon, Karl Freinenmuth, Jeff Bailey, Dave Neraasen, Mark Williams, Rob Gastuch, Jon Guy. 

With special thanks for assistance from the City of Minnetonka, the City of Chanhassen, the Minnetonka School District Board, Dr. Peterson, the members of the Minnetonka Diamond Club and its Officers and donors, the Excelsior Fire Department Volunteers,  Principal David Adney and his Staff of Minnetonka High School, the Minnetonka Fire Department and Police, the MHS Junior Varsity Baseball team, MHS Cheerleaders, the MHS Men’s and Woman’s Choir, the Excelsior and Chanhassen Legion Posts, Dick and Dawn Juhl, Dave Bigham,  The MHS Honorary Society Volunteers, Brian Tichy, Larry Oestenstad, John Williams, Jeff Adams, the St. Paul Saints, the Minnesota Twins, Direct, John Flood, the Lord Family, Jim Countryman, Trygve Helicopters, the Confederate Air Force, Dean Nelson, Youngstedt’s Auto, Kevin Tapani, Carl Zinn Realtors, First Student Busing, Biff’s Sanitation, Budget Bleachers, Dick Brinkhaus, the MHS Alumni Association, ICA Food Shelf, Premier Pyrotechnics, The Minnesota National Guard, The Marine Color Guard, Mike Woodley, Chris Wilson, Al Armstrong, North Metro Channel 15, Cambria employees and Dave Neraasen and his staff at the MSD Maintenance and Operations.

            Our Veterans Field Field Dedication Day Committee worked extraordinarily well together…it was easy to keep us centered on our mission…this May 5^th Veterans Field Day was planned from the beginning to be about something greater than ourselves and for every man and every woman and the youth and young adults of our MSD community and for the Veterans from all walks of life.  It was not to be about politics or politicians this day, or a statement on what our nation’s military objectives or focus should be or a debate about it.  The May 5^th Veterans Field Dedication Day will be a day that will live and prosper in the memories of people who can say that they were there that very special day….Thanks to each and every one of you who made this great event a reality for our community. I will see you at Veterans Field!

Chris Farni,

Chairman, Veterans Field Dedication Day Committee

VP, Minnetonka Diamond Club

 

Pictures by Ray Satterfield and Rob Gastuch