By Robert Williams

Editor

As the country celebrates the 250th Celebration of the United States, Looney Days will be appropriately led by Grand Marshals—the Vergas Veterans Memorial group.

The group includes: Lyle Krieg, John Lotzer; Doug Safar; Dennis Breitzman; Lyle Fritz and Tim Gagner. Former member Henry Ditterich, a Purple Heart recipient, passed away December of 2025.

“It’s quite an honor, we feel, to be there,” said Krieg.

The veterans group is responsible for creating one of the premiere memorials in Minnesota beginning with fundraising in 2020 and have continually added to the property each year since.

Ditterich is honored posthumously on one of five new signs at the memorial. Ditterich’s sign details his war efforts in the infantry in Vietnam discussing how he was shot in battle and how his life was forever changed because of the war.

Another new sign near the flags is inscribed with “My Name is Old Glory” also known as, “Remember Me?”, a famous patriotic piece which personifies the American flag and speaks of its service alongside soldiers, sailors, and marines in every major conflict.

The three remaining signs describe in detail paintings on the memorial’s Freedom Rock, including Walter Fick, who served and earned the Silver Star in World War II, and was killed in action, as was his brother Harold. Both were Vergas natives.

The next sign honors Chief Warrant Officer 2 Charles P. Nord, 30, of Perham, Chief Warrant Officer 2 James A. Rogers Jr., 28, of Winsted; and Sgt. Kort M. Plantenberg, 28, of Avon, who  boarded a UH-60 Black Hawk for a routine maintenance test flight and lifted off from the St. Cloud Regional Airport at 1:55 p.m. Nine minutes later, the crew sent a mayday alert. Communication with the aircraft was lost, and local and state emergency workers converged for an intense search-and-rescue operation while a state patrol helicopter spotted the wreckage about 16 miles southwest of St. Cloud.

Nord is buried in the Vergas City Cemetery and his family lives in the Vergas area.

The signs are examples of the ever-changing memorial.

“We are always looking forward to adding more,” Krieg said. “We’re proud of it and we’d like to keep adding.”

The memorial needs donations to continue making additions to the memorial. Approximately 300 veterans are memorialized on the granite pillars at the park and more on the memorial’s benches. The most recent pillar was added last fall.

Plans for the future include a bench in honor of those who suffered and are suffering post-traumatic stress disorder, along with a pair of bronze soldier statues.

The Freedom Rock is the highlight of the memorial. The Vergas Veterans commissioned Ray “Bubba” Sorenson to bring one of his Freedom Rocks to Vergas. Freedom rocks feature hand-painted veterans, history and the research Sorenson does to shine a light on local heroes depicted in his paintings.

Vergas’ rock is the eighth in Minnesota and was unveiled Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. The rock has made the Vergas Veterans Memorial a destination stop for fans of Sorenson’s work and those who appreciate memorials to those who fought for the country.

Krieg and his wife Pam discussed how often they meet visitors at the memorial and how everyone comes with their own story.

“There are a lot of stories we’ve heard, both humorous and very sad,”

Group leaders are seeking new members and hoping to add some youth to the Veterans squad.

Online donations to the Vergas Veterans Memorial can be dropped off at the city office or made online at wcif.org/fund/vcf/.

Donations can be made one-time or as a recurring gift.