Gone but not forgotten
Living honor fallen who sacrificed their dreams
This year’s observance ceremony featured patriotic performances from the New Ulm Municipal Band and the Concord Singers.
Although the program was indoors, the New Ulm Battery was stationed at the corner of 7th and German street during a drizzle. At the end of the ceremony, the Battery fired three rounds in salute.
This year’s presentation featured the Gettysburg Address recited by Dawson Schaefer of New Ulm High School.
The Memorial Day address was given by August Fliszar a recent graduate of Cathedral High School who will enter active duty with the U.S. Navy in July.
Fliszar opened his speech by thanking all those who gave everything in service to the country. He asked the audience to think about what they are thankful for. He asked the audience to remember those who gave their all while defending what we are thankful for.
Fliszar said when in battle, a soldier is not thinking of grand ideologies or fighting for a flag. Often the soldier is fighting for the soldier beside them.
He said it is also important to remember each soldier who died in combat had a life outside of military service. They had dreams and ambitions. These dreams were sacrificed for others.
Fliszar praised the various monuments erected around New Ulm paying tribute to veterans. He said these monuments have great weight and asked the public to give them more than a passing glance.
He said it was the duty of the living to remember fallen soldiers and keep history alive, because every soldier was once a student, family and friend.
Fliszar closed by saying when enjoying the little things in life, remember it is veterans who made the little enjoyments in life possible.
The Memorial Day observance closed with a reading of the names of area veterans who died in the last year. The list includes John Altenburg, Thomas Altmann, John Anderson, Randy Arndt, Curtis Asleson, Larry Becker, Jerome Bentz, Roeger Besemer, Greg Bieraugel, Thomas Bigelbach, Patrick Boesch, Benedict Brunner, Francisaca Confer, Sylvester Fischer, Hebert Franta, Alan Giesdorf, John Gray, Michael Griebel, Frederick Groebner, Allan Gruenhagen, Dale Grund, Leo Gulden, Bruce Haala, Virgil Hammerschmidt, Gerald Hauser, Johnny Helget, Jerome Hietala, Myron Hillesheim, Frederick Hosto, Ricky Howk, Larry Hunstad, Arnold Karstens, Robert Kennedy, Richard King, Kenneth Kohlepp, Hilly Kral, Kenneth Kuck, Gordon Lund, Rodney Lunz, Dennis Manderfeld, Willard Manderfeld, Duane Marston, Leo Menhardt, Rodney Mueller, Gary Nelson, Carrol Netzke, John Paulson, Wallace Pechtel, Layton Peters, Willard Reiser, Robert Richter, Robert Roesch, La Verne Rubey, George Schnobrich, Ricky Schroepfer, Orin Schultz, Dick Seitz, Linda Sherry, Raymond Siemer, Lester Stadick, Ernest Tauer, Paul Turbes, Willis Vorwerk, Paul Weis, George Wiedl, Donald Wilfahrt, William Wilfahrt, Red Wyczawski and Wallace Zemple.
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