People

People you might meet at VFW Post 1647 in Brainerd, Minnesota, USA

Matt Gilgenbach grew up on a farm near Wahpeton, North Dakota. He joined the U.S. Army in 1952 and served until 1955. Matt was with the 4th Field Artillery Battalion at Camp Ripley. He remembers transporting 75 mm artillery shells on pack mules at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, something a farm boy would know how to do. Matt served with the Big Red One in Japan, Korea, and Okinawa. He was a Corporal and a squad leader. Back in civilian life, Matt was a plumber and construction foreman until his retirement. He now lives in Brainerd. Matt is shown here in his Honor Guard uniform on Veterans Day in 2015 with his sister Rose Robinson at Riverside Elementary School where ceremonies were held. Rose is a member of the VFW Auxiliary.

January 8, 2019: Gary West is a U.S. Navy veteran. He served 1962-1966 as a diesel mechanic. One of his tours was aboard the USS Donner LSD20 in the Atlantic and the Caribbean. Nowadays he is a life member of the Brainerd VFW and a professional driver. Safe, reliable and experienced, car and driver for hire.

January 2, 2019: Bob Marsh is a long-time life member of the Brainerd VFW. He served as an infantryman in the U.S. Army 1949-1950 and then was recalled to fight in the Korean conflict 1951 to 1952. In civilian life, Bob worked in construction and as a truck driver. He was youth chairman for many years including putting on state VFW baseball tournaments in Brainerd. His daughter, Dawn Garin, is editor of the Brainerd VFW's Vet's Gazette newsletter, among other duties.

January 1, 2019: Petty Officer 3rd Class Don Damm served aboard the U.S.S. Ticonderoga 1954 to 1957. One of his jobs was as a coxswain (driver/helmsman) of a ferry boat for naval officers in the Mediterranean Sea. He served eight years in the Navy (1953 -1961) and is now a retired guy living in Brainerd.

December 11, 2018: A big welcome to Phil Philbin of Brainerd. He moved here recently from Arizona. Phil was an infantryman in Vietnam, back in 1966. He received two Purple Hearts in his eight months there.

Lester Gendron served 23 years in the U.S. Navy as a Corpsman and one year ashore in Vietnam with the 3rd U.S. Marine Division 1968-1969. Lester lives in Brainerd and is often seen at funerals with the Honor Guard and at civic events as a Color Guard.

Tim Brastrup was in the U.S. Army Artillery 1970 to 1973, achieving the rank of Sergeant E5. He transferred his VFW membership from the Jenkins post to Brainerd in March 2019. In civilian life, Tim worked as a fisheries manager for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources until his retirement. He and his wife Kathy live in Baxter. Tim is often a part of the Brainerd VFW Honor Guard at veteran funerals and civic events.

(l-r) Jalen, Dale, and Jessie Emslander. Dale was with the Minnesota National Guard 194th Red Bull Division. He served 2005-2007 in Iraq. Glad to see this family at the Brainerd VFW.

Larry Christensen is a life member of the VFW has been a part of the Brainerd VFW Honor Guard since the 1980s. He was an SP5 tank mechanic in the 4th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army. Larry spent most of his time near An Khe in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, 1970-71. After returning home, he worked at Potlach in Brainerd making paper. Now retired and living in Baxter, MN, Larry likes to fish when he is not serving on the Honor Guard.

VFW life member Yvette Stoliker joined the Brainerd VFW in 2016. She retired from the U. S, Air Force in 2011, after 20 years of service, including a year in Korea 2003-2004. As a Master Sergeant, her specialty was radiation health. At age 46, Yvette is now employed as an environmental manager at Camp Ripley in central Minnesota. She is also working on an MBA in business management. Yvette enjoys being a part of the community and likes the military connection at the Brainerd VFW. Like many younger members, she reads the monthly Vet’s Gazette post newsletter online at the Brainerd VFW website. That saves printing and postage costs.

Chuck Hanson and his wife Karen are often found in the VFW kitchen. Chuck is the Gambling Manager at the Brainerd VFW. He finds himself giving advice to other veterans frequently too. Good man!

Airman Second Class Charles K. Hanson distinguished himself by gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force as an HU-16 Pararescue Specialist near hostile shores in the Gulf of Tonkin on 12 February 1967. On that date, after his aircraft had deliberately been flown in a decoy pattern to draw hostile fire from shore batteries away from the location of a survivor and then landed in a hail of small arms, automatic, mortar and antiaircraft fire, Airman Hanson fearlessly exposed himself by swimming to the survivor and returning him safely to the aircraft. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Airman Hanson has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

Marty Judd was an infantryman in the U.S. Army 1968 to 1970. He received a Purple Heart while serving in Vietnam. Marty has been in VFW Post 1647 Honor Guard for many years. You also see him playing taps on a bugle at many ceremonies. He drives a mid-1950s U.S. Army Jeep around town in the summer and at parades.

Sherri Beaupre of Pine River, Minnesota, is a volunteer at the Brainerd VFW. She was a Staff Sergeant with the U.S. Air Force, serving in Korea. Sherri is a Quartermaster and member of the Jenkins VFW Color Guard. She represents women veterans on the Minnesota state level and is a very outgoing person. Sherri shows up on occasion in Brainerd to see the vets, tend bar, and help with other duties. Thanks, Sherri!

Gabe Williams has been a volunteer at Post 1647 since 2011. He loves cooking so the kitchen is the great place for him. Gabe served in the U.S. Army as a SP4 infantryman. In his six years of service, he participated in Operation Able Sentry in Macedonia back in 1993 and in the Berlin Brigade. Gabe worked at Meyer Cleaners in Brainerd and now works at Spirits of Nisswa, then volunteers at the VFW. Editor's note: Best to stop in and say Hi to Gabe. Remember, he and others are volunteers so leave a generous tip to say Thanks.

Ray Frisch is a regular at Post 1647 and is happy guy with a great laugh. He was in the U.S. Army 1952 through 1954 achieving the rank of a Sergeant E5. His job was NCO in charge of officer records while in Incheon, and Busan, South Korea. In civilian life, Ray was an English teacher at Brainerd High School and Brainerd Community College, now known as Central Lakes College, before retiring.

Harry Ruikka of Brainerd served with the U.S. Army in Thailand in the 1960s. He could not be assigned to Vietnam because his twin brother was there at the time. Harry has been in the Post 1647 VFW Honor Guard since 1976. You've probably seen him many times in parades and at funerals.

Nettie Palmer has been a volunteer at the Brainerd VFW since 2006 and has two relatives who served in the military. She is a 1972 graduate of Brainerd High School and was recruited, so to speak, by Chuck Hanson, Gambling Manager at the club. Nettie worked in home health care and now helps out where she can at the VFW. That includes helping with cooking, setting tables, and shopping for the kids Christmas party. The list goes on. Nettie said, "I love what I do. If I wasn't having fun, I wouldn't be doing this long."

Editor's note: Best to stop in and say Hi to Nettie. Remember, she and others are volunteers so leave a generous tip to say Thanks.

Cole Hunter served in the U. S. Navy as a pilot from 1954 to 1979. He started as a cadet and ended his flying career with 23,000 hours in the air as a Lt. Commander. Cole spent most of his time in the Navy's RA-5C Vigilante with many flights over Vietnam and Laos photographing enemy troop positions and movements during the Vietnam War. His tactical call sign was "hook." An interesting guy and a frequent visitor to the post. Cole now resides in Baxter, Minnesota.

VFW Post 1647 Webmaster and Photographer Mark Persons. Born April 12, 1947, in Duluth, Minnesota, he enlisted in the U. S. Army in 1966. Mark became an instructor in electronic repair of MPQ-4 and MPQ-10 Weapons Support Radars at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. Then it was off to Viet Nam where he was Sergeant in Charge of an avionics (aviation electronics) repair shop in support of the U. S. Army's OV-1 Mohawk surveillance aircraft. See: 2018 article. Mark was discharged after his three years were up and went back to civilian life where he was a broadcast engineer. He built twelve new radio broadcast stations and updated countless others while on the road for over 40 years. Mark's story: Yes, I am proud to be a member of VFW Post 1647 where I can be of service to fellow veterans.