[Mpls] Memorial Day- 2002

[Ron Lischeid]

In light of the events of the past 8-1/2 months since 9/11, I hope that Americans will rededicate themselves to honoring the men and women that served our country as members of the armed forces on next Monday, May 27th.  I hope that more people will remember the real reason for the holiday and will renew their patriotism through their active participation in the various Memorial Day services that will be held around the Twin Cities.   As the son of a Marine Corp pilot (who graduated from Minneapolis South High in 1936 and the University of Minnesota in 1940) that was shot down over Korea on September 25, 1950 and who remains on the MAI listings, I know that a week from Monday will be a special Memorial Day for me.   To keep the list manager from putting a bayonet through this thread, I want to make it a Minneapolis issue by having list members report the time, locations and activities that will take place at the various Minneapolis cemeteries, American Legion and VFW posts as they celebrate Memorial Day.   I will start with my own neighborhood and association.  American Legion Post #435, serving Minneapolis and Richfield, will be having our Memorial Day service at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, May 27th at the Oak Hill Cemetery, between 59th and 60th on the east side of Lyndale Avenue South (right across the street from Bachman's).  I believe Oak Hill is the second oldest cemetery in Minneapolis.  It is the final resting place of many of Minneapolis and Richfield's earliest pioneer families and for history buffs it is an interesting place to walk through and look at the names and dates on the granite markers.  Post #435 originally started out in the Mayflower Church near Diamond Lake Road and Stevens Avenue and later met in a building near the corner of Diamond Lake Road and Nicollet.  Post #435 was chartered on May 4, 1927 while the Minneapolis city limits were still at 54th Street (Diamond Lake Road) and we recently celebrated our 75th Anniversary.  Shortly afterwards, in 1927, the City of Minneapolis annexed Richfield property between 54th and 62nd Street.  For several years, Post #435 remained in Minneapolis before first moving to 64th and Nicollet and later to our present location at 65th and Portland Avenue in Richfield.  To reflect this dual Minneapolis/Richfield history and because many of its members lived in south Minneapolis, the Post was referred to as the Richfield-Minneapolis Post #435.  The post has been holding its Memorial Day services at Oak Hill Cemetery for many years.  I would invite anyone that is interested in attending our service to join us at the Oak Hill Cemetery at 10:00 a.m.  Following the Memorial Day service, the members will return to their Post for the Flag ceremony.  During the morning on Monday, the flag will be flown at half mast.  During the Memorial Day service, the flag will be lowered to the bottom of the flag pole.  Following the service, the flag will once again be raised to the top of the flag pole.  I expect a few in the crowd will get a lump in their throat when that happens.   There will also be the traditional Memorial Day services at the Fort Snelling National Cemetery (sorry, I don't know if they will be on Sunday or Monday or the time- help anyone?).  Even though the cemetery is on Federal land, my vote would be that it is close enough to Minneapolis to also be considered a Minneapolis issue.   I would hope that other list members from around Minneapolis would follow-up with listings about Memorial Day activities at other locations through out the city.   Ron Lischeid Windom Headstone marking my Father's gravesite at Fort Snelling National Cemetery Father's name on Korean War Memorial on State Capital Grounds Member of Post #435 Sons of the American Legion