Denison, Iowa, VFW Members

VFW FOUNDED 45 YEARS AGO

Founded in 1899 for the purpose of preserving that part of comradeship known only to those who have had the dangers of war on foreign hostile waters the Veteran of Foreign Wars, of the United States organization is primarily dedicated to the principle that see to honor the dead by helping the living.

With millions of Americans being sent to far and remote countries of the world during the second world war, memberships for returning veterans are expected to be issued in undreamed numbers.

36 NEW VETS

The Ninus L. Hunt Post VFW in Denison already has added 36 local boys who saw action in world war II, memberships being taken when veterans visited home on fourloughs [sic] or through proxy during the last two and one-half years.

Those is this group include Kenneth C, Blackwell, Harold Saly,, John Jakso, Elmer Dale Malone, Gordon Harl Shaw, Keith LeRoy Stutzman, John Robert Lingle, Robert K. Robinault, Jerry Leaf, Frances P. Heeren, Harold L. Day, Allan R. Sievers, Ralph D. Hennings, Lloyd M. Murphy, James Stapleton, Russell Guster, Meinhardt Block, John Brandt, Axel F. Heide, Glen Lorenzen, James M. Jones, Fred Turner, Roy Jack Pieper, Eugene H. Foster, Ray Jetter, Robert A. Railsback, Joe L. Trexel, Earl W. Clausen, Raymond A. Glau, Arnold W. Suntken, Frank J, Hanss, Everton Lee Hobson, Harold L. Auld, Edgar C. Bryan, Keith A. Ullrich and William M. Lane.

Membership of the local post totals more than 125, Sherman L. Olson, quartermaster stated.

Drill Team

Of particular pride to the Denison post is its uniformed drill team which has performed at installation ceremonies
throughout the state. The group was organized several years ago.
Composed of eleven members, the team has been praised wherever
it appeared and although some of the original members have died
or moved from Denison, most of the charter members are still active in the team.

Those in the above picture are left to right, Foster Hain, Raleigh Winey, H. Schultz, Frank Podey,
Luther Burnside, Jens Lass, William Schwartz, Robert Schwitzer, [moved]
Sherman Olson, Jep Sewell, [moved] and Ed Markley, deceased [July 1944].
Replacements include Alex Aebischer and James Armstrong.
A successor to Markley had not been named in September.

State President

State-wide fame came to Denison and the VFW auxiliary in 1944 when Mrs. Hedwig Olson assumed duties of
department president in February when Mrs. Madeline Walsh, Burlington, resident, passed away and the Denison vice
president advanced. In the fall convention at Waterloo Mrs. Olson was elected for the 1944-45 term as president.

Other personages in the Denison post have also held several district and state offices including commanderships and other electoral positions,

Officers of the post who served during 1944 were:

Nels Jensen, commander
Jens Lass, senior vice commander
Thomas Harper, junior vice commander
Sherman Olson, quartermaster
Luther Burnside, chaplain
Frank Podey, adjutant
Raleigh Winey, officer of the day
Edmund Peters, historian
Edmund Peters, service officer
Ed Markley, guard
Ivan Croxell and William Smith, color bearers
Henry Bumann and Ed Christiansen, color guards
Robert Rule, sergeant at arms

Staff of officers for the auxiliary during the same term were:

Mrs. Susan Trexel, president
Mrs. Bonnie Ullrich, senior vice president
Mrs. Gladys Lochmiller, junior vice president
Mrs. Elizabeth Tucker, conductress
Mrs. Hedwig Olson, treasurer
Mrs. Agnes Mill, chaplain
Mrs. Selma Lass, guard
Mrs. Ella Saly, three-year trustee
Mrs. Helen Hansen, two-year trustee
Mrs. Ruth Podey, one-year trustee
Mrs. Viola Blackman, secretary
Mrs. Olga Gary, color bearer No.1
Mrs. Edith Ames, color bearer No. 2
Mrs.Clara Claussen, color bearer, No. 3
Mrs. Helen Hansen, color bearer No. 4
Veronica Collins, flag bearer
Cornelia Jensen, banner bearer
Mrs. Eunice Johnson, musician
Mrs. Beulah Henney, historian
Mrs. Mary Crossley, patriotic instructor

From Denison Bulletin May 3rd, 1945

VFW Buys Retman Building on Main

POSSESSION WILL BE GIVEN DECEMBER 31

Ninus L. Hunt Post 2504, Veterans of Foreign Wars closed a deal Wednesday afternoon, when they purchased from Edward Retman the new building he erected on the corner of South Main and First avenue south.

Retman had used the main floor for his furniture display and salesroom and the basement for storage purposes.

The VFW will use the first floor for their lodge room and the basement will house the canteen. Possession of the basement will be given the lodge Oct. 1 and the remainder of the building on Dec. 31, 1947.

The canteen will be moved to the new location Oct. 1 but meetings will be held in the basement of the McCarthy building until the first of the year.

The Retman building was erected in 1946 and will make the VFW a fine modern group home.

Retman plans to erect another building on the lot north of the VFW.

From Denison Bulletin July 25, 1947