WWII Last Man's Club honors service to country

(Sentinel photo by Beverly Van Buskirk) Larry Rolfes (right), a member of American Legion Wasmer Post 241, presents a crocheted American flag throw to Stub Jessen (left), who is the last surviving World War II prisoner of war in Plymouth County. Holding the flag are John Brangwin and Lowell Klemme. On the table stands a model of the Fallen Soldier memorial, which will be placed at the Plymouth County Veteran's Memorial Park in July. [Click to enlarge]

Last Friday members of the local World War II Last Man's Club gathered at the American Legion Club in Le Mars for their 12th annual banquet, sharing memories and remembering those who served their country in the European and Pacific Theaters as well as on the homefront.

Twenty-four veterans, along with spouses, family members and friends attended the event.

(Sentinel photo by Beverly Van Buskirk) Members of the World War II Last Man's Club attending the annual banquet Nov. 13 were, front row (from left) -- Bill McDougall, Clay Nemmers, Melvin Kolker, Roy G. Sitzmann, Stub Jessen, Wayne Brown and Ted Hoffman. Second row -- John Brangwin, Lowell Klemme, Dave Klingensmith, Wayne Faber, Tony Ruhland, Rudy Adler and Don Hughes. Back row -- John Murphy, Bernard DeBoer, John Schnepf, Otto Kleihauer, Frank Wilhelmi, Ken Lubben, Don Hunstad, Ralph Niehus and Gerry Manning. [Click to enlarge]

Club secretary John Brangwin read the list of members who have died since the club began. This year, three names were added to the list: Robert Craig, Bernard Krommendyk and Lowell Wade.

A moment of silence followed the reading.

According to Brangwin, the club has 59 surviving members, with 71 deceased.

Larry Rolfes of American Legion Wasmer Post 241 made a special presentation to Merton "Stub" Jessen, a crocheted American flag throw.

The flag, Rolfes said, came from Ohio, and was brought to Le Mars by a driver for Schuster Trucking, whose mother made the flag.

Jessen is the last surviving WWII prisoner of war in Plymouth County and Rolfes presented the flag to honor Jessen and the sacrifice he made for his country.

Jessen said it was 65 years ago in December that he was taken prisoner in Germany.

Thanks to the troops that came after him in the Battle of the Bulge, Jessen said he was rescued.

"That's why I'm here," Jessen said, "You guys survived."

Plymouth County's two other POWs were George Milbrodt and Bernard Krommendyk.

Members of the Last Man's Club reflect a wide variety of wartime experiences and memories.

The club's president, Lowell Klemme, said he was drafted near the end of the war.

He was in the Army infantry, and was sent to Japan. Upon arrival there, they were told the war was over and they shouldn't unpack.

"We stayed there another six months, however," said Klemme.

His brother, Arnold, served in Germany, and was seriously wounded. Two other brothers, Leonard and Norman, were called up, but for various reasons, were not able to serve.

"I was only in nine months," said Klemme.

Don Hunstad of Le Mars enlisted in the Navy from his home in Aberdeen, S.D., and served from 1944 to 1946.

"I was pretty young, one of those dumb 17-year-olds," He said. "My parents had to sign for me. I had two other brothers already in the service but I thought I had to go, too. Dad finally gave in and signed for me."

He was a Seabee, serving in the South Pacific, in the Phillipines.

"I was never in a battle," said Hunstad, who served in the transportation unit. "We kept all the trucks and jeeps running and moving."

"It was a good sight to come back under the Golden Gate Bridge and come home," Hunstad said.

He enjoys the Last Man's Club gatherings each year.

"It's good to get together once a year with everybody else in World War II," he said. "Every year it gets a little less" he said of the attendance. "We're getting up in years."

Another veteran, Otto Kleihauer, served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany and Belgium.

He was in the area during the Battle of the Bulge but was not on the front lines.

"I went in August 1942 and got out in December 1945," he said.

He arrived home Jan. 1, 1946.

Bernard DeBoer spent his military service on the homefront.

"I spent most of my time teaching radar repair at the Navy Pier in Chicago," DeBoer said.

Radar at that time was just brand new, DeBoer explained.

"It was considered secret at that time. The manuals were locked up at night in the safe," he recalled.

Those dealing with the radar didn't talk about it, but people knew what they were working on.

"You had an insignia on the sleeve of your uniform, and you'd meet a civilian and they knew we were in radar," he said. "Everybody seemed to know it."

DeBoer served three years and four months in the service, and was discharged in February 1946.

The club's Friday banquet included Musical entertainment by Scott Tucker and Ron Thacker of Sergeant Bluff.

"We're two friends who love music," said Tucker.

"Thank you for what you did," he said to the veterans. "If hadn't done what you did, I probably wouldn't be standing here."

He added his wife, Karissa, is also a veteran.

The two ended their program with a music video tribute to veterans with the song "Distant Drums."

"We know everybody goes, but nobody knows all of it," Tucker said.

Members of the World War II Last Man's Club must belong to the American Legion and had to serve in the armed forces of the United States between Dec. 7, 1941, and Dec. 31, 1946. The club is open to both men and women who served in the armed forces, including the Red Cross.