{"id":9291,"date":"2019-10-30T17:19:46","date_gmt":"2019-10-30T21:19:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ss.sites.mtu.edu\/mhugl\/?p=9291"},"modified":"2019-12-10T20:22:06","modified_gmt":"2019-12-11T01:22:06","slug":"iron-range-veterans-digital-memorial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ss.sites.mtu.edu\/mhugl\/2019\/10\/30\/iron-range-veterans-digital-memorial\/","title":{"rendered":"Iron Range Veterans Digital Memorial"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/a>
Iron Range Veterans Digital Memorial
(from https:\/\/www.mndiscoverycenter.com\/<\/a> )<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Iron Range Veteran\u2019s Digital Memorial is a place to honor\nthe service of veterans from communities along Minnesota\u2019s Mesabi Range. This\nmemorial is more than just a standing monument. This memorial is an online\ndatabase that contains the service records of veterans from the Civil War\nthrough the Persian Gulf War. This memorial exists to show that Mesabi Range\nprovided more than just iron ore, but also soldiers.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minnesota\u2019s Mesabi\u2019s Range is remembered for its mining. These Rangers supplied the majority of the iron for WWI and WWII. Some even claim that we, the United States of America, would not have been victorious in World War II without the rich ore deposits found here. Over 33 million tons of iron ore was mined in 1939, before America was even engaged in the war. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the Iron Range, as locals often refer to it for obvious\nreasons, has supplied soldiers for every major conflict since the American\nCivil War. These wars include, but are not limited to, the Cold War, Desert\nStorm, Korea, The Spanish-American War, Vietnam, World War I, and World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pvt. Hiram J. Eaton served during the Civil War, and the\nVirginia, MN native fought at the Battle of Bull Run. Pvt. Eaton was injured\nduring the Second Battle of Bull Run. The U.S. senate chambers had been set up\nto be a temporary hospital for injured soldiers such as Pvt. Eaton. While he\nlaid there, recuperating, he had the privilege of meeting President Abraham\nLincoln.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over 100 years later, and just over 20 miles away, Cpl. Ronald\nTod Novak proved that the Mesabi range would still be ready to defend the\nUnited States of America. Throughout these years, the people of the Mesabi\nRange continue to serve their country. Nearly 2,000 veterans records have been\nstored in the Iron Range Veteran\u2019s Digital Memorial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Paul Edward Marturano, Sr.
(from http:\/\/www.ironrangeveterans.org\/<\/a> )<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Many of these veterans have family in the area. One veteran who has a large family in the area is Paul Edward Marturano, Sr. He was a private in the army during World War II. Stationed in Frankfurt, Germany, Pvt. Marturano was a member of the railway security. Some of his family lives in Chisholm, MN. His relatives are active in the community, owning a family restaurant while also being members of different community organizations. They do hold their ancestry in high regard, and would make the Private proud. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another Chisholm native is Henry P. Brusacoram. Henry\nBrusuacoram joined the Civilian Conservation Corps. right after highschool, and\njoined the Navy on July 1st<\/sup> 1943. Brusuacoram recalls joining the\nNavy and seeing the whole world. He has been stationed in the Philippines, China,\nand even Bikini Atoll where the atomic bomb was tested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brusacoram, just like any Iron Range veteran, was more than just\na soldier. Brusacoram picked up boxing while he was in the Navy. He had the\nexperience of a lifetime, boxing a current light heavyweight champion. He found\npassion here, and continued to learn how to fight. He earned a Brown Belt in\nJudo, and began teaching Marine policeman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He found his true passion instructing others. He continued serving this country, becoming a lieutenant colonel. Lt. Col. Brusacoram became the company commander of the Hibbing National Guard. He proudly remembers how his unit was the first unit in Northern Minnesota to receive a Superior Rating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The standing memorial was dedicated in 2000 at the Minnesota\nDiscover Center in Chisholm, MN. The physical memorial consists of three bold\nflags being presented\u2014United States of America, Minnesota, and POW\/MIA. Behind\nthese three flags stand flags representing  Air Force, Army, Coast Guard,\nMarines, Merchant Marine, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,\nNavy, and Public Health Services, all the branches served by the Rangers. There\nis also a helicopter and tank flanking either side of the memorial. There is\nalso a fighter jet and ship anchor located at the memorial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Ship Anchor
(from www.duluthnewstribune.com<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The anchor is the newest item added to the memorial site, which seems to be ever-growing. The anchor is 14.5 feet tall, and weighs over 11 tons. It once called the USN Mount Baker its home, but now rests on the grassy hillside surrounded by replica ammunition. It traveled from the warmth of Texas to the cold, frozen North. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The online database was formally established in 2015. However,\nthe local VFW, Press-Lloyd Post #247 American Legion, operated the database\nbefore this time. The VFW maintained this website voluntarily for years before\nthe Minnesota Discovery Center reached out to assist them with the\nresponsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The online database is ever-growing. There are many archivists working to keep the website up to date. There are plans to include more recent records. Many Iron Rangers have served in the recent conflicts. These men and women deserve to have their records preserved, too. These conflicts include the War on Terror, War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dedication of the VFW is an excellent representation of the\nIron Range mentality. These men and women live in some of the harshest\nconditions in the country, yet continue to serve. That is the story of each and\nevery veteran that is remembered. And this dedication to honoring veterans\ncontinues to grow. There are plans to expand the online database to include all\nveterans. Plans include adding to the past wars, but also to honor those who\nhave served in more recent conflicts. This devotion may never end, and these\nIron Range veterans may always be remembered and honored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Iron Range Veterans
(from https:\/\/www.mndiscoverycenter.com\/ <\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Primary Sources:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
  1. Anchor at Chisholm Veteran’s Memorial to be dedicated. (2013, August 4). .duluthnewstribune<\/em>. Retrieved from Chisholm Anchor Dedicated<\/a><\/li>
  2. Potter, T. (2015, December 8). MDC UNVEILS VETERANS DATABASE. Hibbing Daily Tribune<\/em>. Retrieved from MDC Unveils Veterans Database<\/a> <\/li>
  3. Lynch, J. (2003, August 23). CHISHOLM VETERAN SAW THE WORLD IN THE NAVY. Hibbing Daily Tribune<\/em>. Retrieved from Chisholm Veteran Saw the Whole World in The Navy<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Secondary Sources:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    1. Archivist at Minnesota Discovery Center (2015). \u201cIron Range Veterans’ Memorial<\/a>\u201d<\/li>
    2. Estabrook, Charles E (1914). \u201c2nd Wisconsin Infantry History<\/a>\u201d Archivist at Minnesota Discovery Center (2015). \u201cIron Range Veterans’ Memorial<\/a>\u201d<\/li>
    3. Full Width (2014). \u201cThe Civil War<\/a>\u201d <\/li>
    4. Nelson, Maggie and Winkle, Emma Van (n.d.). \u201cSt. Louis County Homefront During World War II<\/a>\u201d <\/li><\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      The Iron Range Veteran\u2019s Digital Memorial is a place to honor the service of veterans from communities along Minnesota\u2019s Mesabi Range. This memorial is more than just a standing monument. This memorial is an online database that contains the service…<\/p>\n

      Continue readingIron Range Veterans Digital Memorial<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":349,"featured_media":9351,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[819,95,348,198],"class_list":["post-9291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-monument","tag-flags","tag-iron","tag-memorial","tag-minnesota","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/ss.sites.mtu.edu\/mhugl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9291","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/ss.sites.mtu.edu\/mhugl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/ss.sites.mtu.edu\/mhugl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ss.sites.mtu.edu\/mhugl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/349"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ss.sites.mtu.edu\/mhugl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9291"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"http:\/\/ss.sites.mtu.edu\/mhugl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9291\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11395,"href":"http:\/\/ss.sites.mtu.edu\/mhugl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9291\/revisions\/11395"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ss.sites.mtu.edu\/mhugl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9351"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/ss.sites.mtu.edu\/mhugl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ss.sites.mtu.edu\/mhugl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ss.sites.mtu.edu\/mhugl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}