Rochester's VFW celebrates 100 years of veterans, history (2024)

ROCHESTER — The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 1215 of Rochester reached 100 years this week, and it kicked off the milestone Monday by performing military honors at the gravesites of the two Olmsted County veterans who died in combat and for whom the organization is named: Guy Whitlock and Carl Sonnenberg.

The cemetery prayers began a week-long series of centennial community events for a post whose core mission is “to serve our veterans, the military and our communities” and “to advocate on behalf of all veterans.”

The celebrations will include veterans breakfasts, bar bingo and raffles, a VFW golf tournament and a live auction, musical and karaoke performances, a Sloppy Joe supper and spaghetti feed, a craft fair and baked goods sales and a polka dance.

Harry Kerr, a VFW member, said the Rochester VFW has played a key role in adding to the vibrancy and civic health of the community. It has donated millions over the decades.

The VFW has supported the city parks and paid for lights at Hudson Field. It has made large financial gifts to the Gift of Life Transplant House and food donations to the Zumbro Valley Mental Health Center. It helped start the Rochester Honkers baseball club and the now defunct Mustangs senior hockey team. It has financially supported youth athletics such as youth hockey and baseball. Upfront money was given to start up youth activities, including wrestling and fast-pitch baseball.

The Rochester VFW was formed in 1924, 25 years after the national organization was founded. It was born organically amid a sense that veterans were being neglected and forgotten.

After the Spanish-American War of 1898 and the bloody Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902), many veterans returned home wounded or sick. Because there was no dedicated medical care for veterans or veterans’ pensions at the time, veterans were left to care for themselves.

Lily Dozier / Post Bulletin file photo

They began to coalesce, creating groups that would eventually band together to form the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.

Dave Rowlands, the group’s chaplain, spent the last year researching the history of Rochester’s VFW in preparation for its 100th anniversary.

It is no mean feat to “keep an organization running for 100 years,” Rowlands said. “We’ve had our ups and downs” and it’s a testament to the people “over the years that have kept it going.”

The Rochester group began with 67 charter members. The post’s first meetings were held in the Rochester Armory under the command of William J. Pierce. At its height, in 1946, the year after the end of World War II, the post had a membership of 719 vets. Today, it has around 400 members, Rowlands said, and its current commander is Mark Fetterman.

The post has occupied nine different Rochester locations over the century. Its current location, The Mess Hall Tavern & Grill, formerly The Golden Corral restaurant, on 43rd Street Northwest, was purchased by the VFW for $820,000. It was renovated by Benike Construction for $1 million to include a new bar, restaurant area and event center that seats 200 people.

The locations have aimed at fostering camaraderie among veterans and community members where people can relax, dine, gamble, socialize and hold meetings, Rowlands said.

“The VFW isn’t just for veterans. It’s open to everybody,” Rowlands said.

Andrew Link / Post Bulletin file photo

The Rochester Post was named after Olmsted County soldiers Guy Whitlock and Carl Sonnenberg. Both died in battle, one on the battlefields of France and the other tropical Philippines.

Whitlock was 23 when he was killed at San Fernando, Philippines on May 23, 1899, during what was known as the Philippine Insurgency that took place after the Spanish-American War. The U.S. annexed the Philippine Islands, leading to resistance from Philippine nationalists and a guerrilla war featuring rampant war crimes on both sides.

Inscribed on Whitlock’s tombstone in the Stewartville cemetery are the words, “Friends, I slumber sweetly in a soldier’s honored grave.

Sonnenberg of Rochester was killed in France on Sept. 28, 1918, in the waning weeks of World War I. Pvt. Sonnenberg was shot by a German sniper near Vienne-Le Chateau Marne. His body lies in an isolated grave in the Marine sector. He is memorialized on the “Wall of the Missing” along with 953 U.S. servicemen at the U.S. Meuse-Argonne American and Memorial, Romangne-sous-Montaucon, Department de la Meuse, Loraine, France.

To bear witness to these sacrifices and countless others, VFW honor guards have been fixtures in Rochester at everything from college graduations to patriotic gatherings at Soldiers Memorial Field Park on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. They perform graveside services for the burial of veterans. Once a month, it performs a rifle salute and taps at Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston, Minn.

Post Bulletin file photo

Upcoming events to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Rochester’s Whitlock-Sonneberg Post No. 1215 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Except where specified, events are held at Mess Hall Tavern & Grill, 2775 43rd St. NW, Rochester:

Wednesday, Sept. 4
4 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Spaghetti Feed.
5 p.m. - Horse Races.
7 p.m. - Annual membership drawing.
7:30 p.m. - Life membership drawing.

Thursday, Sept. 5
6:30 p.m. - Bar Bingo.
7 p.m. - Annual membership drawing.
7:30 p.m. - Life membership drawing.

Friday, Sept. 6
VFW Golf Tournament (Soldiers Field Golf Course)
10:30 a.m. to noon - Registration.
Noon - Tee off.
5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. - Move to the VFW Gold Star Room.
Sloppy Joe Supper.
Silent Auction/Live Auction.
5:30 p.m. - Horse Races.
8 p.m. - Band.

Saturday, Sept. 7
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Craft Fair and Baked Good Sales (Gold Star Room).
5 p.m. - Meat Trays.
5:30 p.m. - Horse Races.
6 p.m. - $100 Raffle Drawing.
8 p.m. - Karaoke.

Sunday, Sept. 8
Noon - Polka.
3 p.m. - Three guns are raffled off.
4 p.m. - 20-year time capsule.