(Source: “As Time Goes By”, Odebolt, Iowa 1877-1977,
printed by The Odebolt Chronicle May, 1977, pp. 192-193)
Roose Post 313 has been a live organization from its beginning. In 1920 an enthusiastic group of Veterans met in the I.O.O.F. Hall on the evening of January 2, to organize the Post, and their interest has been maintained through the intervening years. It is, and always has been the aim of the Post members to make Odebolt and the community a better place in which to live. Roose Post is proud of its record of service to the community, state, and nation.
American Legion Roose Post 313 was named after Herman A. Roose, the first
soldier in Odebolt, and in Sac County, to die in the service of his country in
World War I. Herman August Roose, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Roose, was
born in Odebolt, Iowa, January 9, 1901, and died at Chaumont, France, December
31, 1917, at the age of 16 years, and 11 months. Private Roose enlisted in
Co. B, Second Iowa infantry at Ida Grove, Iowa, in May, 1917. His Company
became a part of the 18th Infantry, Rainbow Division.
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From the book
By Winfred E. Robb |
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Obituary & last letter
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Other Veterans of the community who gave their lives in the service of World
War I were:
Robert F. Bernhardt, Robert Durmin, Andrew Reymer, George
J. Bihrer,
William F. Martin, Andrew G. Norton, Robert Pike, Charles Werkmaster,
Fred C. Meyer, Ernest Buller, and Iver Carlson.
(Click picture for photos and biographies)
The first officers of Roose Post 313 were Charles Worswick, Commander; Walter Coy, Vice-Commander; R.S. Johnston, Adjutant; Albert Fisher, Finance Officer; Eugene Reynolds, Master-at-Arms; Richard Korneisel, Historian; and the Reverend C.H. VanMeter, Chaplain. Present at the first meeting were N.F. Konradi, Lee Mahr, Lloyed Babcock, (?)Harding, Everett Briggle, H.H. Spiegel, Alfred Meyer, Clifford Fuller, Floyd Rex, Niles Johnston, Earl Miller, J.R. Williams, Walter Libby, W.A. Kistler, Paul Selby, Frank Coy, J.H. Selby, and Henry Schwaller.
For several years meetings were held in the IOOF Hall. Later the Post moved to the second floor of the Coy building and regular meetings were held on the second Monday of each month. On May 20, 1940 the Post purchase the Helsell Garage for a Legion Home.
The history of Roose Post has been one of activity, not only within its membership, but also in cooperation with other organizations. Activities Roose Post 313 has supported are the Boy Scout movement, sponsoring Junior Legion baseball teams, cooperation in Memorial and Armistice Day programs, National Education Week observances, pheasants for Veterans at the VA hospitals, sponsoring football and band banquets, sponsoring local boys to Boys State, donating flag and flag pole to the Cemetery Association, bringing toys to the needy at Christmas, and helping other worthwhile organizations.
See also: World War I Civilian Draft Registration - Persons Born in Odebolt
On December 7, 1941, the United States was attacked by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor. Because of this act of aggression, President Roosevelt called a Joint Session of Congress to declare a state of war on the Axis powers leading to our involvement in the global conflict.
Six sons of Floyd Patten of Odebolt enlisted in the Navy and all served on the USS Nevada. See a photo and article of them from The Chronicle. The Patten Brothers- 1940
After World War II membership climbed as a new generation of Veterans returned from war. Veterans who gave their lives in the service of World War II were William Malone, Donald Huebner, Gerald Bauer, Edward Walters, Harry Briggle, Delbert Lewis, Wendall Reinhart, Joseph Simon, Norman Petschauer, and Donald Etler. (Photos and Bios - Page 1, Page 2, Page 3)
On June 25, 1947, a decision by the members to enlarge the Legion home was approved. A new addition was built consisting of a dance floor and meeting room. (Note: Around 1983 the Legion donated this building to be used as the Odebolt Museum.)
The Korean War was the first war in history in which troops of a world organization acted to fight an aggressor nation. The War began in 1950 and ended in 1953. This community suffered no casualties in this conflict.
Robert F. Rex
(click photo for article)
The real, if undeclared war involving the United States in
Vietnam from
1965 to 1973 left its mark on the community by taking the life of Robert
Rex.
(Also see POW Network biography on Robert F. Rex)
| 1920 Charles Worswick 1921 Albert Fisher 1922 Dr. K. Bryant 1923 Walter Coy 1924 John Kuhl (resigned); W.A. Kistler 1925 Verne A. Paul 1926 William Newman 1927 William Newman 1928 John H. Selby (resigned) Orrie J. Fredrickson 1929 Orrie J. Fredrickson 1930 E.E. Reynolds 1931 L. A. Down 1932 Joe W. Carlson 1933 John F. Hausmann 1934 John F. Hausmann 1935 Harvey G. Keller 1936 Earle F. Rex 1937 Lee Edmiston 1938 Lee Edmiston 1939 P.S. Christensen 1940 F.E. Einspahr 1941 H.M. Buchanan 1942 H.M. Buchanan 1943 R.H. Griffin 1944 A.W.Coon |
1945 P.E. Treman 1946 Lloyd H. Watts 1947 Dale Gronemeyer 1948 Arnold Schrooten 1949 Arnold Schrooten 1950 Robert Dannenberg 1951 Kenneth Ahrenholtz 1952 Harry Sellman 1953 Albert Prestin 1954 Charles Rector 1955 John Hunt (deceased) Les Fredrickson 1956 Donald Einspahr 1957 Willis Babcock 1958 Willis Babcock 1959 Dale Einspahr (resigned) Arnold Schrooten 1960 Ed Wolterman 1961 Francis Mehrhoff 1962 Francis Tunik 1963 Duane Drake 1964 Kermit Siebrecht 1965 Reuben Hokanson 1966 Dale Franken 1967 Erich J. Koch 1968 Delbert Wunschel 1969 Wayne Stratton |
1970 Rolan Blake 1971 Bernard Braunschweig (resigned) Arlen Luitjens 1972 Arlen Luitjens 1973 Richard Rohlf 1974 Arlen Luitjens 1975 Mike Carstensen 1976 Mike Carstensen 1978 - Nick Carstensen 1979 - Leo Lindner 1980 - Jack Henrich 1981 - Pat Carstensen 1982-1987 - Francis Mehrhoff 1987-1993 - Roland Blake 1993-1994 - Leonard Carstensen 1995-1999 - George Streed 1999 - Bob Harden 2000 - James A. Scott 2001 - Bob Harden 2002 - James A. Scott 2003-2004 - Duane Einspahr Current - Jim Scott
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A monument to honor Odebolt's veterans has been completed by the Odebolt American Legion Roose Post #313 and Auxiliary. It has the names of 937 area veterans who served from 1900 to 2000. To be included on the list, a veteran must have been inducted from the Odebolt area, or lived most of his/her life in the Odebolt area, and served in any branch of the service at anytime from 1900 - 1999. An extensive search for all eligible veterans was conducted, as well as fund raising activites to pay for the monument.
Construction on the monument, which is located in Odebolt Cemetery, began in the spring of 2003 and was dedicated May 31, 2004.
Visit the Veterans' Memorial Monument and read the names of Odebolt's veterans.
(transcribed by B. Horak )
