VFW POST HISTORY  

 

 

                         HISTORY OF KLUBERTANZ- TRAPP POST 9362

 

 

During the history of Klubertanz-Trapp Post 9362, it has been the practice at five year intervals for the Post to celebrate it’s anniversary date. At that time, it was customary for Orville Scheuerell to give a brief history of the Post. It is an interesting history, which recalls what this Post has done not only locally, but also on the County Council, District, State and National levels. It is a history worthy of being shared with all members of the Post. Through the cooperation of Orville Scheuerell and Frank Brown, we present the first of a series of articles on the history of the Post for your reading pleasure.

  

                HISTORY OF KLUBERTANZ- TRAPP POST 9362   Part 1

  

It is now 1947 and Phil Harvey, a World War II (WWII) veteran, is delivering bakery goods for the Gardner Baking Company. His route, takes him to many cities and stores including Jefferson, Wisconsin. While in the coffee shop of a hotel, he frequently had coffee with two other WWII veterans from Endi-Gruennert CMII Post 3589, Jefferson, WI, (last names Beinfang and Blifernicht) and Jackson Bowman who at that time was Commander of the Second District, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S (VFW). They suggested starting a Post in Sun Prairie. Phil and Orville Scheuerell were friends. One day Phil stopped by Orville’s grocery store located on the corner of Church and Main Sts. the present location of the City Hall, to ask him for help in organizing a VFW Post. Orville may not admit it but this writer knows he welcomed such an opportunity. Thus, the beginning process of recruiting members began .Meeting with several other veterans in the area, ten, the required number at that time to secure a charter signed up. The names that appear on the charter that hangs on a wall at the Post Home (345 S. Walker Way) are: Phillip Harvey, Phillip Fairchild, Ludwig Stohi, Orville Scheuerell, Gilbert Deacon, Ellsworth Southward, William Sorenson, Godfried Meier, George Hughey and Al Oehrlein. To this date, three of the original ten are still with us. CHARTER: DATED—MAY 29, 1947. 

It is customary when possible, for Posts to be named in honor of one or more worthy fallen service men. During WWII Sun Prairie lost two of its brave young men. They were Pvt. Roderick Klubertanz who was caught in the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. He was killed on December 7, 1941. Also, Sgt. Otto Trapp, a member of the U.S. Army Air Corps, was killed in action while flying a B-26 in the Mediterranean area in 1944. Thus the name Klubertanz-Trapp Post 9362. The National VFW Organization assigns the number of the Post. 

In the early existence of the Post, their meetings were held in the basement of the City Library, which is now the City Museum. This was their meeting hall for some period of time. Later on L. A. Stohl, father of Ludwig “Noony” Stohl offered the Post use of the meeting room at the Porcelain Company. He also gave the Post $250.00 to purchase the Post colors. In August of 1953, the National VFW Convention was held in Milwaukee... The Post went to the convention to march in the parade. During the parade, it started to rain and the wind really started to blow. There is nothing like a strong wind blowing up, down or across the streets in a city. (This writer knows... At that time, he was marching in the same parade as the Commander of Eau Claire Post 305.) The parade went down Wisconsin Avenue. When the Post honor guard reached the bridge, which crosses the Milwaukee River there, were some VFW members who warned them to roll up their colors or risk having them blown out of their hands. They took the advice...

  

              HISTORY OF KLUBERTANZ-TRAPP POST 9362    Part 2 

 

The marchers stayed over night in a Milwaukee hotel. The next morning they attended the National Convention meeting. There were not many members in attendance. The Commander-in-Chief was a little perturbed to put it very mildly. He sent a detail to try to find the delegates. It didn’t take long to find the cause of the absence. The Miller Brewing Company owned a large garage for storing their delivery trucks. While the trucks were making their calls, the company turned the garage into a beer hall serving beer and sandwiches. (As an added note, there were times when every brewery in Milwaukee had a beer bar open to the veterans. For years afterward, those of us who attended National Conventions were asked when Milwaukee was going to host another convention.) 

It’s been several hours since the flags got wet in the parade. How well did they survive? They caused some concern. The thread used to sew the United States flag together bled when it got wet, resulting in the staining of the white stripes. The Post correspondent wrote to the National Organization explaining the situation. While National was sorry, felt bad it was tough luck, they could not or would not do anything to help. However, they had no problem selling the Post another flag. 

It is now the spring of 1953, time to elect officers. The small number of members were all busy earning a living, raising families and all those good things in life. No one stepped forward to serve as the Post Commander. The members turned to Orville Scheuerell asking him to take the office. Being the inquisitive type, he had actually been reading the state VFW newspaper, the National magazine and other bits of information to the extent that he had some feel for the workings of the organization. Orville also applied his own leadership skills and let the membership know they would have to pitch in and share in the responsibilities. He let the membership know before being elected that being a Post Commander was not a one job for leading a post that everyone would have to work. He let the members know that at his meetings they were not going to just drink coffee and play cards. He let the membership know that if he were to be the commander, everyone would have to work. This they agreed to do and Orville agreed to serve as Post Commander 

When it came time for Orville to conduct his first meeting, he invited the Post members to meet at his home in the recreation room. His first order of business was to demonstrate how a room should be set up for the proper conduct of post business meeting. This included the location of officers and the proper location of the Post colors. He also had available copies of the National Constitution and By-laws that include implementation and the ritual. With these materials, the Post members present were instructed for the first time in the proper conduct of a Post meeting. This marked the first time of the Post being serious about why they existed. 

One of the first accomplishments of the Post was the tripling of its membership. The Post had reached a time in its existence that they were willing to become involved in projects outside of Sun Prairie. A memorial was being planned to honor Major Richard Bong, a heroic pilot of WWII in the Pacific. It was to be located in the small community of Poplar in northern Wisconsin where it can be seen today.

             

                  HISTORY OF KLUBERTANZ-TRAPP POST 9362     Part 3 

 

We ended Part 2 referring to the Bong Memorial Project. To finalize that activity, there was a need to solicit funds. Those in attendance at that meeting canvassed Sun Prairie and were able to donate $207.00 to the project. That was the Post’s first attempt to work on a state project which ended as a success.

Next, we are made aware of a float, developed by the Post that, that not only carried a message, but also received some notoriety it displayed a minute man, bell and plow, painted in gold with the caption, “LOYALTY MEANS LIBERTY”. As noted below, the float received special recognition at both the state and national levels. When the float appeared at a parade in Fort Atkinson, or was it Watertown, it was photographed and the picture was used as a masthead on the state VFW News in connection with the announcement of Loyalty Day - LOYALTY MEANS LIBERTY. For a period of time, The National Organization also used the logo after it appeared the next year when Orville and Elizabeth Scheuerell along with Robert and Mary Sorenson took the float to the parade at the National Convention in Philadelphia.

Now that the Post is off and running having received recognition at the State and National levels of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., it’s time to look back at how the Post really got started. Posts just don’t spring up out of nowhere. There is a process that we can look at before moving on with our history.

As noted earlier, there was the meeting of Phil Harvey and Mr. Bliefernecht, their early activities with the involvement of Orville Scheuerell. This early activity included getting 10 overseas veterans to agree to be charter members of the new Post. In those days only 10 members were required for a charter which was issued by the National organization.

The Charter members were Philip Harvey, a route salesman for the Gardner Baking Company. Philip Fairchild, who did not live in town and his occupation, could not be recalled. Ludwig J. Stohl was the son of the owner of the Porcelain Company. Orville Scheuerell owned and operated a grocery store. Gilbert Deakon operated the Movie Theater. Ellsworth Southward worked at the Porcelain Company. Robert Sorensen worked at the Chase Lumber Company in De forest. He was also the first charter member to pass away. Gottfried Meier had a job in Columbus. George Hughey was an electrician and later became Grand Master of Masons in Wisconsin. Albert Oehrlein worked at the Porcelain Company. Of the 10 charter members, three are still alive today. They include Ludwig J. Stohl, Orville Scheuerell and Albert Oehrlein.

Following a procedure customary in many veterans organization, the Post was named after two very young veterans who lost their lives early in World War II. They are Sgt. Otto Trapp, member of a bomber crew flying in the South Pacific. The plane took a direct hit and never returned. The other young man is Robert Klubertanz who was stationed at Hicham Field on the Island of Oahu, Hawaii. The Japanese Bombers scored a direct hit in 1941. Robert became one of our first casualties of the war.

   

                  HISTORY OF KLUBERTANZ-TRAPP POST 9362   Part 4 

 

At the end of Part 3 there was brief mention of the two young men after whom the Post was named. Up to this point we have concentrated on what was happening on the Post level, but very little has been said about the Post leadership to this point. While this writer does not proclaim to be a historical purist, he has chosen to insert a current happening at this point in time.

You will recall in part four (4) there was a brief section about the 10 Charter Members with the ending sentence listing the three living members. It was at this point that the writer took a brief period to attend the funeral of Ludwig J. (Noonie) Stohl. Now there are only two living Original Charter Members. This fact is stated in this manner because we will eventually be referring to the Post’s permanent Charter represented by life members. It also seems appropriate at this time to remind non-veterans that as veterans we believe that an honorable burial is the least a fallen comrade deserves and it is the least we living veterans can do.

In the first three parts of the Post History we discovered that the Post had not only received recognition at the State level but also the National level. What is accomplished in the name of the Post involves support of the Post members and leadership which is the role of the Post Commanders. So who were our early leaders?

Philip Harvey was our first Post Commander serving from 1947 to 1949 and again in 1963-64. Our second Post Commander was Albert Oehrlein. 1949-50 followed by number 3. Charles Kubina. 1950-51., Robert Sorenson was number 4 serving during 1951-52 followed by number 5 Ludwig C. Stohl 1952-53, Orville Scheuerell 1952-53 as our 6th Post Commander. Please note that of the first six Post Commanders, four were also Charter Members.

At this point in time we take time to learn a little more about one of our members. There is a direct relationship between a Post leader and Post success. Therefore the early outstanding leadership was provided by Orville Scheuerell a young veteran who had ideas, learned about VFW activities from others, was an organizer and a leader that must be recognized as a pillar in Klubertanz-Trapp Post 9362. Things just don’t happen by themselves. It takes people to make things happen. While Orville is being placed in the lime-light at this time, it must be remembered that what happened as a result of him leadership was made possible by a great supporting staff of dedicated members. As we move along in the history of the Post, additional references will be made to the role Orville filled in the Dane County Council, Second District and Department.

Getting back to Post activities, it should be noted that another activity started during 1953-54, was a Junior Rifle Club. Another instance showing what can happen if one is alert to what is going in other posts. The Post had heard about a youth safety activity, sponsored by the VFW using 22 gauge rifles. Again Orville was instrumental in securing six rifles from a U.S. Government Agency. Where was the needed range for target practice and lessons? The city of Sun Prairies was very helpful by making the upstairs of the old City Hall available. It is located at the corner of Main and Bristol Streets and at this writing, is for sale.

                  

 

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