The Milwaukee Post

May 30, 2014 • Milwaukee County Post • 17 By KATHERINE MICHALETS Special to The Post OCONOMOWOC – Harley- Davidson motorcycles have become synonymous with free- dom, but it was the veterans rid- ing on the back of the bikes Saturday who are responsible for that freedom. Wisconsin Harley-Davidson in Oconomowoc partnered with the Honor Flight Network to hold a daylong event Saturday honoring veterans and paying special trib- ute to those who served in World War II. Cousins Lyal Lauersdorf and Dean Schoenwetter of Waukesha not only both served in WWII, they also got to go on the Honor Flight together May 3. Lauersdorf got quite the thrill of going up in the plane to go to D.C., and also riding on the back of a Harley on Saturday. He said he had a Harley-Davidson Knucklehead when he was younger. While the cousins had fun par- ticipating in Saturday's event, they also had some messages to share with today's younger gener- ation. Lauersdorf said when peo- ple see the American flag being carried in a parade, they should stand up and put their hand over their heart to show respect for the United States and the people who fought for its freedom. Dianne Crowley, marketing and events coordinator for Wisconsin Harley-Davidson deal- ership, said putting Saturday's event together was a labor of love and a way to pay tribute to her father, a World War II veteran who died in November. "We bent over backwards to keep this from becoming commer- cial," she said. Marion Lemke was given a ride to the Milwaukee War Memorial on a three-wheeler motorcycle Saturday morning with the World War II veterans, who were taken via Jeeps provid- ed by Ewald Automotive. Lemke's husband, Orville, had gone up in the Honor Flight on Nov. 6, 2010 and since then she has participat- ed in many Honor Flight events. "It has changed my life. It has brought more meaning to it after my husband died," the Milwaukee resident said. Now, she goes to all of the Honor Flight homecoming cele- brations at Gen. Mitchell International Airport. Her daughter crocheted a red, white and blue afghan, which she gave to the 3,000th veteran to go on the Honor Flight. "They are like family now. They are wonderful. I get hugs from everyone now," Lemke said. In addition to the ride to the War Memorial, there was an Honor Breakfast Celebration with the Kettle Moraine High School Pep Band, a Poker Run and plenty of patriotic music per- formed by the Oconomowoc American Legion Band, the Brew City Big Band and the Milwaukee Children's Choir. The evening ended with the outdoor showing of "Honor Flight: One Last Mission," a documentary that chronicles World War II veterans from Wisconsin who were taken to the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C. Crowley said she anticipates the event being held annually. Julian Plaster, 90, of Milwaukee, said he has gotten a lot of attention since he was fea- tured in the Honor Flight movie, but that "every day, I put my hat on and it still fits." In May alone, Plaster will attend 10 different events, includ- ing speaking to students at schools. "It means a great deal to me because these kids are missing out on a great deal of what it means," he said. Plaster recalled being given a shovel and told to bury the dead after he was taken to an island in the South Pacific, where he served for two years and 11 months from December 1942 to December 1945. Looking back on years of war, he just wants people to "learn to respect each other." "Each of you can be a hero if you maintain what we fought for," he said of his message to stu- dents. Plaster said he was married to his wife, Grace, for 60 years, but had only known her for a month before he left to serve and even proposed to her via mail. Plaster and Lemke were both happy to sign scrapbook pages for Dianne Madison of Elkhorn, who spent a lot of time compiling the book in honor of the Honor Flight she took with her father, Chuck Owen of Greendale, on Nov. 6, 2010. She said her 89-year-old father, who still rides his Harley around his neighborhood, mailed in his application to be on the Honor Flight the same day as his friend Harry so they could go up together. Harry died a few months after getting to go up on the plane. Schoenwetter said it's impossi- ble to put into words what it was like to go on the Honor Flight. He would encourage others to sign their relatives up to go on the Honor Flight and to also feel free to approach a veteran wearing a military hat because it is an invi- tation to talk to them. 'Each of you can be a hero if you maintain what we fought for' Wisconsin Harley-Davidson honors veterans during Memorial Day weekend Photos by Katherine Michalets/Special to The Post Left: Marion Lemke of Milwaukee, right, signs a scrapbook page Saturday for Dianne Madison of Elkhorn, whose father was able to go on the Honor Flight with Lemke's late husband. Right: Harvey Kurz of Grafton, left, talks with Molly Maka of Milwaukee, a SS Honor Flight bombshell volunteer, during an event Saturday at the Wisconsin Harley-Davidson dealership in Oconomowoc. Steve Garbelman, a sales manager at Wisconsin Harley-Davidson in Oconomowoc, gives World War II veteran Lyal Lauersdorf of Waukesha a ride Saturday.

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