For centuries, the U.S. flag has represented the American spirit at its highest and lowest — from triumph when it was hoisted over Iwo Jima in World War II to resolve when it was raised at Ground Zero after 9/11. But Old Glory herself is venerated annually in Waubeka, Wisconsin, for Flag Day…
Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 Commander Peter Kahl emcees the Post’s annual dinner program on June 18 at Big Foot Inn, Harvard, Ill. Post 102, marking its 105th anniversary in 2024 along with the national American Legion, serves veterans and the families of veterans in Walworth, Fontana and Williams Bay. The post currently rosters 124 members, the most in its history. Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 is named in tribute to the first two West End soldiers to give their lives in service to their country in the two major World Wars of the 20th Century — Private Joseph Bailey Ingalls (World War I) and Capt. Howard Koeppen (World War II).
Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 Communications Officer and Past Post President Nathan M. Bond conducts the Prisoner of War-Missing in Action (POW-MIA) empty chair remembrance ceremony at the Post’s June 18 annual dinner at Big Foot Inn “as a visible symbol of the thousands of American POW’s and MIA’s still unaccounted for around the world in conflicts involving the United States.” A moment of silence was held.
Walworth-based Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 held its annual dinner banquet on June 18 at Big Foot Inn, 11508 U.S. Hwy. 14 in Harvard, Ill. The 2024 gathering marked the 105th anniversary of both Post 102 and the national American Legion, both established in 1919. With 124 members, Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 serves veterans and families of veterans in Walworth, Fontana and Williams Bay.
Keynote speaker for Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102’s 2024 annual dinner, held at Big Foot Inn, Harvard, Ill., was Post Communications Offier and Past Post Commander Nathan M. Bond, who has served as Walworth County’s Elkhorn-based Veterans Service Officer since 2014. Bond also serves as 1st District commander for the American Legion Department of Wisconsin and is currently is a state vice commander candidate for the Portage-based American Legion Department of Wisconsin. Bond reported on the work of Gov. Tony Evers’ Blue Ribbon Panel on Veteran’s Benefits, spoke on “sweeping changes at the VA (Veterans Administration)” and reported on the work of the Walworth County Veterans Service Office. In light of his candidacy in a four-way race for state vice commander, Bond switched hats and also spoke about his candidacy for the statewide vice commander post with the 45,099-member American Legion Department of Wisconsin.
On June 18, the not-for-profit Quilts of Valor Foundation awarded a handcrafted Quilt of Valor to Williams Bay veteran Larry Davis, who served as an enlisted E-3 in the U.S. Army from 1975—1979 with the Fort Campbell, Ky.-based 101st Airborne Division, the Army’s only air assault division. The Quilt of Valor was crafted locally, pieced by Doris Kangas and quilted by Ellen Weber.
Eileen Colman (left) and Jennifer Wilson (center) were honored June 18 with the American Legion Citation for Meritorious Service for their decade-long volunteerism with the nonprofit Walworth Children’s Foundation, which aids children and the families of children enrolled in Grades PreK-8 Walworth Joint School District #1. Pictured at right is Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 Commander Peter Kahl.
Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 presented an American Legion Certificate of Commendation on June 18 to recently-retired 27-year Williams Bay High School educator Deb Soplanda (right) for her “outstanding active participation in student education benefitting the community, state and nation.” Study Hall supervisor and History Club advisor Soplanda was feted for “going above and beyond and touching student’s lives” on student trips to Washington, D.C., Ireland and Europe, and overseeing student community outreach projects like the rejuvenation of Edwin B. Frost Park and the creation of a Williams Bay History webpage on Facebeook. Seen at left is Post 102 Judge Advocate Ronald Grabski.
Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 presented recently-retired Fontana Fire Chief Wolfgang A. Nitsch (right) with the American Legion Certificate of Commendation for his longtime service as an emergency responder in the Village of Fontana. Starting in 1978 as a firefighter, Nitsch was promoted to captain in 1982, assistant fire chief in 2004 and chief in 2008, receiving several lifesaving awards and in 2017 named Officer of the Year by Walworth County MABAS Division 103. Nitsch retired in December 2023. At left is Post 102 vice commander Mark Chalchoff.
Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 Communications Officer and Past President Nathan M. Bond (center left) and Vice Commander Mark Chalchoff (center right) presented American Legion membership awards on June 18 to Post Service Officer Michael Long (left, 20 years) and Dennis Janis (right, 55 years) at the Post’s 2024 annual dinner, held at Big Foot Inn, Harvard, Ill.
IN 9 PHOTOS: 2024 Memorial Day Parade in Walworth - Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 120
Walworth Police Department parade traffic control
Walworth Police Department Officer Salvador Marquez works traffic control duty around Heyer Park Square in downtown Walworth on May 27, as Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 staged a patriotic Memorial Day parade along a route running from Walworth Elementary School to Walworth Center Cemetery, where solemn Memorial Day observances were held immediately following the parade.
Eric Johnson
Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 Color Guard processes in 2024 Memorial Day parade
The Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 Color Guard processes around Heyer Park Square in downtown Walworth on Monday, May 27 during the Post’s 2024 Memorial Day parade, which ended with solemn Memorial Day observances at Walworth Center Cemetery in the Village of Walworth. Walworth-based American Legion Post 102 serves Walworth, Fontana and Williams Bay.
Eric Johnson
2024 American Legion Poppy Princess Addison Bailey Clark greets parade-goers along Kenosha Street
Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102’s 2024 Poppy Princess Addison Bailey Clark waves to Memorial Day parade spectators lining Kenosha Street (State Hwy. 67) in Walworth on Monday, May 27. Clark is the daughter of Kevin and Shannon Clark, and the granddaughter of Vietnam War Purple Heart veteran Darwin Clark and American Legion Post 102 Auxiliary Secretary June Clark.
Eric Johnson
Vintage Jeep in 2024 Memorial Day parade at Walworth
During World War II, Toledo, Ohio-based Willys-Overland Co. produced 363,000 general purpose (G.P.) or "Jeeps" for the U.S. military from 1941-1945, with the versatile go anywhere, do anything vehicles quickly becomeing a favorite of thousands of Allied soldiers around the world. A successor Jeep model was built in 1950-1951 for use in the Korean War. This restored Jeep was driven in Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102's May 27 Memorial Day parade in memory of U.S. Air Force veteran Donald A. Sherman (1901-2001).
Eric Johnson
Big Foot High School Marching Band processes in Walworth's 2024 Memorial Day parade
The Big Foot Union High School Marching Band processes around the Heyer Park Square in downtown Walworth on Monday, May 27 as part of the Memorial Day parade conducted by Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102. The parade route extended from downtown Walworth to Walworth Center Cemetery, where Post 102 veterans conducted solemn Memorial Day observances.
Eric Johnson
Walworth Wildcats Marching Band processes through downtown Walworth on Memorial Day
The Walworth Elementary School Wildcats Marching Band processes through downtown Walworth on Monday, May 27 as it marches around Heyer Park Square during Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102's Memorial Day parade.
Eric Johnson
American Legion Big Foot Band Kenosha Street.jpg
The Big Foot Union High School Marching Band processes down Kenosha Street in Walworth on Monday, May 27 as part of the Memorial Day parade conducted by Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102. The parade route extended from downtown Walworth to Walworth Center Cemetery, where Post 102 veterans conducted solemn Memorial Day observances.
Eric Johnson
2024 Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 Poppy Princess Addison Bailey Clark
Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102’s 2024 Poppy Princess Addison Bailey Clark waves to Memorial Day parade spectators in downtown Walworth around Heyer Park Square on Monday, May 27. Clark is the daughter of Kevin and Shannon Clark, and the granddaughter of Vietnam War Purple Heart veteran Darwin Clark and American Legion Post 102 Auxiliary Secretary June Clark.
Eric Johnson
American Legion parade along Kenosha Street Walworth
Led by the Walworth Fire Department, Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102’s patriotic Memorial Day parade makes its way along Kenosha Street (State Hwy. 67) on May 27 as it processed from Heyer Park Square in downtown Walworth to Walworth Center Cemetery, where solemn Memorial Day observances were held.
For centuries, the U.S. flag has represented the American spirit at its highest and lowest — from triumph when it was hoisted over Iwo Jima in…
On June 18, the not-for-profit Quilts of Valor Foundation awarded a handcrafted Quilt of Valor to Williams Bay veteran Larry Davis, who served as an enlisted E-3 in the U.S. Army from 1975—1979 with the Fort Campbell, Ky.-based 101st Airborne Division, the Army’s only air assault division. The Quilt of Valor was crafted locally, pieced by Doris Kangas and quilted by Ellen Weber.
Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 Communications Officer and Past Post President Nathan M. Bond conducts the Prisoner of War-Missing in Action (POW-MIA) empty chair remembrance ceremony at the Post’s June 18 annual dinner at Big Foot Inn “as a visible symbol of the thousands of American POW’s and MIA’s still unaccounted for around the world in conflicts involving the United States.” A moment of silence was held.
Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 Commander Peter Kahl emcees the Post’s annual dinner program on June 18 at Big Foot Inn, Harvard, Ill. Post 102, marking its 105th anniversary in 2024 along with the national American Legion, serves veterans and the families of veterans in Walworth, Fontana and Williams Bay. The post currently rosters 124 members, the most in its history. Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 is named in tribute to the first two West End soldiers to give their lives in service to their country in the two major World Wars of the 20th Century — Private Joseph Bailey Ingalls (World War I) and Capt. Howard Koeppen (World War II).
Keynote speaker for Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102’s 2024 annual dinner, held at Big Foot Inn, Harvard, Ill., was Post Communications Offier and Past Post Commander Nathan M. Bond, who has served as Walworth County’s Elkhorn-based Veterans Service Officer since 2014. Bond also serves as 1st District commander for the American Legion Department of Wisconsin and is currently is a state vice commander candidate for the Portage-based American Legion Department of Wisconsin. Bond reported on the work of Gov. Tony Evers’ Blue Ribbon Panel on Veteran’s Benefits, spoke on “sweeping changes at the VA (Veterans Administration)” and reported on the work of the Walworth County Veterans Service Office. In light of his candidacy in a four-way race for state vice commander, Bond switched hats and also spoke about his candidacy for the statewide vice commander post with the 45,099-member American Legion Department of Wisconsin.
Walworth-based Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 held its annual dinner banquet on June 18 at Big Foot Inn, 11508 U.S. Hwy. 14 in Harvard, Ill. The 2024 gathering marked the 105th anniversary of both Post 102 and the national American Legion, both established in 1919. With 124 members, Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 serves veterans and families of veterans in Walworth, Fontana and Williams Bay.
Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 presented recently-retired Fontana Fire Chief Wolfgang A. Nitsch (right) with the American Legion Certificate of Commendation for his longtime service as an emergency responder in the Village of Fontana. Starting in 1978 as a firefighter, Nitsch was promoted to captain in 1982, assistant fire chief in 2004 and chief in 2008, receiving several lifesaving awards and in 2017 named Officer of the Year by Walworth County MABAS Division 103. Nitsch retired in December 2023. At left is Post 102 vice commander Mark Chalchoff.
Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 presented an American Legion Certificate of Commendation on June 18 to recently-retired 27-year Williams Bay High School educator Deb Soplanda (right) for her “outstanding active participation in student education benefitting the community, state and nation.” Study Hall supervisor and History Club advisor Soplanda was feted for “going above and beyond and touching student’s lives” on student trips to Washington, D.C., Ireland and Europe, and overseeing student community outreach projects like the rejuvenation of Edwin B. Frost Park and the creation of a Williams Bay History webpage on Facebeook. Seen at left is Post 102 Judge Advocate Ronald Grabski.
Eileen Colman (left) and Jennifer Wilson (center) were honored June 18 with the American Legion Citation for Meritorious Service for their decade-long volunteerism with the nonprofit Walworth Children’s Foundation, which aids children and the families of children enrolled in Grades PreK-8 Walworth Joint School District #1. Pictured at right is Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 Commander Peter Kahl.
Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102 Communications Officer and Past President Nathan M. Bond (center left) and Vice Commander Mark Chalchoff (center right) presented American Legion membership awards on June 18 to Post Service Officer Michael Long (left, 20 years) and Dennis Janis (right, 55 years) at the Post’s 2024 annual dinner, held at Big Foot Inn, Harvard, Ill.
