Author: Lee Matz

Over the past 154 years, the Milwaukee Memorial Day Parade continued an unbroken tradition except for once in 1984 when the event was cancelled due to weather. Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. The tradition began in Milwaukee after local veterans sought a way to remember those fallen brothers and sons who made the ultimate sacrifice for the Union. The observance for 2019 took place on May 27, honoring all the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military....

The 2019 Lance Sijan Award Ceremony took place at the Milwaukee Yacht Club on May 16, as the last tribute during Milwaukee Armed Services that recognized local individuals for their valor and service. Honored at the event were Ralph Charles Simoneau, Jim Partleton, George Banda, and Gold Star Parents Jane and Sylvester Sijan. ​The award was named for Captain Lance Peter Sijan, USAF, the first Medal of Honor recipient from the U.S. Air Force Academy. A native of Milwaukee Bay View neighborhood, Sijan was an F-4 pilot in Vietnam whose plane went down over enemy territory. Although badly injured,...

A special World War I film premieres during Milwaukee Armed Forces Week (AFW), chronicling the story of thousands of Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers who answered the national call and served with the 32nd “Red Arrow” Division. Milwaukee Armed Forces Week returns to southeastern Wisconsin from May 13 to 18, with the goal of increasing awareness about today’s military and pay tribute to the nation’s generations of veterans. Given the “Red Arrow” nickname for its tenacity in piercing the enemy line, the 32nd Infantry Division primarily served during World War I and World War II, with its origins rooted in...