The Memorial Rifle Squad Beginning

The first All-Volunteer Memorial Rifle Squad, to provide military honors at a Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery, St. Paul/Minneapolis Minnesota.

By 1978 Minnesota had lost most of its active duty Armed Forces contingents. In the Twin Cities area, the availability of providing Military honors at funerals of veterans became nearly impossible - especially at the Fort Snelling National Cemetery. This became more and more apparent as families of veterans began contacting the various congressional officers and the State Headquarters of the major Veterans organizations. As the requests increased, it was determined that the presence of an organized Rifle Squad was needed if those requests were to be answered, and if military service burial traditions were to be observed.

Determined to provide full military grave site honors, George J. Weiss Jr., with the cooperation of the Fort Snelling Cemetery Committee and other concerned veterans, formed a special committee, those veterans then became the co-founders.

View the Rifle Squads Constitution and By Laws

Founders & Co-Founders
	George J. Weiss Jr., US Marine Corps, Veterans of Foreign Wars
	Frank J. DeMay, US Air Force, American Legion
	Lawrence Pluta, US Navy, Fleet Reserve Association
	Robert Anderson, US Army, Veterans of Foreign Wars
	James Stewart, US Navy, Fleet Reserve Association
	Joseph J. Nicosia, US Army, Military Order of the Purple Heart

- Denotes Deceased

As plans progressed, an additional group of veterans volunteered, and then became the Charter Members in accordance with the By-Laws that were adopted on January 23rd, 1980.

The Charter Members
	Ray Frisvold		Dennis Christy
	Bill Weber		Anthony Cuff
	Dick Clancy		Russell Green
	Carl Falkowski		Dean Hamre
	Wallace Herron		Lloyd Isaacson
	Lloyd Jackson		Joseph Jasper
	James Lang		Alfred Schaeppi
	Bob Swanson		Neville Wagoner
	William Wright		Ed Rosander
	Melvin Schofield
	Glenn O'Malley

- Denotes Deceased