Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs
Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award

Past Award Recipient
August 2009

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, Harry W. Eichman was born in Winona, Minnesota on August 27, 1918 and was raised at his family’s farm in Trempealeau County, WI. He volunteered for service in the United States Marine Corps on February 3, 1940 and upon completion of boot camp at San Diego, CA, he was assigned as a rifleman to Camp Elliot, CA; and

WHEREAS, upon the declaration of World War II, he was assigned to the newly formed 2nd Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, CA and deployed to American Samoa. He participated in some of the bloodiest fighting in the Pacific Theatre, including landings and fierce fighting at Tulagi and Guadalcanal; and, after the Division rested and reorganized in New Zealand, he participated in the November 1943 invasion of Tarawa as a machine gun NCO and was one of more than 3,000 Marines that shed blood in 76 hours of hellish action. He was treated for his wounds in Hawaii and returned to the mainland for a series of follow-up operations; and at the time he was wounded, he was a squad leader in a weapons company, an expert with both the rifle and the pistol, and was scheduled for promotion to staff sergeant and assignment as a platoon sergeant. He was honorably discharged due to disability with the rank of sergeant at the San Diego, CA Naval Hospital on April 26, 1945; and his military decorations include the Purple Heart, the Good Conduct Medal, the Asian-Pacific Campaign Medal with two Bronze Stars, and the World War II Victory Medal; and

WHEREAS, while his unit was on R&R, he met Helen Mitchel, a native New Zealander, while roller skating and, after a short courtship, they were married on August 9, 1943. Following the war, they were rejoined in Milwaukee, Wisconsin after Helen traveled to the United States aboard a “bride ship” with their eighteen month old son; and together they raised three more sons and are now in their 67th year of marriage. While Helen now resides in a nursing facility at Galesville, Wisconsin, he visits her every day. One of their sons made a career in the United States Air Force and another son served four years in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. They have two grandsons and a grand daughter-in-law who have served multiple tours in Iraq as members of the Minnesota Army National Guard; and

WHEREAS, during World War II, he sent his monthly allotment to his widowed mother back on the home farm and continued that practice even after he was married. After the war he took advantage of the VA educational benefits and trained as a farmer on the family farm that he ultimately bought from his mother. In addition to farming, he worked as a school bus driver and he finished his working years as a custodian with the Trempealeau Public Schools. Since his retirement he has maintained a large garden and provides produce to family, friends and neighbors; and

WHEREAS, he is a charter and life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1915, serving as Commander for five terms, as advisor to the local Boy Scout Troop, and as a member of the Funeral Honors Team. He was the recipient of the Post’s Distinguished Veterans Award in 1979 and he is also a life member of the Disabled American Veterans and served a term as Aide de Camp to the DAV State Commander; and

WHEREAS, he is an active member of the Trempealeau Lions Club, serving many years as Chair of the Mint Drive, a fundraiser for the purchase of books for the local library, and was selected by the organization as Lion of the Year in 1987 and Trempealeau Citizen of the Year in 1992. He was a member of the Trempealeau Village Board from 1949 to 1951 and is an active member of St. Bartholomew’s Catholic Church, where he has been an usher for many years; and he is a member of Southern Trempealeau County Chapter of AARP, often serving as head fundraiser.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Marvin J. Freedman, Chair of the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs, proclaim HARRY W. EICHMAN as the recipient of the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award on this 21st day of August 2009.

MARVIN J. FREEDMAN, Board Chair