December 22, 2022 at 10:40 a.m.
Wreaths placed at Northwoods National Cemetery
Ingman: 'We are here for our veterans'
Wreaths placed at Northwoods National Cemetery
The organization is also working to ensure there are wreaths placed for U.S. military personnel lost in conflicts such as World War I and World War II who are buried overseas.
Mary Ingman is the daughter of Einar Ingman, the Tomahawk area Korean War veteran who was assigned to the 17th Regiment of the U.S. Army's 7th Infantry Division, was severely wounded during the Third Battle of Wonju in February 1951, and was ultimately awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions against the enemy during that battle.
Einar Ingman passed away in 2015 at the age of 85.
Mary, a retired Tomahawk school district counselor and Red Cross volunteer, is the location coordinator for Wreaths Across America at the Northwoods National Cemetery, which opened in October of 2020.
"The very first year, of course, was closed to the COVID-19 pandemic," she said. "The only people that participated in the ceremony (at the cemetery) were only those actually involved. It was not open to the public."
In 2021, she said the ceremony was open to the public "but we did have restrictions."
"This year, we are fully open, which is just phenomenal," Ingman said. "For me, it's honoring and remembering our veterans. That's why we're all here and of course, we're grateful to their families for the support that they provided. That's what the bottom line is; we are here for our veterans."
Jim Sprague of Lake Tomahawk is a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam war and president of the District 11 chapter of the American Legion Riders.
"It means a lot to me to support the veterans that are buried here," he said. "The sacrifices they made."
Sprague said he and his wife plan to be buried in the Northwoods National Cemetery.
"It's very important for me to be involved in something like this," he said.
Brian Jopek may be reached via email at [email protected].
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