The Red Hot Wrestling Club’s Pancake and Porky Breakfast fundraiser represents a valuable community event that combines the proven benefits of youth wrestling programs with the American Legion’s established commitment to community support. The event offers an opportunity for community members to support local youth development while enjoying a family-friendly breakfast experience.
Update: Friends and family are invited to celebrate George’s life at the Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home on Thursday, May 22, 2025, with a visitation from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. Services will start at 6:00 pm, followed by full military honors. There will be a gathering at Post 21 afterwards.
George Peter, 101, of Kenosha, Wisconsin, a World War II Navy veteran and dedicated member of American Legion Post 21, passed away peacefully at 10:15 PM on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. Born September 22, 1923, in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, George proudly served his country during World War II in the United States Navy as a Motor Machinist’s Mate Third Class.
Following boot camp, George trained aboard Sub-Chaser 1349. He remembered cruises off the North Carolina Coast where they fired K Guns and rolled all the Depth charges. He hated the K-guns because 25 ounces of black powder shaped like marbles were so loud that they hurt. That’s a big statement from a lifelong weapons enthusiast. He was later transferred to Little Creek and assigned to USS LSM(R) 198, a Landing Ship Medium (Rocket), whose maiden voyage was to Pearl Harbor, becoming part of the Fifth Fleet in the Asiatic Pacific theater.
Though George would modestly claim he “didn’t see much of the battle” from his post in the engine room, historical records and his own recollections tell a different story. During the fierce Battle of Okinawa, he witnessed Japanese dive bombers firsthand while his ship, USS LSM-R 198, delivered crucial shore bombardment support throughout the campaign. In one particularly harrowing incident, a sister ship just 200-300 yards away was destroyed by a kamikaze attack—a fact George wouldn’t learn until years later when reading historical accounts of the battle. When telling these stories, George would always mention that some of his friends were still there off the coast of that island.
On June 6, 1944—D-Day—George married his beloved wife Dorothy Fluorine Anderson. Their son, George Henry Peter, was born on June 28, 1949. After Dorothy’s passing in the 1970s and following his retirement from Chicago Cutting Die where he worked for 64 years, George relocated to Kenosha in 2002. His son George passed away on May 21, 2021. George never remarried because of his commitment to Dorothy.
Through a remarkable turn of events, George’s granddaughter Vanessa Blue, an Air Force veteran, discovered him through a Post 21 article in the Badger Legionnaire that she found online. After years of estrangement, their reunion brought new joy to George’s life. Vanessa became a beacon of light, helping him rediscover his zest for life after the loss of his son.
In Kenosha, George found a second family through dear friends who brought joy and companionship to his later years. He was particularly blessed by his close friendship with Bhavani “Bonnie” Abe, whose dedication and care were instrumental in extending and enriching his life. He also cherished his relationships with James and Pat Box, who became treasured family friends.
George maintained over 50 years of continuous membership in the American Legion, most recently with Kenosha Post 21. He was also an active member of Forty & Eight, Voiture 410, and Navy Club Ship 40, here in Kenosha. His commitment to veterans’ causes, his service to our nation, and his friendship will be remembered by all who knew him.
Supporting Local Veterans with Essentials—and Friendship
Last fall, Commander Matt Christian recently launched a new initiative called Kenosha Cares for Vets, aimed at helping area veterans with everyday necessities—and just as importantly, creating meaningful connections.
In partnership with Jo Wynn, owner of The Bunker Coffee House for Vets, and with the support of the American Legion Family, we put together care bags and personally deliver them to veterans in our community.
We’ve already made visits to the Dayton Hotel, home to around 20 veterans, as well as Willowbrook Assisted Living, and other local residences. These visits have been powerful and memorable for everyone involved.
We’re proud to be joined by our veteran brothers and sisters at VFW Post 7308, who jumped in with both feet to support this effort. Contributions from KAVV and 40&8 Voiture 410 have also been vital to our success.
If you or your organization would like to be part of this truly worthwhile mission, please contact your leadership—or reach out to us directly here at Post 21.
Let’s continue showing our veterans how much Kenosha cares.
If you haven’t been to Joe’s website recently, you’re missing some great articles including a current article entitled “Learning Beyond the Battlefield” by guest writer Rhonda Underhill. Rhonda is a health care advocate for senior citizens, veterans and persons with disabilities and who has, along with her husband Pete, created a website dedicated to the health and well being of seniors.
Both the article and the website are well worth a look.
Another ancient cooler in our kitchen went to Davy Jones locker this past month, and so we must get a new one. However, the Kenosha Area Vietnam veterans honored the deceased cooler by donating $1000 towards a replacement. Many thanks to the KAVV for being there for us. Thanks Brothers.
Post 21 members Tim, Tom, Brad, and Paul recently helped a local citizen gain access to outdoors by building a ramp with material donated by Post 21. The completed ramp allows the senior citizen (who was an avid gardener) with senior citizen caretakers, to visit his garden regularly. This had been a major operation before the ramp was built.
A long time dream of Past Commander Tom “Woody” Visintainer Sr. came true in May when new member John Argust came up with the idea to ask the City of Kenosha for one of their old voting boxes. Tom and others scoured Ebay, local post offices and other strange places trying to secure an old mailbox, but no one ever had any luck. Tom stated that “Now that we have one, local citizens have a convient place to retire the US flag respectfully”. “It didn’t take long to fill up, a couple of times”, said John Argust who has added maintaining the container to his list of things to do.
Creative Designs Custom Signs, LLC donated the custom beautifully done lithographs. Everyone was very surprised and happy about how they turned out. Make sure you support business that support The American Legion. Creative Designs ad is featured in our Red, White, and Blue Pages.
If you live west of Green Bay Road, Friends Hobby Shop / 8501 75th Street / 262 671-0131 has a collection basket in their store so you don’t have to come all the way downtown to retire your flags.
See Joe States Article in the Kenosha News here for more details. You may need an e-subscription.
Post 21 Color Guard was honored to present our nations colors at St Joseph Catholic Academies Honor Wall Dedication. Color Guard members Phillip Morris, Milt Dean, John Argust, and Paul Ciarelli agreed that the new memorial to veteran alumni of St Joe’s was impressive and much appreciated by local veterans. Here are some photo’s of the event taken by Kenosha County Communications Manager Joe Potente.
Please click on a photo for a slideshow of all photos.
This article is by guest author, Kenosha County Communications Manager, Joe Potente.
Being 101 years old didn’t stop Lillian Jilk from joining the American Legion two years ago.
And being 103 didn’t stop her from being present and smiling, when Legion Post 21 honored her for her two years as a continuous member and presented her with a lifetime membership and a Certificate of Honor in recognition of her World War II service.
Jilk was one of two centenarian women that the post honored Monday morning at the Casa del Mare Assisted Living and Memory Care facility on Kenosha’s north side.
Florence Klappa, 102, received a certificate and pin in honor of her 50 years of continuous membership of the American Legion Auxiliary.
“We just wanted to thank you for your service and everything you’ve done,” said Post 21 Commander Matt Christensen, during a brief ceremony complete with cake and well wishes from American Legion members and some of the ladies’ Casa del Mare neighbors.
At 103, Jilk is Post 21’s oldest current member. A native of Minnesota and now a longtime resident of Kenosha, she joined the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps in 1942.
Stationed at Naval Station Great Lakes and later at a boot camp in Idaho and the Naval Hospital in Long Beach, Calif., she recalls treating sailors’ shrapnel wounds and other maladies.
“It was a good experience,” she said.
During Monday’s event, Kenosha County Veterans Services Director,and Post 21 member, Ali Nelson saluted Jilk for her service.
“That was a pivotal time in our history,” Nelson said. “Because without World War II veterans, we likely wouldn’t even have a country today.”
Sitting beside Jilk, Klappa wore a pin on her sweater — a spent 50-caliber machine gun shell that her late husband, Roger, created during his World War II service as a B-29 mechanic. Earlier this year, Klappa had the opportunity to see the plane her husband serviced when it was part of a traveling tour of World War II aircraft that made a stop at the Kenosha Regional Airport.
Despite becoming a widow in 1980, Klappa remained a consistent member of the American Legion Auxiliary Berens-Scribner Unit 6 post in Stevens Point, where she and her husband lived before moving to Kenosha in 1958.
“I’m more of a backseat person,” Klappa said, of her honors Monday morning.
On being 102, she said, “I feel good — it’s just my bones that don’t cooperate.”
Please click on a photo for a slideshow of all photos.
This website is full of information about the Department of Wisconsin. They have a good calendar, and you can read the "Badger Legionnaire" online!
MyLegion is an outstanding way to keep up with the latest benefits of membership! You owe it to yourself to check it out and create an account.
National Headquarters is busy on social media!
This is the GO TO place for Kenosha County Veterans to find out about your benefits, etc, etc!
