Jorgenson Family Web Site
Montevideo, Minnesota USA
www.jorgensonclan.net
Welcome
to Our Website
The Clan of Harlan & Dorothy Jorgenson
2003 reunion
click photos to enlarge
Harlan Jorgenson was taken to see the World War II Memorial and many more
sites in Washington, D.C., by his six sons, Todd (in front with his father) and
(back, from left) Donald, Scott, Paul, Joel and Jonathon Jorgenson.
The VFW cap that Harlan Jorgenson wore to see the World War II Memorial and other
memorials in Washington, D. C., from Oct. 28-31 singled him out among the
hundreds of thousands of people he saw there.
“Everyone knew I was military. People stopped me to talk, thanked me for what
I did in the war. People who have never been in the military sometimes
can’t understand that.
“The WWII memorial was special."
“We were standing in the Lincoln Memorial that Saturday afternoon and
11 women from Toronto came up to us — wanted to get a picture with me.
“When I was standing near the WWII Memorial, two Japanese men came over.
They wanted to take a photo of me. “We beat the hell out of them over there and
now they want to take my picture.”
Todd Jorgenson, who lives in Plymouth, had been talking about taking his
father, an 88-year-old retired livestock buyer for Hormel, to see the memorial for
some time, and finally got his ducks in a row — contacted his five brothers,
lined up airline tickets, a wheelchair and accommodations in Washington.
Leaving his wife, Dorothy, in the care of their daughter, Rebecca Larson of
Minneapolis, Jorgenson met Todd and another son, Jonathon, of Red Wing
to fly out of Minneapolis.
Son Donald flew from Phoenix, and Scott, of Las Cruces, N.M, flew out of
El Rosa, Tex. and Paul and Joel left from Milwaukee.
Jorgenson served in the 96th Infantry Division in the Pacific and Okinawa in
1942-46. He was awarded two purple hearts and received a field commission.
“I went in as a Private First Class and came out a 2nd Lieutenant,” he says.
Jorgenson’s first purple heart was awarded after he got hit going into Leyte
on the day President Roosevelt died May 11, 1945.
“I got my legs busted up. Was in a hospital four days lacking a year.” In
addition to his wounded legs and a bad right ankle, he had been caught in an
artillery barrage so intense “that I could hardly hear for two days. I still feel the
effects of that day — can see it as if it happened yesterday.”
Says Scott Jorgenson: “My dad felt the whole weekend was very special.
The six of us boys agree with that. It was so very special watching our dad
interact with other veterans visiting the memorial.”
And their dad adds, “It was tremendous. It was a trip of a lifetime.”
This our Clan Leader
When asked for a comment about politics.
Please address any comments or suggestions to
Warren R. Jorgenson
E-mail: wrjorgen@tds.net  |
world wide web Jorgenson Family Clan |
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