Jim Verwey, Barnes County veterans service officer and former Recon Sergeant with the 141st works to label pictures from the unit's history while there are still vets left who remember them. (Steve Browne/VCTR) 

By Steve Browne
Valley City Times-Record

    Veterans of the 141st Engineer Battalion met to swap stories and commemorate the end of 123 years of existence as a unit of the North Dakota National Guard, Monday afternoon at the National Guard Armory in Valley City.
    Some of the vets remembered a time before it was the 141st.
    Tom Vagle enlisted in 1953 and served until 1984.
    “We converted to the 141st in April 1955. Before that it was Company G,” Vagle said.
    The 141st was originally founded before statehood on March 3, 1884, as Company G, Dakota Militia in Valley City. It will be officially deactivated on Sept. 1, and officials are planning a ceremony of casing the colors for October.
    Former First Sgt. Lloyd Nelson said he ``would like to see former members of the Color Guard participate in the ceremony.
    Public Affairs Officer, Sgt. Amy Willson said, “I've been in the 141st my whole career and it's fun to see them looking at photos and telling stories.”

Sgt. Amy Willson holds her niece Chloee Wieser, the daughter and grand-daughter of men who served with the 141st. (Steve Browne/VCTR)

For full story, see Tuesday's edition of the Valley City Times-Record.