By Jerry Mevissen

Special to the Dispatch

On a stretch of farm land about a mile north of Nimrod on County 14, a new monument stands. You can’t miss it. It’s about 12 feet tall and 28 feet wide in brilliant red, white, and blue. It’s Glenn Pederson’s monument to all veterans, but especially to his fellow Viet Nam vets. 

Pederson was drafted in the US Army in June 1968 at the age of 19. He took Infantry Basic at Fort Campbell, Ken., and shipped to Vietnam in November of that year. After 14 months of service there, he returned to the States in January 1970 and was discharged in Washington state on April 14, 1970, a date no veteran will ever forget.

“All my life after serving in the Army I wanted to build this monument,” Pederson said. “Finally in 2015, I built the first one at the home place in Oylen. When we sold that farm and moved to Menahga, we dismantled the monument. I searched for a spot around town to rebuild it. We couldn’t find the right place.”

When Pederson’s wife Brenda died in 2021, he bought land north of Nimrod, built a house and pole barn, and returned to his old stomping grounds. 

“It was the perfect spot for a monument,” Pederson said. “Wide open view, great highway visibility, beautiful background.”

In the fall of 2022, he committed the design to paper with help from son Ryan. They selected and measured utility poles he bought with the property, and he bought flags. In May 2023 grandson Dustin delivered sheet steel for the 4×8’ metal flag and USA letters. Pederson and crew drilled mounting holes, and Anderson Customs painted the flag, cut and painted letters, and formed “God Bless America” that tops the monument. 

Son Ryan and daughter Shannon painted and printed the smaller signs. Ryan and brother-in-law Chip installed the utility poles and concrete blocks. Brothers Ray and Jeff Pederson installed the cross pole. Rustic Log and Furniture of Park Rapids chain-sawed the wooden eagles which flank the monument.

The Nimrod monument is bigger than the Oylen monument. It’s made of steel instead of plywood and intended to last forever. It’s also a work in progress, with plans to install a sidewalk, seating benches, and lighting. 

“I hope people stop to view it, to photograph it, and to enjoy it,” Pederson said.

People drive by and they do slow down, back up, and drive in for a better view or a photograph. Two cars drove to the house asking about the monument. “Really awesome” was their comment.

“It’s a monument for all veterans,” Pederson said. “They should all be known and respected. But especially, I wanted to honor my outfit in Vietname—Echo Company of the Fourth Infantry Division. Benny. Michael. Lenny. Kenny. Good friend Ken St. Clair.” Not all made it home

Pederson views the monument every day. 

“I think of all my buddies,” he said. “Almost talk to them. Many were exposed to agent orange. Some returned only to die of cancer. All those I mentioned were dead by the age of 30.”

On July 8 and 14, Pederson family members gathered to install the monument. Jeff had moved boulders in to frame it. The flag and letters were lifted by Bobcat and suspended by chains. Son Ryan and daughter Shannon, son-in-law Dave, brother Jeff, grandsons and granddaughters, great grandsons and daughters—all were on hand to participate in the final assembly. The event was a monument in itself—a monument to family respect and devotion. 

Pederson reflected on his end-of-service experience. 

“When we returned to Washington, we didn’t know what to expect. Other returning vets were greeted with rocks,” he said. “We were given a choice to wear our uniforms or change into civvies. We flew a chartered aircraft to the Twin Cities so we could fly alone. Heroes deserve a welcome home. We didn’t get one.”

“Only lately do you see veterans proudly wearing baseball caps showing their Viet Nam experience,” Pederson added. “Or buying license plates with “Viet Nam Veteran” inscribed. It wasn’t always that way.” The monument is intended to rectify that indifference. 

Son Ryan has been a driving force in the project, Pederson’s right hand man. It was an effort that was its own reward. “Seeing the tears in Dad’s eyes when we installed the monument was a moment I’ll never forget,” he said. And what was behind the tears? “He made the monument for his friends There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when he stepped off the Bobcat and turned to talk to us. ‘I want you to know how much I love all of you,’ he said. “

And how much he loves the Land of the Free, Because of the Brave.