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Marine Corps Painting Dedication and Unveiling at Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery Memorial Day Weekend

5/26/2018 2:30:00 PM

On Saturday, May 26th at 2:30 p.m., the public dedication and unveiling of the Marine Corps painting, the fourth of five 8 X 10 ft. paintings comprising the Veterans Historic Art Monument, installed at the Committal Hall at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery north of Little Falls, MN. This painting joins three previously completed ones, Army (2011), Navy (2014) and Coast Guard (2016); each depicts the history of, and contributions by our nation’s military men and women. All are painted by Minnesota artist Charles Gilbert Kapsner.

Regional in location, but national in scope, each painting uniquely captures the spirit of each branch of service, vividly portraying the stories, faces, and sacrifices of our Nation’s servicemen and women. Veterans and active duty military serve as models, and this painting also includes a small portion of soil brought back from Mt. Suribachi, where the iconic Raising the Flag photo on Iwo Jima was taken. The artist used the small portion of soil to grind in with paint as part of the depiction of the 1945 Marine Corps flag-raising.

The dedication and ceremony program includes Veterans and active duty personnel, some of whom served as models in the painting, dignitaries, Marine Corps re-enactors, and the artist. Refreshments will follow the formal program which includes:

  • Brigadier General Lowell Kruse, Camp Ripley
  • David P. Swantek, Senior Administrator of Memorial Affairs (MDVA)
  • Erik B. Sogge, Cemetery Administrator (MDVA)
  • Veterans and active duty personnel depicted in painting: Roy T. Edwards Col. USMC (Ret.); Holly Zabinski, Major USMC; Cory Engen, Sgt. USMC (Ret.); Quintin Sam, Sgt. USMC (Ret.)
  • Charles Gilbert Kapsner, Artist
  • Greg Zylka, Mayor of Little Falls
  • Military Honor Guard: Valhalla Detachment, Marine Corps League, St. Cloud

LOCATION: Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery Committal Hall, 15550 Hwy 115, Little Falls, MN. (320) 616-2527

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