A few weeks ago I received a call from Vi Kycek, a family friend, who told me that she has been in contact with one of my relatives, Don Singlestad, who was a first cousin of my Dad‘s. She said she’d been sending him clippings of my columns from time to time and he had just written her and told her of a book he wrote about his life and mostly about his service in World War II. My Dad had always talked about Don and about what a war hero he was. From time to time Don, who now lives in Park Rapids, would stop by to visit with Dad and Mom. I knew from the first time I met him that he was a special kind of person. You know the kind — one that would usually take over the room with just his presence whenever he entered. I knew that he was a decorated veteran but little did I know of his feats as a soldier.

I ordered a copy of his book, which he titled, “The Fighting Fool” and from the start I was hard pressed to put it down. He tells about being a small boy growing up in Emmons and later moving with his parents to Waseca. He had quite an adventurous youth and after entering the service he even sparred one time with “The Champ” Joe Louis and later was blessed by the Pope for his heroics in Italy during the war.

Don mentioned that C Company was from Albert Lea and F Company was from Owatonna and they were in 135th and 34th “Red Bull” Division. He had also told Vi there might be some members of this company still living in Albert Lea. He also served on the board of the Legion of Valor for seven years.

Don said he wanted to write this book because there were too many brave men in all the wars who took their memories to the grave because they were never able to “open up” about what they had experienced.

In his book he tells of his pheasant hunting days as a youth. He hunted pheasants with a .22 rifle and this experience proved invaluable to him later as he was designated a sharpshooter in the Army.

He was one of the most decorated non-commissioned officers of the Army’s famed Red Bulls during WWII and now, at age 92 he will be traveling to Italy to be honored for helping to liberate Italy during the war. During the last few days before Rome was liberated he set up a communications system and helped direct air and artillery fire away from the Vatican and many of the city’s other architectural treasures. This earned him the Italian Military Medal of Valor. He became one of just a handful of American servicemen to earn the honor equivalent to the U.S. Medal of Honor. This also earned him an audience with the Pope. “He blessed us for liberating Rome,” Singlestad said, adding that he told the pope he was a Lutheran. “He blessed me anyway.”

There were only 500 copies of the book printed and he has already sold more than 300. If anyone would be interested in obtaining a copy of his book, the cost is $25 and the check can be made out to “Singlestad Book” and it can be ordered from:

S. Don Singlestad

P.O. Box 643

Park Rapids, MN

56470

Being a veteran myself I can only salute you and the other brave men you served with. There are too many things in this country that we take for granted but “Freedom” should never be one of them.

DNR announces 2009 waterfowl season dates and limits

With continental populations of many species of ducks again near record highs, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has established a 60-day duck season that opens Oct. 3 with a daily bag limit of six ducks.

Bag limits for most species will be the same as last season, except hunters will be able to harvest one canvasback and the scaup limit will be two for the entire 60-day season. This good news for diver duck hunters is based on increased numbers of canvasbacks and scaup in the continental breeding duck survey.

Based on an increase in breeding waterfowl populations and pond numbers across Canada and the northern plains, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering states in the Mississippi Flyway, including Minnesota, a 60-day season that could include a six-duck limit with two hen mallards and three wood ducks. Minnesota will continue with a daily bag limit of one hen mallard that has been in place since 2005. Likewise, the DNR is maintaining a conservative approach to wood ducks by maintaining a two-bird limit.

Duck season open Oct. 3

The regular waterfowl season will open Saturday, Oct. 3, at 9 a.m. and continue through Tuesday, Dec. 1. The six-duck bag may include no more than four mallards, with only one hen mallard, and one black duck, one pintail, one canvasback, two wood ducks, two redheads and two scaup. Possession limits remain at twice the daily bag limits.

Except for opening day, when shooting hours will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., shooting hours will be from one‑half hour before sunrise to 4 p.m. daily through Saturday, Oct. 10, and from one‑half hour before sunrise to sunset thereafter.

Youth waterfowl hunting day will be Sept. 19.

Hunters age 15 and under may take regular season bag limits when accompanied by a nonhunting adult (age 18 and older, no license required). Canada geese, mergansers, coots and moorhens may be taken from one-half hour before sunrise to 4 p.m. Motorized decoy restrictions are in effect. New for this year, five geese may be taken statewide. There are no license requirements, except hunters age 13 to 15 must have a firearms safety certificate or an apprentice hunter validation in their possession. All other migratory bird hunting regulations apply.

Goose seasons

Minnesota’s regular goose season will open in conjunction with the duck season on Saturday, Oct. 3, except for Canada goose seasons in the West-Central Goose Zone, which will open on Thursday, Oct. 15. The daily bag limit will be two Canada geese statewide. Possession limits are double the daily bag limits.

Early September goose season

The early Canada goose season will open statewide on Saturday, Sept. 5.and will run through Tuesday, Sept. 22. Bag limits for Canada geese will be five per day, statewide.

Regular goose season

In the West Central Zone, the regular Canada goose season will be open from Oct. 15 through Oct .18, and from Oct. 24 through Nov. 29. In the remainder of the state the season will be open from Oct. 3 through Dec. 11. The daily bag limit will be two Canada geese.

Late goose season

December Canada goose seasons will be offered statewide except in the West-Central Goose Zone. Late season hunters must have a $4 permit, which is valid for both early and late special goose seasons. The late season will be open Dec. 12 to Dec. 21, except in the Southeast Goose Zone, where the season will be open Dec. 19 to Dec. 28.

The season for light geese (snow, blue and Ross’ geese) and brant will be Oct. 3 through Dec. 28, with a daily limit of 20 light geese and one brant. The season for white-fronted geese will be Oct. 3 through Dec. 27, with a daily limit of one white-fronted goose.

Until next time keep fish’n and, as always, take a little time to enjoy our great Minnesota outdoors.

Remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers throughout the year.