The Bjork brothers, Merle, Fred Jr., Joseph, Delano and Eugene, did their part for their country.

They were five of a Mower County family consisting of 14 children. During the war-torn years of the twentieth century, ranging from World War II through the Vietnam War, all five served in various branches of the United States military. They served to the best of their ability, all receiving honorable discharges.

When their youngest sister, Ruth Schmidt, learned that paver stones could be placed in their honor at the Mower County Veterans Memorial in Austin, she looked into ways to make it happen.

“When I heard about the pavers, I also heard they were giving scholarships for military veterans (to pay for them),” she said. “Being that there are five of them, that was $1,500. I filled out the application in May of 2018 and received a response saying the families had already been picked, but they would look at it next year.”

Schmidt was then contacted this year by the River Rats Car Club, who helps purchase pavers for veterans, and learned they planned to buy pavers for all five brothers.

“I was shocked that they would do all five,” she said. “They said they had money for a couple and thought about doing a couple this year and a couple next year, but decided all five brothers had to be put in together.”

“We were more than happy to help,” Said River Rats Car Club President John DeVries. “She was pretty excited about it.”

“I was so grateful for that,” Schmidt said. “In talking to them, it just brought tears to my eyes.”

Schmidt and family sponsored a car in today’s River Rats Car Show at Lafayette Park. The car is there in honor of her brothers.

“I’m very proud of them all,” she said.

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The Bjork Brothers

• Merle Bjork — 1923-1996

U.S. Army, 1944-1946

Merle Bjork served in the infantry during World War II. He saw combat in the Rhineland/Central Europe region. He was awarded the World War II Victory Medal, the American Theater Ribbon, European-African-Middle Eastern Ribbon and two bronze battle stars.

“When he left in 1944, I wasn’t even born,” Schmidt recalled. “He didn’t talk about the war because World War II veterans didn’t. The little bit of information I have is that he was on the move when he was in Europe towards the end of the war. He told his grandson that he and two others were behind a mound and when they came up, the other two were shot in front of him.”

“He was very quiet about it,” she added.

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• Fred Bjork Jr. — 1931-2009

U.S. Air Force 1951-1974

Fred Bjork Jr. was the only one of the five brothers to make a career out of the military, serving from the Korean War through the Vietnam War. He was stationed in Germany, California, Alaska, and New Mexico before eventually retiring in Arkansas.

“He was supposed to go to Vietnam in 1974, but his wife said, ‘No. We’re married and I have six minor children. You’re not going,’” Schmidt recalled. “So, he retired.”

Schmidt described Fred as a “jokester” who felt that even Alaska was too cold, despite having lived through Minnesota winters.

“When he was sent to Alaska for temporary duty, he came home with his head shaved,” she said. “His daughter asked why he shaved it off and he said, ‘If I didn’t shave it off, it would have frozen off.’”

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• Joseph Bjork – 1933

U.S. Navy, 1951-1955

Joseph Bjork served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and was discharged with the rank of Petty Officer First Class. He was a recipient of the Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Medal and United Nations Service Medal.

“He told me (the Navy) was a positive influence in his life,” Schmidt said.

Joseph served off the shores of South Korea in the ship’s boiler room. He shared a story with Schmidt about an incident in Inchon Harbor during the Korean War.

“He heard the USS Missouri was 22 miles away from the ship,” she said. “The Missouri was there to destroy a railroad bridge so the North Koreans couldn’t use it to move supplies and infantry. He said the Missouri had two 16-inch guns to destroy the bridge. He remembered the sound of the shells and the bridge falling; he could see that from where he was. His ship remained in the harbor to make sure no efforts were made to repair the bridge.”

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• Delano Bjork – 1934

U.S. Air Force, 1953-1957

Delano Bjork served toward the end of the Korean War, but several years before the U.S. military increased its troop presence and escalated the conflict in Vietnam. The only one of the five to remain stateside during his service, Delano was stationed in California, Texas and Colorado before finishing his time with the 488th Bombardment Squadron in Missouri. Schmidt said he was trained in electronics and radio navigation for B-47 bombers.

“He said four years of being in the service was kind of like being in a civil job because he never left the states,” she recalled.

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• Eugene Bjork — 1946-2000

U.S. Air Force, 1965-1969

Eugene served during the Vietnam War, but was not sent to Vietnam. He was stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas before spending one year in Libya. His service ended in California with the rank of Airman First Class.

“They wanted him to go to foreign language school, but he declined because it would have extended his time in the service,” Schmidt said. “He couldn’t work on airplanes due to color blindness, but he worked as a mechanic on other military vehicles. He was in Libya when I graduated high school in 1966. He sent me a bracelet that I still have today.”

“He was the only one of 14 children to graduate from college,” Schmidt added. “We’re very proud of him for that.”