Cool Facts

Thomas Pressnell, a pioneer newspaperman in Duluth, was editor of the Minnesotian from 1869-1875, and later held other public posts in the city. He earlier was with the famed First Minnesota Volunteers in the Civil War.

Asa Dailey served with the 30th Wisconsin Regiment in the Civil War. He later owned businesses in Duluth and was deputy auditor of St. Louis County before becoming manager of the first Veterans' Memorial Hall at the county courthouse in 1909.

Oscar Nelson was a rare peacetime winner of the Medal of Honor, our highest military honor. He saved several USS Bennington shipmates' lives after a boiler explosion on July 21, 1905. He later was with the Army Corps of Engineers in Duluth.

Bill Kreidler of Duluth appeared in the "Believe it or Not" newspaper feature after he landed a plane with no pilot experience after the pilot was shot. Kreidler was an artillery spotter and won the Distinguished Flying Cross for his action.

The Vietnam War is believed to be the only one of America's wars in which no National Guard or Reserve units from Northeastern Minnesota were called to overseas duty. But many local residents served in the war and 87 of them died in it.