The future of an Ephraim war memorial commemorating the service of 1st Lt. Ellis Eugene Helgeson is up for discussion when the village board meets on Tuesday. According to the Ephraim Historical Foundation, Helgeson was a pilot in the United States Air Force when he was killed during the siege of Khe Sahn, which was one of the longest and deadliest battles of the Vietnam War. Helgeson was from Cincinnati, but he was a frequent visitor to Ephraim where his relatives owned the Edgewater Resort. A memorial was erected near Anderson Dock and dedicated in his honor in 1968, though Door County Advocate archives report that the family would have been honored if other Ephraim residents who gave their lives for their country would also be commemorated. In the years since the obelisk and the plaque have deteriorated to the point that repairs need to be made at the risk of losing the memorial. Ephraim resident Bill Schult told the Ephraim Board that he received a bid of $11,000 to make the repairs with the Helgeson family willing to donate $10,000 for the cause. The bidding contractor did express some concern with the project, not knowing what he would find once they began work on it. It is just the latest discussion surrounding Anderson Dock, which received approval for village officials to begin looking into improvements that need to be made to ensure it also stands the test of time. The Ephraim Village Board will meet on Tuesday at its village hall at 7 p.m.
Picture courtesy of Ephraim Historical Foundation
