HOMETOWN HEROS
PRIVATE OLE BECK
VFW Ole Beck Post 209 carries the name of Private Ole Beck, a Missoula Soldier who gave his life in service during the First World War.
Born in Sweden, Ole made his home in Missoula and the surrounding area for eighteen years before answering the call to serve. He deployed from Polson in early December 1917 and served with the Thirteenth Company, Second Motor Mechanics, Signal Corps, training at Camp Merritt, New Jersey before shipping out with his Company on March 1, 1918. Private Beck died in France on March 26, 1918, at just 28 years old, after a short illness with diphtheria.
His funeral service was held on April 24th at the Swedish Lutheran Church in Missoula, led by Rev. T.V. Anderson and attended by the Commanding Officer of Fort Missoula. A special street car service was arranged so the community could gather to honor him. He was survived by his sister, Mrs. Caroline Driscoll, of Missoula.
Private Beck is buried at Fort Missoula, and every Memorial Day the VFW Ole Beck Post 209 Honor Guard, joined by the American Legion Hellgate Post 27 Color Guard, honors his memory with a ceremony. More than a century later, Post 209 carries his name forward, honoring his sacrifice and the generations of Veterans who have served since.
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS KRISTOFER T. STONESIFER
VFW Ole Beck Post 209 honors the memory of Private First Class Kristofor T. Stonesifer, an Army Ranger and the first Montana service member to lose his life in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Born August 20, 1973, Kris came to Missoula to attend the University of Montana, where he joined the Army ROTC program in 1999. Restless for a greater challenge, he left the program after his junior year and enlisted in the Army in 2000, determined to become a Ranger. He completed his training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was assigned to Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.
On October 19, 2001, just weeks after Operation Enduring Freedom began, PFC Stonesifer's Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed in Pakistan while supporting a special operations raid into Afghanistan. He was 28 years old. His sacrifice made him the first Montana service member to give his life in the war, an enduring part of the state's military history.
PFC Stonesifer exemplified the Army Values, Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage, defending the American way of life on foreign soil. The VFW has petitioned Montana Governor Greg Gianforte to proclaim October 19th Kristofor T. Stonesifer Day, ensuring his name and sacrifice are never forgotten by the people of Montana.