Submitted Photo The Minot Air Force Base Honor Guard presents the colors at McKinney Cemetery in 2023.

TOLLEY – A memorial service to honor fallen veterans will be held Saturday, May 24, at 5 p.m. at the McKinney Cemetery, located two miles north and one a half miles east of Tolley. The service is open to everyone.

An identification sign will be at the turn-off on Highway 5. In case of inclement weather, the service will be held at the Tolley Fire Department.

According to information provided by the cemetery association, The Minot Air Force Base Honor Guard will present colors, honoring 56 veterans buried at McKinney Cemetery (35), Trinity Lutheran Cemetery (7), Hamerly Lutheran Cemetery (7) and St. Charles Catholic Cemetery (7). These veterans served during the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea or Vietnam.

The memorial address will be given by Disabled American Veterans Chapter 4 Commander and Retired Chief Master Sergeant Frank Senn. Senn served in the Air Force from 1967-1993. His varied assignments included egress shop shift supervisor with the 35th Field Maintenance Squadron, Phan Rang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, for OV-10, B-57 and F-100 aircraft in support of the war, and technical instructor duty responsible for acquisition of F-15 and A-10 aircraft training equipment for USAF and foreign sales while stationed at Chanute AFB, Illinois.

While stationed at Kadena Air Base, Japan, he deployed in support of the evacuation of Saigon, Vietnam, and the tree cutting incident at the 38th Parallel in South Korea.

Upon return to the United States, Senn served as a B-1 and F-16 aircraft acquisition evaluator at Edwards AFB, California, and later a flight supervisor at Hill AFB, Utah, where he planned and instructed foreign training programs, including NATO countries, Israeli and Egyptian Air Force members. He also supervised the operation and creation of the first aircraft battle damage repair course for F-4 and F-16 aircraft.

Senn moved to the 5th Bombardment Wing in June 1986 as the quality control and training superintendent. He later became superintendent of the bomber branch, field maintenance superintendent and senior enlisted manager. In December 1990, Senn became senior enlisted adviser to the 57th Air Division commander. When the air division deactivated, May 1991, he became senior enlisted adviser for the 5th Wing, when it became installation host.

Senn’s final military position was as senior enlisted adviser to the 5th Bomb Wing commander on matters concerning the welfare, effective use and progress of the enlisted members of Minot AFB. He retired from the military in 1993. He assumed the position of commander of the Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 4, in Minot in April.

Founded around 1886, McKinney Cemetery is nestled along the Souris (Mouse) River on three acres of land. It was certified as a historic location by the National Register of Historic Places on Dec. 28, 1978.

The nomination for historic status identified the cemetery as the oldest cemetery in Renville County. The cemetery was dedicated on June 22, 1913, according to The Tolley Journal. Just outside the cemetery fence stands the log cabin built by Frank Swenson in the 1890s and restored by the wildlife refuge. The McKinney Cemetery Association was first organized on July 20, 1911.