Donald Tietje

Age 78

Born on his family's farm in the Tenhassen Township, Martin County (Wilbert, Minnesota) in 1937

Now lives in Fairmont, Minn.

U.S. Army Korean War and Vietnam War Veteran

Donald Tietje's military career began in 1957 when, following in his late brother Herb's footsteps, Donald enlisted in the Army Reserve and was part of the government's “Federal Reserve” program. “You signed-up for a six year enlistment,” Tietje explained. “It was two years of active duty and four years in the reserves.” He was activated at the start of the Viet Nam War in 1961 and also was stationed in Korea for a year with the 181^th Signal Corps depot where he worked repairing radio and electronic equipment.

Tietji is currently the Commander of the Korean War Veterans Post Chapter 254, former Minnesota American Legion 2^nd District Commander (2011-2012) and a former VFW Post Commander.

You can read more about Mr. Tietje's military experience in the planned coffee table-style photo book “Portrait of a Veteran.”

John Hilgendorf

85

Korean War Veteran

Born on the family farm in Ormsby, MN. in 1930

Now lives in Welcome, MN.

John Hilgendorf spent the first year as a baby living in a clay block garage that his father built on the family farm. It was a humble beginning, as simple shelter, until they were able to start building a house on the property. “There weren't any buildings on the land,” Hilgendorf remembers.

At the age of 23, the Minnesota native was swore in to the U.S. Army on the day before Thanksgiving in 1952. By the first part of 1953, he was shipped overseas to fight in the Korean War. At first, Hilgendorf worked as a heavy equipment operator. “The Major asked me if I knew anything about plumbing,“ he recalls. Before long he was helping maintaining the waterworks for a prisoner of war camp.

Read more about Mr. Hilgendorf in the up-coming book “Portrait of a Veteran.”

Image and words © 2015 Joseph Kreiss Photography.

After a certain number of portraits have be amassed, and adequate funding becomes available to cover costs, the veteran's images and stories will be printed as a traveling photo gallery exhibit for public viewing. The ultimate goal is to put the images and stories into a beautiful coffee-table-style book. A copy of the book will be given to each veteran and their family. Other copies of the book will be sold to help cover costs and expenses, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Wounded Warrior Project, MN.

Donations of any amount can be made in the name of the veteran. An Honor Roll of Memorial Donors will be published and updated regularly on social media and in the photo book and displayed at the gallery exhibits.

Korean War Veteran Hurley Morris

Hurly Morris 

Korean War Veteran
Age 83
Born in Ceylon, MN. in 1932
Lives now in Ceylon, MN.
 

Minnesota native Hurly Morris spent about 13 months in Korea during that conflict. He entered the U.S. Army in 1952 when he was 20 years old, and was part of the 8th Army Signal Corps working as a field radio repairman with the 557 Signal Relay Company.

Read more about Mr. Morris in the up-coming book “Portrait of a Veteran.”

Image and words © 2015 Joseph Kreiss Photography.

- Information on the "Portrait of a Veteran Photo Project -

After a certain number of portraits have be amassed, and adequate funding becomes available to cover costs, the veteran's images and stories will be printed as a traveling photo gallery exhibit for public viewing. The ultimate goal is to put the images and stories into a beautiful coffee-table-style book. A copy of the book will be given to each veteran and their family. Other copies of the book will be sold to help cover costs and expenses, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Wounded Warrior Project, MN.

Donations of any amount can be made in the name of the veteran. An Honor Roll of Memorial Donors will be published and updated regularly on social media and in the photo book and displayed at the gallery exhibits.

Please contact Joseph Kreiss at email: jeepinjoseph@hotmail.com
or message me via this page on Facebook.

Behind the Scenes

On Location

It's not fancy, but it gets the job done. My on-location equipment still fills a large travel tote, a couple of light stand bags, tripod bag and camera equipment bags. I have added stands to hold-up the back drop materials to my grip. I think I need to get one of those folding roller carts for load-in and load-out ease on my back! This was the on-location two-speedlight/softboxlighting set-up I used for the "Portrait of a Veteran" Photo Project session recently at the Valley Vue Care Center in Armstrong, IA. 

More veteran's portraits to come! If you want to financially support the "Portrait of a Veteran" Photo Project, please let me know. I'll have information on how you or your business or community group can contribute and help get the coffee table-style book published to give to these pictured veterans and their families!