VFW Standing Guard

Many Veterans of Foreign Wars posts have military equipment parked out front.  Part decoration, part rememberance.  It is a tradition of long standing and there is a formal system by which the Post Commander can requisition obsolete gear.  The VFW Post in the tiny community of Lowell Wisconsin was especially well armed!

Howitzer, tank, jet fighter, looks like they are pretty well prepared.  In front of the tank is a ship's anchor.  On it is a plaque:

Often these memorials have some local connection but in this case, no.  The anchor is certainly not from the Dorchester which sank in the North Atlantic.  And none of the Four Chaplains appears to have any local connection.  But it is an important and little known story, one that is worthwhile to remember in any case.
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Odd historical footnote.  Jack Kerouac who would later write "On the Road" was a sailor on the Dorchester.  I've seen more than one account of why he was not on board at the time of her sinking.  The tale of his getting a last minute telegram inviting him to play football for Columbia University seems nonsensical.  More plausibly, the future Beat Generation writer appears to have been discharged for mental health issues.