The new headquarters of Herbert E. McLaughlin VFW Post 2723 is seen in Shawano Nov. 11, 2025. PC: Fox 11 Online
SHAWANO, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Shawano community is marking Veterans Day with a new Veterans of Foreign Wars headquarters.
Officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday for the 4,000-square-foot VFW building, located at 810 Olson Street. It includes a warming room for gatherings, an outdoor patio and movable partitions for flexible meeting spaces.
The land was donated to the VFW by a neighboring business owner.
“We started around January with the land donation and getting everything in order, and then we actually broke ground in May. So, we’ve been working since May to build the building and get it done. We got it done just in time for Veterans Day,” said Jesse Rankin, project manager for the VFW’s building and grounds.
Their previous clubhouse was 73 years old. Rankin said it was time for a fresh start in a new space.
“It served its purpose. It worked great for that many years, but now we have an opportunity to welcome in ADA-accessible patrons. It’s a new, updated place — a warm, welcoming place — with modern amenities. It was a great opportunity for us to build here,” Rankin said. “It’s a great place not only for the veterans, but also for the community.”
It’s the latest event in a milestone year for the Shawano post. Earlier this year, Army Pvt. Herbert McLaughlin, who the post is named for, was laid to rest in his hometown after 80 years. McLaughlin was killed in the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. His remains were buried in Hawaii until DNA testing advanced to the point where the remains could be identified. The remains were exhumed for testing in 2019, and McLaughlin’s remains were identified last year.
McLaughlin’s remains were buried in Shawano in August.
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