Stauber Bill Renaming Akeley Post Office for WWII Veteran Signed Into Law
Yesterday, Congressman Pete Stauber’s (MN-08) legislation renaming the post office in Akeley, Minnesota, after Neal Kenneth Todd, a World War II veteran who perished in the attack on Pearl Harbor, was signed into law.
“Heroes like Neal Kenneth Todd exemplify American exceptionalism and are why this country continues to be the land of the free and home of the brave,” said Congressman Stauber. “I’m proud to see my legislation be signed into law to make the renaming of the Akeley post office in Neal’s name official to remind future generations of the sacrifices he and his generation made for our freedoms.”
Neal’s remains were recently identified and returned home to Akeley, where he was finally laid to rest near his loved ones. Last year, Congressman Stauber had the honor of attending Neal’s funeral and presenting his family with an American flag he had flown over the United States Capitol. The entire Minnesota delegation co-sponsored the bill upon its introduction in July 2021. The bill passed the House on December 1st and the Senate on December 20th.
BACKGROUND:
Neal Kenneth Todd joined the Navy in 1940 and was assigned to the USS Oklahoma as a Navy Fireman First Class. While stationed at Pearl Harbor, the ship was attacked by the Japanese air force on December 7, 1941. Neal's brother, Wesley Todd, was also serving on the USS Oklahoma during the bombing. Wesley was fortunate to escape the sinking ship, but Neal's fate was unknown to the Todd family for months. Neal was later pronounced dead and awarded the Purple Heart.
He is honored at the USS Oklahoma Memorial and Honolulu Memorial of the Courts of the Missing. The remains of Neal and other service members were recovered in the months following the attack but were not identified by the U.S. Department of Defense until a 2015 Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency project.
On February 11, 2021, Neal's remains were successfully matched to his family. He was reunited with his brother, Orville Staffenhagen, and sister, Karyn Stiffler in Akeley, Minnesota, on July 10, 2021. Neal was buried with full military honors next to his younger brother, Alfred Staffenhagen, Jr., who also served in the U.S. Navy, and his mother Irena.
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