Roy R. Fredrickson was born in La Crosse on November 22, 1898. In 1916 he enlisted in the Wisconsin National Guard Company B 3rd Wisconsin Infantry. President Woodrow Wilson had just called and federalized the National Guard of several states on June 16, 1916 to protect United States citizens from a hostile Mexican army along the Texas border. U.S. Army Intelligence also charged German and Austrian agents with Encouraging Mexican hostilities and invasion of the United States to help the German war effort.
Fredrickson was among 218 officers and men who volunteered from La Crosse and served until December 14, 1916. Many, including Roy R. Fredrickson, were among the first enlistees sent to France in World War 1 because if their training in the Mexican Border conflict.
In 1952 Roy Fredrickson helped organize Badger Patrol #52, La Crosse and served as its commander until the organization disbanded in 1975. During that time he was also active in the national organization, Mexican Border Veterans, Inc., serving as its commander 1956-1957. He worked for many years to get state and national recognition of the Mexican Border War as a legitimate war so its veterans could qualify for federal veterans benefits. Fredrickson died in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Aug. 19, 1994.
