The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5431 was chartered on January 04,1946 in Encinitas, California, in honor of Col. Frank M. Brezina who died in a WWII Japanese prison camp. The Ladies Auxiliary received its charter on March 16, 1961. The Post was moved to its current location in Solana Beach when VFW Post Surgeon Peter Perusek donated the building to the Post.
Col. Frank M. Brezina was born on June 11, 1880, in Vienna, Austria, of Czech parents. He entered the United States of America Army in 1901 and rose from Private to Corporal and then to Sergeant of Troop I in the 14th U.S. Calvary. On January 20, 1916, he became a 2nd Lieutenant in the Philippine Scouts. Upon earning the grade of 1st Lieutenant, he began serving in the U.S. Army Siberian Intelligence on September 16, 1918. While in that assignment, he quickly rose to Captain, April 2, 1919, and Major on July 1, 1920. Fifteen years later, on August 1, 1935, he assumed the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Less than a year later, April 6, 1936, he retired from the service with disability.
Although Lieutenant Colonel Brezina retired from the service with disability in 1936, this was not the end of his service to his country. He was recalled to service five years later in April 1941, to once again serve on active duty. On December 19, 1941, he rose to the rank of Colonel.
His last duty assignment was Philippine Department Quartermaster, Service Command, Luzon Force. At the surrender of Bataan, he was taken prisoner of war. After surviving the Bataan Death March and a Japanese POW Death Ship, he died in the Shirakawa prison camp on Formosa, June 26, 1943.
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