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My cousin's nephew killed in Iraq Wednesday

Liberty Belle

Well-known member
Mike was such a special young man and he volunteered for Iraq because he believed the United States is doing the right thing. Here's his picture and the story:
MichaelHermanson5-25-06.jpg

Spec. Michael Hermanson, a member of the North Dakota National Guard, was killed Wednesday in combat in Iraq.


North Dakota National Guard loses soldier
by Bob Reha, Minnesota Public Radio
May 25, 2006


A soldier with the North Dakota National Guard has died in Iraq. Military officials say Spec. Michael Hermanson, 21, of Fargo, was killed Tuesday when his vehicle was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade south of Balad, Iraq.

Fargo, N.D. — Michael Hermanson volunteered to serve in Iraq. He was with an Engineer Combat Battalion based in Minot, North Dakota. Hermanson's unit was clearing roadside bombs when it was attacked. Hermanson was single.

His parents, Layne and Scharlotta, and a sister, Lindsey, live in Fargo. Sgt. Dave Somdahl of the North Dakota National Guard says the family is in shock.

"They are dealing with the loss of their oldest child, and they're trying to understand everything that happened with very little information that's available right now," says Somdahl.

Hermanson grew up in Fargo. He attended local schools, including two years at Oak Grove Lutheran school. Steve Carnal, a teacher at Oak Grove, taught Hermanson for two years. Carnal says Hermanson was the kind of student who is hard to forget.

"Michael was one of those young men who had a big smile on his face all the time, and he would just light up the room when he walked in," says Carnal. "He was a very polite, hard-working young man. He had a lot of friends in school, teachers loved him, just a great young man."
 

HAY MAKER

Well-known member
Its a terrible thing to lose a young man like that,words can not begin to describe the grief and remorse we feel when it happens.This proves that the cost of freedom is high,very high..............good luck
 

ranchwife

Well-known member
:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
LB---prayers to your family from ours!
Strange, though...what a small world....my grandmother's maiden name was Hermanson....also from north dakota!!
 

Red Robin

Well-known member
Liberty Bell I am deeply sorry. I wish it didn't have to happen. Your family paid the price for my family. I am truly thankful. I will pray them as well. God Bless them.
 

Liberty Belle

Well-known member
Thanks so much for your kind thoughts. I want to share another story with you about Mike and his little sister:

North Dakota Guardsman killed in Iraq was his sister's hero
Michael Hermanson, who died Tuesday, was the subject of a prize-winning essay written by his sibling.

Chuck Haga, Star Tribune
May 25, 2006

Write about your hero, the teacher said, and Lindsey Hermanson, a junior at North High School in Fargo, N.D., didn't have to think twice. She wrote about her big brother, Mike, and wrote with such feeling that she won a prize. "It's not often that teachers share their students' papers with me, but this one was special," Principal Andy Dahlen said Thursday. "It was remarkable how much she looked up to her brother ... how concerned she was for him, but also how proud she was."

Specialist Michael Hermanson, 21, a North Dakota National Guard soldier serving in Iraq, was killed Tuesday when a rocket-propelled grenade struck his vehicle. He was helping to monitor roads near Balad, 50 miles north of Baghdad, clearing suspicious-looking objects that could be hiding roadside bombs, a Guard spokesman said.

The 2002 North High graduate was the 12th U.S. service member from North Dakota killed while on duty in Iraq. Of those, eight were members of the National Guard.

Hermanson enlisted in 2002 while still in high school and was assigned after basic training to an engineer combat battalion based in Fargo. He volunteered for deployment to Iraq last year with another battalion based in Minot, N.D.

"As this Memorial Day approaches, we pledge never to forget his courage or his selflessness," North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven said in a statement.

Hermanson attended North Dakota State University in Fargo before his deployment and told friends he looked forward to returning to school to study criminal justice, according to Master Sgt. David Somdahl of the North Dakota Air National Guard, who spoke Thursday for the family.

Hermanson's parents, Layne and Scharlotta Hermanson, did not want to talk with reporters Thursday.

Lindsey was in school briefly Wednesday and talked then with friends and some of her brother's former teachers. Lindsey was concerned for others. "She asked another teacher to tell me about Mike," said Brad Bachmeier, who was Michael's art teacher and coached Lindsey in track in junior high. "She didn't want me to find out through an e-mail.

"What impressed me so much about that family was that, as far apart as they were in age, how close they were as brother and sister," he said. "She looked up to him as a role model, and they shared a wonderful sense of humor. Fargo North is a very close place, like a little town, and this is going to be hard on everyone here. It really brings the war home."

Dahlen said Lindsey came to school after learning of her brother's death "because she was concerned about final tests, but we waived those. She cleaned out her locker and talked with friends. There were tears."

Hermanson's death was the second Iraq combat fatality with links to North High. Last July, Marine Sgt. Bryan James Opskar of Moorhead, Minn., husband of teacher Leandra Dougherty, was killed by a roadside bomb.

Chuck Haga • 612-673-4514
 

Cowpuncher

Well-known member
LB our deepest sympathy to your extended family on this loss.

There is a documentary on A & E channel at 8:00 EDT PM today on what a Marine reserve unit went through in Iraq. They also had casualties - a lot for a reserve unit.

I watched it last night. It was made by the men in the unit and leaves out the media hype. What wonderful young men we have in this country,

Also on CNN at 11:00 PM EDT there is a documentary on how the wounded are treated after injury. Really a nice surprise from CNN.
 

feeder

Well-known member
My heart aches for the family and friends of this wonderful man. A person doesn't really realize the true extent of their sacrifices till something like this happens. God be with all our rancher.net family that have loved ones in the service.
 

sw

Well-known member
Our deepest sympathy LB. These young men and women are truely remarkable with their sacrifices for us. Let me include part of an email from our son yesterday:

Mom and Dad, this may be the most important thing I've
ever done. I might have made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I'm trying to
make up for it. I felt like joining the Marine Corps was one of the only
thing I had to make a real difference in the world. This is a real
difference. I know that i can make a few people proud, and make a few people
happy, but I know that I can make me and my family happy and proud!

These are people that are committed to making a difference by their own choosing. God bless Michael Hermanson and his family
 

passin thru

Well-known member
Deepest Sympathies to the family

Hat's of all these GREAT AMERICAN soldiers..........we are indebted forever.....................you are in our hearts
 

Tap

Well-known member
I hope the family of this soldier is getting along ok on this Memorial Day. I can't even imagine how it would feel to lose a child, and hope I never have to. He will always be a hero in my book.

Sorry, Liberty Belle.
 

Liberty Belle

Well-known member
Thanks Tap, since it is Memorial Day his body won't be flown home until tommorow and the waiting is pretty tough on the whole family. I'm headed to Buffalo for the Memorial Day service over there. Our minister, a decorated Vietnam vet, will be doing the service.

Bill Clanton never missed a Memorial Day program and I've sure been thinking our old friend today.
 

Tap

Well-known member
LB, I just got back from moving cattle with Bill's son, and his namesake grandson. Bill was a one of a kind. We were telling Bill stories some this AM. Miss him.
 

Nicky

Well-known member
Our prayers and sympathies also. My nephew is in an Enginering Battation in the Army Reserves and will be going over this fall. Rather scary.
 

jodywy

Well-known member
Deepest Sympathies to the family

Went to a PBR , Super bull riding in Afton Wyo Saturday night . Te Grand opening was 3 rodeo queens riding around with the Flag and two dodge pickups with flags and national garud in back. They then read the names of the local gaord unit that will soon be leaving for Iraq and dedicated the rodeo to them...not many dry eyes before it was done.
 

nr

Well-known member
Just catching up on emails and I was so sorry to read about your loss.
Each of these deaths announced in the news of young folks is so sad and one wonders how their families can come to grips with the news.

It takes very special men and women to enter the armed forces these days. He certainly sounded like a wonderful person who gave his life for his country.
 
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