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:
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."