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BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Senate Veterans’ Affairs committees, participated in a dedication ceremony today for Heroes Park, which will honor 14 heroes of the North Dakota Army National Guard who lost their lives in the Global War on Terrorism.

“Freedom is not free. These North Dakota heroes lost their lives fighting terrorism and protecting the United States from threats across the globe,” said Senator Cramer. “The best way we can honor these 14 guardsmen and all who died for our freedom is to live as free people and cherish our liberties. Thank you to Matt and Kelly who envisioned this park and committed to memorializing those we should never forget.”


At the ceremony, Senator Cramer presented the organizers with a flag which has been flown over the United States Capitol.


Heroes Park will be within Clear Sky, a single-family residential development. In addition to the park, the streets within the development will be named after these 14 fallen North Dakota Army National Guardsmen. The concept was developed by Matt Geiger of Geiger Construction, a North Dakota Army National Guard veteran.


The Guard members honored at Heroes Park are:

  • Spc. Jon P. Fettig of Dickinson, who died when his truck was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade near Ramadi, Iraq, on July 22, 2003, at age 20.
  • Sgt. Keith L. Smette of Fargo, who lost his life when his convoy was attacked by an improvised explosive device north of Fallujah, Iraq, on January 24, 2004, at age 25.
  • Spc. Cody L. Wentz of Williston, who perished when an improvised explosive device detonated near his military vehicle while he was on patrol in Iraq on November 4, 2004, at age 21.
  • Cpl. Nathan J. Good Iron of Mandaree, who died from injuries sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire and rocket propelled grenades in Qarabagh, Afghanistan, on November 23, 2006, at age 25.
  • Spc. Philip D. Brown of Jamestown, who perished from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device went off west of Samarra, Iraq, on May 8, 2004, at age 21.
  • Spc. Michael L. Hermanson of Fargo, who died from injuries sustained when his RG-31 Mine Protected Vehicle came under attack from an improvised explosive device, a rocket-propelled grenade and enemy small-arms fire while on a route-clearing mission during combat operations in Abayachi, Iraq, on May 23, 2006, at age 21.
  • Spc. Chris Kleinwachter of Wahpeton, who lost his life from injuries sustained when his vehicle rolled over during combat operations in Ghazni, Afghanistan, on November 30, 2006, at age 29.
  • Spc. James J. Holmes of East Grand Forks, who left this earth from injuries sustained in Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated near the driver side of his military vehicle on May 3, 2004, at age 28.
  • Sgt. Travis A. Van Zoest of Bismarck, who was killed when his Humvee struck two anti-tank mines during combat operations in Khogyani, Afghanistan, on June 6, 2006, at age 21.
  • Sgt. 1st Class Darren M. Linde of Devils Lake, who died in Afghanistan of wounds caused by an improvised explosive device on December 3, 2012, at age 41.
  • Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Hendrickson of Bismarck, who was killed when his convoy was attacked by an improvised explosive device north of Fallujah, Iraq, on January 24, 2004, at age 41.
  • Staff Sgt. Lance J. Koenig of Fargo, who perished when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting a dismounted patrol in Tikrit, Iraq on September 22, 2004, at age 33.
  • Spc. Curtis R. Mehrer of Bismarck, who died when his Humvee struck two anti-tank mines during combat operations in Khogyani, Afghanistan, on June 6, 2006, at age 21.
  • Spc. Tyler J. Orgaard of Bismarck, who lost his life in southern Afghanistan of wounds caused by an improvised explosive device on December 3, 2012, at age 20.