The sacrifice of two members of the North Dakota Army National Guard from this area, who died in military service during the Global War on Terrorism, will be remembered in a development called Heroes Park in Bismarck.
Among the 14 Guardsmen honored at a dedication ceremony Friday, Aug. 28, were Sgt. First Class Darren Linde, who lived in Devils Lake, and Specialist James Holmes, of East Grand Forks.
Linde died in Afghanistan of wounds caused by an improvised explosive device on Dec. 3, 2012, at the age of 41.
Holmes died from injuries sustained in Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated near the driver side of his military vehicle on May 3, 2004. He was 28.
Other North Dakota Army National Guardsmen, with age at death and hometown, who were honored: Specialist Jon Fettig, 20, Dickinson, N.D.; Sergeant Keith Smette, 25, Staff Sargeant Lance Koenig, 33, Specialist Michael Hermanson, 21, and Specialist Philip Brown, 21, all from Fargo; Specialist Cody Wentz, 21, Williston; Corporal Nathan Good Iron, 25, Mandaree, N.D.; Specialist Philip Brown, Jamestown, N.D.; Specialist Chris Kleinwachter, 29, Wahpeton, N.D.; and Sargeant Travis Van Zoest, 21, Specialist Curtis Mehrer, 21, Specialist Tyler Orgaard, 20, and Staff Sargeant Kenneth Hendrickson, 41, all from Bismarck.
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Heroes Park is located within a single-family residential development called Clear Sky. In addition to recognition within the park, the streets in the residential development will be named after these 14 fallen North Dakota Army National Guardsmen.
Matt Geiger, employed with Geiger Construction, created the plan for the development located in southeast Bismarck.
U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., a member of the Senate Armed Services and Senate Veterans Affairs committees, participated in Friday’s dedication ceremony for Heroes Park. He presented a flag, which had been flown over the U.S. Capitol, to organizers of the development.
