FlagFortSewardWASHINGTON, D.C. – Building on her effort to thank and pay tribute to the North Dakotans who lost their lives during military service in the Vietnam War, U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp again took to the Senate floor to share the stories of these fallen men and honor their courageous service.

“North Dakota has an incredibly rich tradition of military service, as men and women from all backgrounds have put their lives on the line time and again to protect the freedoms we hold most dear,” said Heitkamp. “One hundred ninety-eight North Dakotans paid the ultimate sacrifice in the Vietnam War and just as they had a duty to keep us safe, we have a responsibility to pay tribute to these remarkable heroes. Over the past few months, it’s been an honor to share their stories on the Senate floor and I’ll continue to do so as our nation commemorates the 50th anniversary of the war.”

During her speech, Heitkamp honored the following North Dakotans who were lost in the Vietnam War:

 

  • Richard “Rich” Boehm – Mandan
  • Larry Jacobson – Norma
  • Carl Woods – Bottineau
  • Joel Ellingson – Rolette
  • David Haegele – Napoleon
  • Garry Klein – Mott
  • Randy Lee Hansen – Enlisted in Williston
  • Fred Johnson – Watford City/Leeds
  • Lyle Johannes – Kulm
  • Fred Jansonius – Jamestown
  • Eric Nadeau – Grand Forks
  • Gregory Krueger – Garrison
  • Richard Hovland – Williston

Heitkamp began a series of speeches in March to honor servicemembers from North Dakota who lost their lives in the Vietnam conflict as our country marks the 50th anniversary of the war. She collaborated with more than 150 eleventh-graders from Bismarck High School to gather information on these fallen North Dakotans and incorporated their research into her speeches. In March, Heitkamp met with these students in Bismarck and discussed with them the importance of their joint effort to honor the sacrifice and service of the North Dakotans lost in the war.

To view Heitkamp’s webpage dedicated to honoring North Dakota’s KIA and MIA Vietnam servicemembers – including her speeches on the Senate floor – click here. The website will be updated with all of Heitkamp’s speeches on the Senate floor about these servicemembers. A copy of a poster recognizing these fallen men can also be found here.