The Devils Lake VFW Post 756 Neathery Simenson presents a very special event June 3 in conjunction with Devils Run activities. A memorial Walk/Run to honor North Dakota’s fallen soldiers.
This year’s walk/run starts in the parking lot outside the Burdick Arena on the DLPS Campus. It proceeds from there to College Drive, turns after the west viaduct and heads toward U.S. Highway 2 where it crosses the highway and proceeds along the bike trail to the frontage road parallel to Highway 20 to County Highway 1 leading walkers and runners through the Lakewood area to the back entrance to Camp Gilbert C. Grafton and eventually to the finish line at the historic Edwards House. Watch for signs along the way.
Water stations will greet participants at several places along the route: Ford, Eds Bait Shop, Walleye Drive, 79th Ave. and the Camp Grafton Back Gate. There will be a Portable-Potty available for those who need or want one east of Eagle Bend.
At the finish line there will be refreshments provided for all walkers and runners. Transportation will also be provided for everyone who finishes the route back to the Burdick Arena.
This event is open to everyone. You can walk or run or park somewhere along the route and in some way encourage or clap for those who are running/walking.
All money received from runner and walker registration fees and all other donations will go to help the North Dakota Tragedy Assistance for Survivors Program (ND TAPS).
Why 14K?
There is a simple answer to that question.
Since the beginning of the War on Terror, 14 North Dakota Soldiers have lost their lives while serving. Each K ran or walked memorializes each of those 14 individuals who gave their lives for their country.
Each K along the way
Information about each individual plus a silhouette with their photo marks each K along the way. They are:
Spc. Jon P. Fettig of Dickinson, died when his truck was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade near Ramali, Iraq on July 22, 2003. He was 20 years old.
Sgt. Keith L. Smette of Fargo, lost his life when his convoy was attacked by an improvised explosive device north of Fallujah, Iraq on Jan. 24, 2004. He was 25 years old.
Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Hendrickson of Bismarck, was killed when his convoy was attacked by an improvised explosive device north of Fallujah, Iraq on Jan. 24, 2004, he was 41 years old.
Spc. James J. Holmes of East Grand Forks, died as a result of injuries sustained in Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated near the driver side of his military vehicle May 3, 2004. /he was 28 years old.
Spc. Philip D. Brown of Jamestown perished from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device went off west of Samarra, Iraq, May 8, 2004. He was 21 years old.
Staff Sgt. Lance J. Koenig, Fargo, perished when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting a dismounted patrol in Tikrit, Iraq, Sept. 22, 2004. He was 33 years old.
Spc. Cody L. Wentz of Williston, perished when an improvised explosive device detonated near his military vehicle while he was on patrol in Iraq, Nov. 4, 2004. He was 21 years old.
Spc. Michael L. Hermanson of Fargo, 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, May 23, 2006. He was 21 years old.
Sgt. Travis A. VanZoest of Bismarck, was killed when his Humvee struck two anti-tank mines during combat operations in Khogyani, Afghanistan June 6, 2006, at age 21.
Spc. Curtis R. Mehrer, Bismarck, died when his Humvee struck two anti-tank mines during combat operations in Khogyani, Afghanistan, June 6, 2006, at age 21.
Cpl. Nathan J. Good Iron of Mandaree, died from injuries sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire and rocket propelled grenades in Qarabagh, Afghanistan, Nov. 23, 2006, at age 25.
Spc. Chris Kleinwachter of Wahpeton, lost his life from injuries sustained when his vehicle rolled over during combat operations in Ghazni, Afghanistan on Nov. 30, 2006, at age 29.
Spc. Tyler J. Orgaard of Bismarck, lost his life in southern Afghanistan of wounds caused by an improvised explosive device on Dec. 3, 2012, at age 20.
Sgt. 1st Class Darren M. Lunde of Devils Lake, died in Afghanistan of wounds caused by an improvised explosive device on Dec. 3, 2012, at age 41.
Source for the above information is the website: https://fallensoldiers14k.weebly.com
