
FARGO, N.D. — A North Dakota National Guard soldier was killed in Iraq when his vehicle was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, military officials said. Spc. Michael Hermanson, of Fargo, was serving with Company A of the Minot-based 164th Engineer Combat Battalion.
Hermanson, 21, died at about 2 p.m. CDT — 11 p.m. Iraq time — on Tuesday, while his unit was on patrol clearing roadside bombs south of Balad, Guard spokesman Rob Keller said. Balad is about 50 miles north of Baghdad.
“All of us in the National Guard are deeply saddened at the loss of this great soldier,” Maj. Gen. Michael Haugen, the state Guard commander, said in a statement Wednesday. “Spc. Hermanson edified the volunteer spirit prevalent in the North Dakota National Guard.”
Maj. Jason Steckler, commander of Company A, said Hermanson’s...