According to the U.S. Department of Defense, North Dakota has a disproportionate number of men and women serving in Iraq – in fact, it has the highest per capita participation of any state in the Nation. One year ago today, Specialist Cody Wentz, of Williston, became the state’s 9th casualty. He was 21.

Others include Specialist Philip Brown, 21, of Jamestown; Specialist Jon Fettig, 30, of Dickinson; Private First Class Sheldon Hawk Eagle, 21, of Grand Forks; Staff Sgt. Kenneth Hendrickson, 41, of Bismarck; Specialist James Holmes, 28, of East Grand Forks; Staff Sgt. Lance Koenig, 33, of Fargo; Private First Class Anthony Monroe, 20, of Bismarck; Sgt. Keith Smette, 25, of Makoti; and Sgt. Thomas Sweet II, 23, of Bismarck. Another casualty was 29 year-old Air Force Capt. John Boria, of Oklahoma, who was assigned to the Grand Forks Air Force Base.

Sources:
Forces: U.S. & Coalition/Casualties. CNN. <http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/>
Secretary Rumsfeld Interview with WDAY-AM, Fargo, North Dakota’s Scott Hennen. Department of Defense. September 7, 2004. <http://www.dod.gov/transcripts/2004/tr20040907-secdef1283.html>
Iraq Coalition Casualty Count. http://icasualties.org/oif/USMap.aspx?hndState=North%20Dakota
Honor the Fallen. <http://www.militarycity.com/valor/valorsearch.php>

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