Congress closer to honoring fallen guardsmen
News | Published on June 23, 2022 at 7:40pm GMT+0000 | Author: Chad Koenen
0Soldiers died in Dec. 2019
By Robert Williams
Editor, Frazee-Vergas Forum
The Committee on Oversight and Reform held a business meeting Wednesday, June 15, to consider legislation introduced by Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach and Congressman Tom Emmer to rename post offices in honor of three fallen Minnesota National Guardsmen: Chief Warrant Officer 2 James A. Rogers Jr., 28; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Charles P. Nord, 30; and Sgt. Kort M. Plantenberg, 28.
“These young men were taken far too soon, and every little bit we can do as a country to remember them and thank them, though it will never be enough, has value,” said Rep. Fischbach. “I am thankful to the Oversight Committee for moving these bills forward.”
The three service members were tragically killed when their helicopter experienced engine failure. The Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk went down on Dec. 5, 2019, near Kimball, approximately 16 miles southwest of St. Cloud.
“Kort, Charles and James represented the best Minnesota has to offer. I am grateful that we are now one step closer to these young men receiving the memorial they deserve,” said Rep. Emmer.
All three soldiers were assigned to the St. Cloud-based Company C, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion. According to service records, the trio had returned from a nine-month deployment to Kuwait in May of 2019.