Unclaimed military veteran honored at Fargo National Cemetery

"This was an amazing man, he served his country with three different tours in Southeast Asia."

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — The Fargo National Cemetery and the Memorial National Guard honor an unclaimed military hero for his service.

David Oliver, a Vietnam veteran was from Grand Forks and had no next of kin.

“No veteran ever is buried without this ceremony,” Fargo Honor Guard Chaplain Russel Stabler said.

“This was an amazing man, he served his country with three different tours in Southeast Asia. Two in Vietnam and one in Thailand, received four bronze stars while he was there,” Friend of David Oliver’s George Kelly said.

“Mr. Oliver taught art at the University of Michigan and he had been associated with Mr. Kelly for a while and when he retired from the university he moved out here to be close to his friend George,” said Stabler.

“This guy made the wild decision to retire to North Dakota not what everybody does but that’s what he wanted to do because he wanted to be near to us,” Kelly said.

“His parents had passed away, no brothers, no sisters, no nieces, no nephews, none of that so he had a found family with us and it has been an honor and a privilege to have him here every single day,”

“He passed before his time and today we were able to lay him to rest with his honored brothers and sisters here at the national cemetery,” Kelly said.

After finishing his military service Oliver’s friend says he dedicated his life to making beauty and art for the world.