Fargo National Cemetery Pays Final Honors For A Unclaimed Veteran

"As the chaplain, it's always my greatest honor to send these young men and women off."

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — Fargo National Cemetery is celebrating an unclaimed veteran on Flag Day.

“As the chaplain, it’s always my greatest honor to send these young men and women off,” Fargo Memorial Honor Guard Chaplain, Russ Stabler said.

The honor guard is paying its final farewell to an unclaimed veteran at the Fargo National Cemetery.

Brian Johnson was 63-years-old when he died on May 24th. He served in the Navy for four years. Many people came out to show their support for the fallen soldier. His body was escorted by the FM Legion Riders and the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association.

“We take care of our vets that have no one else to take care of them. We help them out. We just wanted to make sure that someone was here for him. So, both groups decided to come out here and honor the gentleman,” FM Legion Riders Director, Tom Krabbenhoft said.

Chaplain Stabler says Johnson is like a brother to him. He says the veteran brothers look out for one another.

Chaplain Stabler says “We might tease each other about the service they’re in, but when it comes down to brass tacks, we will fight for each other tooth and nail.”

“It’s like a big jigsaw puzzle. That’s missing about 50 pieces. I just start working with the information that I have and sometimes it’s just a date of death. That’s with Brian here. All I had was his date of death and I just started plugging things in,” Fargo Honor Guard Member, Lisa Folstad said.

Lisa Folstad – one of the honor guards has taken on a mission to find unclaimed veterans’ family members. She says she found one contact for Johnson.

“Right now, I’ll been in contact with his second cousin once removed. So, hopefully, I could talk to some closer family soon,” Folstad said.

You can honor veterans like Johnson at the Fargo National Cemetery any day from sunrise to sunset.