ND Veterans Affairs News: State

Pfc. Hawk Eagle grew up in Eagle Butte, SD but enlisted in the Army at Grand Forks, N.D. His parents are deceased but Hawk Eagle still has many friends and relatives in Eagle Butte, where he graduated from high school in 2001. To his friends in the Army, he was known as Sheldon Hawk Eagle. To his family and fellow tribe members, he was also remembered with a proud Lakota name: Wanbli Ohitika Brave Eagle. A member of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe, Pfc.

He is buried in Saint Jerome's Catholic Church - Fort Totten, ND.

Thomas Earl "Tom" Alderson was born in Lakota, Nelson County, North Dakota on October 9, 1941, and later moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota. He graduated from Grand Forks Central High School in 1959 and attended the University of North Dakota. He earned his dental degree (DDS) from the University of Minnesota in June 1966. He was married to Marika Mosely.

He is buried in Finley Cemetery - Finley, ND.

He is buried in Mandan Union Cemetery - Mandan, ND.

Ernest E. Bartolina was born on December 29, 1942, in Bismarck, Burleigh County, North Dakota, to Ernest and Kathryn Bartolina. He married Susan Cartwright on February 28, 1964. 

On February 7, 1969, Captain Bartolina was the crew as Pilot of the CH-46D Sea Knight helicopter #BU-153334 taking part in a medevac mission in Guang Nam province, in an area known as Arizona Territory. While starting to descend, they were hit by enemy automatic weapons fire and crashed in a rice paddy. Six of the men aboard were killed. 

He is buried in Hannover Cemetery - Hannover, ND

He is buried in Riverview Cemetery - Williston, ND. 

Elroy graduated with the class of 1965 from Langdon High School, North Dakota. After Elroy arrived in Vietnam, he was assigned to D Company, 501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, USARV. Elroy died as a result of gunshot wounds to the body from hostile small arms fire. Elroy became the first casualty from Cavier County to died during the Vietnam. Survived by his mother, Violet Grace Beier and his siblings, Gary, Daryl, John and Mitzi of Langdon, North Dakota. His father was deceased Joseph Beier. He is buried in Lebanon Cemetery - Langdon, ND. 

Major Belcher is memorialized in the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.