Veteran’s Corner
Jason Hicks | Commander
United Patriotic bodies/ Fargo Memorial Honor Guard
On Saturday August 12th 2023 The Fargo Memorial Honor Guard had the privilege of laying a hero to rest. What made this funeral unique is that John Opgrand had died during WW2 in a Japanese prisoner of war camp.
Having grown up in Ulen MN, where he excelled in sports, John answered his nations call to serve. He enlisted on October 29th 1939 in the Army Air Corps (Now the US Airforce). John was stationed in the Philippine Islands, quite a difference from the Northern MN town of Ulen.
On December 8th 1941 the Imperial Japanese attacked the Philippine islands in conjunction with other attacks throughout the Pacific. Within a month the Japanese had captured Manila, the capitol of the Philippines, and American and Philippine defenders were forced to retreat to the Bataan peninsula. For the next three months those who became known as the” Battling Bastards of Bataan” fought the Japanese, disease, and starvation. It was at this time that General Douglas MacArthur was ordered by President Roosevelt to leave the Philippines and his soldiers behind. At which time he rendered the famous “ I shall return” speech.
On April 9th 1942 American and Philippine forces surrendered. This started the infamous Bataan death march, in which hundreds of Americans and thousands of Philippine soldiers were killed. The captives were forced to march approximately 65 miles to a prison camp-Camp O’Donnell. One can only imagine the horrors that young John Opgrand witnessed during this forced march. Soldiers were bayoneted for simply trying to get a drink of water. The level of brutality the prisoners faced at the hands of the Japanese Army was unprecedented in the annuals of modern military history.
On June 10th 1942 John Opgrand died in captivity at the Cabanatuan Prisoner of war camp. This same POW camp was liberated on January 30th 1945 during a daring attack commonly referred to as “The Great Raid”. The 6th Rangers were able to liberate over 500 POWs.
To say that this service held in the little Cemetery North of Ulen was deeply special to all. To include the phrase on the official POW/MIA flag “You are not forgotten” those words rang very true on August 12th 2023, 81 years after PFC John Opgrands death. PFC Opgrand was awarded numerous medals posthumously included the bronze star medal, the purple heart medal and the POW medal and many other awards.
The family had wanted to express its deepest thanks to the Fargo Memorial Honor Guard, American Legion Post #21, VFW Post #1223, the US Army and members of the Twin Valley American Legion.