Army Spc. Dennis J. Ferderer Jr.

Died November 2, 2005 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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20, of New Salem, N.D.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.; killed Nov. 2 when enemy forces threw a hand grenade at his Humvee during convoy operations in Duluiyah, Iraq.

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Fort Benning soldier killed in Iraq

Associated Press

BISMARCK, N.D. — An Army soldier from New Salem has been killed in Iraq, almost exactly a year after the last North Dakota soldier to die in the Middle East.

Spc. Dennis Ferderer Jr., 20, died in Ad Duluiyah, Iraq, on Wednesday, when a hand grenade was thrown at his Humvee, the Department of Defense said. Ad Duluiyah is about 60 miles north of Baghdad.

Ferderer was serving with the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, which is based in Fort Benning, Ga.

He was the son of Dennis Sr. and Claudina Ferderer, and had one brother. Claudina Ferderer declined to talk about her son Thursday, saying the family planned a news conference at their farm Friday.

“You kind of knew in the back of your mind that (New Salem) wouldn’t be lucky forever ...You knew that sooner or later that the luck was going to run out, that they’re not all going to come home,” Renee Doll, a study aide at New Salem High School when Ferderer was a student there, told The Bismarck Tribune.

“Now Iraq is in our back yard,” she said.

Ferderer began his Army career after graduating from New Salem High School in 2003. His unit had been in Iraq for about nine months, and is scheduled to return to Georgia in January.

He was the 11th U.S. service member from North Dakota or serving with a North Dakota military unit to be killed while on duty in Iraq. The last North Dakota soldier killed — National Guard Spc. Cody Wentz, 21, of Williston — died Nov. 4, 2004, also in an attack on a Humvee.

A memorial service was being planned at Fort Benning and also by Ferderer’s unit in Iraq, said Elsie Jackson, a Fort Benning spokeswoman.

Gov. John Hoeven and first lady Mikey Hoeven expressed their condolences Thursday to Ferderer’s family.

“May they find comfort and peace in the compassion of their friends and loved ones, and the heartfelt sympathy of all North Dakotans,” the governor said.

Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., said he and his wife, Lucy, were “deeply saddened.”

“Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and to all those in his hometown of New Salem,” Conrad said. “We pray that God’s love will bring them comfort and strength in this tragic time.”

Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said his thoughts and prayers were with the Ferderer family.

“I want them to know that a grateful country honors the sacrifice of their son,” he said.

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Hundreds attend soldier’s funeral

Associated Press

NEW SALEM, N.D. — Family and friends remembered an Army soldier who was killed in Iraq earlier this month.

The funeral of Army Spc. Dennis Ferderer Jr., 20, was held on Monday at Saint Pius V Catholic Church, where he once served as an altar boy.

Businesses closed and many of the residents in this town of about 940 people filled the church, as snow fell outside.

Ferderer was killed in Iraq on Nov. 2 when a hand grenade was thrown at his Humvee. He was serving with the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, which is based in Fort Benning, Ga. He began his Army career in June 2003.

Ferderer, known as “DJ,” grew up on a dairy farm and dreamed of being a soldier, said his parents, Dennis Sr. and Claudina.

“DJ was planning on making the military his career and then take over the farm,” John Ferderer said of his brother.

John, 22, is in the Air Force. He returned to the family farm for the funeral, from Fort Lewis, Wash.

The Rev. Terry Wipf said the war on terrorism has hit home.

“On Nov. 2, it came into this community, into this parish and most especially into a small farm,” he said.

Ferderer was buried at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery south of Mandan. The service included a 21-gun salute by an Army color guard from Fort Carson, Colo.

“It was the first funeral they had ever done,” John Ferderer said. “Many of them had just come back from Iraq.”

Jessica Roll, a family friend, remembered DJ’s sense of humor.

“He didn’t say much, but when he did, he made people laugh,” she said. “It’s really hard to see someone this young go this soon.”

Many who had never met the slain soldier attended his funeral.

“I don’t know the young man, unfortunately,” said Robert Black, of Bismarck. “I’m just very saddened by this event and I want to show my support for him and the United States Army.”

Ferderer’s unit is scheduled to return to Georgia in January, after about ninth months in Iraq.

He was the 11th U.S. service member from North Dakota or serving with a North Dakota military unit to be killed on duty in Iraq.