More than 80 Patriot Riders paid tribute Sept. 2 to the men whose names are etched on the Mesabi black granite monument dedicated at a private lake in Ramsey.

The 63 Minnesota soldiers and civilians who fell in the fight on terror in Iraq were honored Sept. 2 by their families, friends, strangers and veterans at a monument dedication at Veteran's Lake, Ramsey, owned by John Enstrom. Enstrom has created a park and paid for the nearly $20,000 Mesabi black granite monument, which he took on a tour of the fallen mens' hometowns.

Two North Branch names are among those etched on the memorial: Marine Cpl. Johnathan Benson, who died a year ago from injuries in Iraq and John Pinsonneault, former NB mayor and Marine who died in Iraq while working as a civilian in security.

The traveling monument stopped in NB earlier this summer.

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