Karl’s Transport out of Antigo brought two trucks to the Merrill Labor Day Parade, on Monday, Sept. 2 in honor of fallen US Army soldiers Ryan Jopek and Grant Dampier, both of Merrill. Jopek was killed in action at the age of 20, on Aug. 1, 2006. Dampier was 25 years of age, when he lost his life on May 15, 2006. Both Dampier and Jopek were serving in Iraq when they were killed.
Pictured with the trailers and members of local veterans groups are Jopek’s mother Tracy, Dampier’s wife Heidi, his daughters and Heidi Dampier’s son.
*Editor’s note: Information regarding Grant Dampier and his family being in attendance on Monday, was mistakenly omitted in this week’s (Sep. 4) print edition of the Merrill Foto News. We sincerely apologize for this oversight and will publish the correct information in next week’s print edition (Sep.11)