PARTY HELD FOR 1-128 SOLDIERS
Monday, November 28th, 2005 -- 11:43 AM
Hundreds showed up for a weekend party honoring soldiers from Wisconsin National Guard's 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry, who spent a year in Iraq.The soldiers, from units in Arcadia and Neillsville, returned at the end of October after an 18-month total deployment. Family, friends and community members showed up at the La Crosse Center for the 6-hour event Saturday, which included food, videos and speeches from many local politicians ? including U.S. Rep. Ron Kind.
Also giving a speech was Nancy Olson, whose husband, Staff Sgt. Todd Olson, died in December. The 36-year-old was killed by an improvised explosive device while on foot patrol in Iraq. Olson and the family of Spc. Charles Kaufman received a memorial. The 20-year-old from Fairchild was fatally injured June 26 when a roadside bomb exploded near his Humvee.
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