St. Paul - In honor and remembrance of Army Sergeant Nicholas M. Dickhut, Governor Mark Dayton has ordered all U.S. flags and Minnesota flags to be flown at half-staff at all state and federal buildings in the State of Minnesota, from sunrise until sunset on Tuesday, May 8, 2012, the day of Sergeant Dickhut's interment.

Sergeant Nicholas M. Dickhut was 23 years old and a 2007 graduate of Sewartville High School. He enlisted in the United States Army in 2008, stationed first at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma, Washington, and served his first deployment in Iraq. Requesting a second deployment, he deployed to Afghanistan in December of 2011.

Sergeant Nicholas M. Dickhut gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and died a hero on Monday, April 30, 2012, in Zharay, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, after sustaining wounds while engaged in combat, earning the Bronze Star and Purple Heart

/governor/assets/Nicholas_Dickhut.pdf_tcm1055-93968.pdfA copy of the proclamation is attached.