With his family at his side, Marine Cpl. Johnathan Benson, 21, of North Branch, passed away peacefully at Brooke Army Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 9. Cpl. Benson, a 2003 graduate of NBAHS, was injured in Iraq during his second tour of duty when a roadside bomb exploded under his vehicle near Habbaniyah, Iraq. Benson lost his left leg, part of his left arm and had internal injuries. While at Brooke Army Medical Center he suffered several strokes and was treated for a bacteria he contracted in Iraq. For his injuries during both his first tour and second, Benson received two purple hearts.

During an impromptu ceremony Sunday night, Sept. 10, friends in North Branch raised an American flag provided by North Branch VFW Post 6424 in Benson's honor. Funeral services are as follows: Saturday, Sept. 16, 3-4 p.m., private family time, 4 - 8 p.m. public visitation; Sunday, Sept. 17, 2 - 3 p.m. reviewal, funeral service at 3 p.m. All services will be held at the North Branch High School auditorium. Interment will be at Ft. Snelling on Monday, Sept. 18. Tentatively a motorcade will assemble in NB around 9 a.m., the interment is set for around 11 a.m. Details will be provided at the funeral on Sunday.

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Forest Lake Times
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880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
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