The last surviving World War 2 veteran from a famous North Dakota National guard unit has passed away. According to a press release from the North Dakota National Guard Unit in Bismarck, Douglas P, “Doug” Burtell, who served in the famed 164
th Infantry Regiment, was the last original member of the unit residing in North Dakota. Doug Burtell died in Bowman on April 3rd, just weeks shy of his 97th birthday.
Burtell was only 16 years old when he joined the North Dakota National Guard in Fargo in late 1940. Assigned to the Intelligence and Reconnaissance Section of the Infantry Regiment he was trained to interpret aerial photographs, draw maps based on reconnaissance patrols, and analyze captured materials.