Perham Post Office Renamed in Honor of Fallen Guardsman

Two weeks from last Tuesday will mark a dark day in the history of the Minnesota National Guard. Three Guardsmen were killed on Dec. 5, 2019 when their helicopter crashed just after takeoff from the St. Cloud airport during a test maintenance flight.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Charles Nord spent half of his childhood and all of his adult life in Perham. Now, his name will be permanent – as the U.S. Post Office in town has been officially renamed as the Charles P. Nord Post Office to show how his sacrifice will forever be etched in his hometown.

A plaque officially naming the building the Charles P. Nord Post Office was installed on Monday, and a second plaque detailing his legacy will be installed at a later date.

The other two Guardsmen killed in the crash also had their hometown post offices renamed in their honor. 28-year-old Sgt. Kort Plantenberg was from Avon, and 28-year-old Chief Warrant Officer 2 James Rogers was from Winsted.