American flags are flying over the northern Iowa town of Kanawha today, honoring all veterans and one local soldier in particular. Today is the 35th birthday of Sergeant Dean Michelson and his friends and neighbors found a way to celebrate, even though the Iowa National Guardsman is thousands of miles away serving in Iraq. Kanawha city clerk Sharon Grimm says the city council voted to make this a holiday in the town of 763.She says being in a small town, everybody knows everybody and they’re all thinking about Dean “over there and what he’s doing for us back here at home.” Grimm says the day also recognizes Kanawha’s close-knit community.Sergeant Michelson is serving with the National Guard’s 1133rd Transportation Company. Birthday cards are available to sign at the Kanawha grocery and Kanawha Pronto store which will be presented to him when he returns in April. His grandfather, Harold Michelson, is also a veteran and celebrated his 91st birthday earlier this month. The elder Michelson served in World War Two and can remember his neighbors going off to fight in the first World War. He says he’s proud of his grandson, but he’s also worried.Harold Michelson says “He’s in more danger than I ever was in. Every day that goes by, it’s a pretty dangerous situation. It’s a different kind of a war. We didn’t have that kind of war back then. We knew who our enemy was. Now, they don’t know who their enemy is. It could be the guy standing next to you and he’s ready to blow himself up and you along with him.”
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