The Free Press
NORTH MANKATO — American Legion Post 518 will fly a flag in September in honor of USMC Sgt. Rand Hodgman.
At 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, members will gather at Wheeler Park in lower North Mankato to begin the monthlong tribute.
Hodgman was born March 24, 1945, to Kenneth and Aline Hodgman. He attended school in Marshall and St. Mary’s College in New Orleans. He worked as a police officer, rising to the rank of captain, in New Orleans. After retirement, he became a real estate agent in Tucson, Arizona. He married Dianne Frechette in 2021 and the couple lived in Madison Lake.
He joined the Marine Corps on Feb. 26, 1964. He received training in Santa Anna, California, Aircraft Electrical School in Florida, NCO Leadership School in Okinawa, and served as an aircraft electrician in the Vietnam theater. He received the Vietnam Service Medal, Air Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal and achieved the rank of sergeant. Hodgman was honorably discharged Feb. 23, 1968.
Hodgman enjoyed travel, cooking, scuba diving, camping and canoeing. He was a member of the Garden City Christian Church, Shooting Club, Els Club, NRA, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, among others.
He died April 6, 2024, in Mankato, and is survived by his wife and son, Lief Hodgman.
Families of deceased, honorably discharged veterans or POW/MIAs may request Veteran of the Month honors by calling Mark Conrad at 507-380-8405 or Post 518 at 507-625-1264.