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Our country has fought many wars in far reaching places throughout the world. As a result of war, many have paid the ultimate sacrifice, including those from Eden Prairie. It is our goal on this website and at our memorial to pay a special tribute to the brave men and women from Eden Prairie that have laid down their life in order to ensure our freedom. |
Remember Your Veterans.
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Corporal Tyler R. Fey
Born August 21, 1981, Tyler was raised in Eden Prairie. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps soon after his 2000 high school graduation from Holy Angels in Richfield, Minnesota and found himself serving in the some of the first Marines to cross the border from Kuwait into Iraq during the initial invasion with the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force out of Camp Pendleton, California. He returned to Iraq for a second tour with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines when he was killed by enemy hostile fire in Al Anbar Province on April 4, 2004, at 22 years-old, just six months shy of completing his tour and returning to the U.S.
Tyler was one of the featured veterans honored during the celebration and memorial First Flag Raising on Veterans Day in 2007.
His personal awards include the Purple Heart Medal, Good Conduct Medal and the Combat Action Ribbon with one gold star, Iraq Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with one bronze star, Expert Rifleman Medal. Tyler is survived by his parents Richard, Cheryl and his brother Ryan. Richard is also an Eden Prairie Veterans Memorial Committee member - inspired by Tyler, working hard to make this memorial a lasting tribute to Tyler and his comrades.
Read about Nov 8, 2007 - EP News - The Tyler Fey Story
Read about Apr 4, 2004 - Military Times - Honor the Fallen - Tyler Fey of Eden Prairie
Read about April 2, 2004 - Tyler Fey of Eden Prairie - USMC
Video - Veterans of Eden Prairie 2007 - Featuring The Tyler Fey Story
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Everett R. McClay
Everett Raymond McClay, grandson of John McClay who was killed in the Civil War, married Elsie Ringle from Eau Claire, WI. They moved to Minneapolis where Everett worked as a mechanic.
On April 27, 1918 Everett, age 21, enlisted into the Army and trained at Camp Dodge, Camp Trairs and Camp Mills. Records show he was tall, slender, blue eyes and brown hair. He was sent to Europe and served in Company E, 357th Infantry. Everett became part of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, which was the greatest American battle of the First World War. In six weeks the American Forces lost 26,277 killed and 95,786 wounded. It was a complex operation involving a majority of the American ground forces fighting through rough, hilly terrain the German Army had spent four years fortifying.
On November 4th, 1918, Everett McClay was killed in the battle of Meuse-Argonne, an area of eastern France just west of Luxembourg. He was buried in the Argonne American Cemetery at Romage, Mease, France. Everett McClay's remains were later returned to this country and were interned in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Eden Prairie.
Less than one month after Everett was killed his wife gave birth to their daughter Elizabeth "Betty" McClay.
McClay Family Story in detail
Video - Veterans of Eden Prairie 2008
McClay Story - EP News
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Private John W. McClay
John McClay married Mary Jane Gamble December 31, 1860 in Eden Prairie. They had two children born in Eden Prairie: James and John.
John McClay volunteered for the Civil War and received a three hundred dollar bounty for enlisting. His brother Samuel McClay was already a Second Lieutenant in the service. After the Battle of Gettysburg the Minnesota 1st Regiment received a special unit thank you at the U.S. Capital and the whole Regiment was sent back to Minnesota to muster out, arriving February 15, 1864. The 1st Minnesota then reestablished at Fort Snelling with volunteers from the original 1st Regiment and new recruits. John McClay became part of that Regiment. He was mustered into service at the age of 24 and became a private in Company I.
In May 1864, the 1st Battalion went back to the east coast to fight along with General Grant's troops. They also fought a number of secondary actions (skirmishes) near Petersburg, Virginia and one of those was a Deep Bottom, Virginia. During the battle John was seen to fall mortally wounded in the abdomen in the first charge in Deep Bottom, Virginia, on Aug. 14, 1864. Men who saw him fall wounded were told that he had been placed on a boat for removal to a hospital in Washington, D.C. It is believed he died on the transport boat and was probably buried on the shores of the Potomac, or buried at sea.
There is a Civil War memorial located at the Pioneers Cemetery on 104th and Lyndale in Bloomington which bears the names of John McClay and other Civil War Veterans and states John McClay died in the service.
McClay Family Story in detail
Video - Veterans of Eden Prairie 2008
McClay Story - EP News
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Sergeant First Class Mickey E. Zaun
Mickey joined the Army on Aug. 10, 1995, shortly after his high school graduation and four weeks after his 18th birthday. He lived in Eden Prairie for the first years of his life before moving to Brooklyn Park, his mother later returned and still resides in Eden Prairie, just down the road from the memorial site.
Sgt. 1st Class Mickey E. Zaun, 27, was a chemical operations specialist with the U.S. Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C. He died on January 28, 2005 from injuries sustained during a collision between two armored vehicles in Mosul, Iraq.
While he served, he racked up an impressive series of awards and decorations, including two Bronze Star Medals, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Master Parachutist Badge and the Driver and Mechanic Badge, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, which was presented posthumously.
His military education included the Jumpmaster Course, the Basic Airborne Course, the Defense Hazardous Material Course, the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, the Primary Leadership Development Course and the Chemical Operations Specialist Course.
Mickey Zaun Biography
Read about Feb 14, 2008 - Remembering Mickey Zaun
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To write a more comprehensive history of your veteran, we suggest you visit
The Minnesota Greatest Generation Project and tell your story after we have posted your information here.
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