Granddaughter continuing family service

Contributed photo
Ray Stoll and his granddaughter Cassidy Shipman received a generational honor from the Quilts of Valor Foundation and were given their quilts at a ceremony at Perham Living on Sunday, May 26.

By Daneele Shipman,

Robert Williams

Upon returning from Washington D.C. on the most recent Veterans Honor Flight of North Dakota and Minnesota, Raymond Stoll got another surprise when he and his granddaughter Cassidy Shipman were honored by the Quilts of Valor Foundation.

Raymond Stoll was featured in the April 30 edition of the Frazee Forum and his incredible story can also be found online at www.FrazeeForum.com.

Stoll left rural Frazee after high school en route to Chicago where he enlisted in the Army in 1961. Ray served until 1983, retiring as a Master Sergeant. Following his retirement, he returned to the Frazee area and now resides in Perham. 

Ray served multiple combat tours in Vietnam, as well as other overseas assignments such as Germany, Australia, Lebanon, and more. In fact, Stoll’s military career brought him to 37 different countries where he was stationed and on active duty.

Additionally, he had many stateside assignments. Some of his distinctive awards include:

• Two Purple Hearts

• Meritorious Service Medal  

• National Defense Service Medal

• Oversea Service Bars & Medal

• Good Conduct Medal

• Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

• Army Service Ribbon

Cassidy Shipman is a 2019 graduate of Frazee-Vergas High School who enlisted in the Minnesota Army National Guard in 2018, at the age of 17. She graduated basic training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina in 2019, followed by completing Advanced Individual Training in Fort Lee Virginia as a 92 Fox Petroleum Supply Specialist.  Cassidy was activated stateside during the Minneapolis George Floyd riots and earned the Minnesota Achievement Award for her positive leadership skills throughout the two weeks.  

She was deployed in 2021-22 serving in Operation Inherent Resolve in Syria, as well as Operation Spartan Shield in Kuwait. She recently signed her second 6-year contract and is determined to do the full 20. Cassidy chose to reclass to a 19 Kilo Armor Crewman. 

Cassidy is one of the very few, if not the only, female enlisted tanker in the Minnesota National Guard. She is looking forward to leaving this week for her specialized training.