Army Badge
  • Name: Milan "Mitchie" Nick Dimich
  • Location of Birth: Bovey, Minnesota
  • Date of Birth: February 2, 1912
  • Date of Death: November 13, 1976
  • Parents: Nicholas A. Dimich & Manda (Milosovovich) Dimich
  • High School and Class: 1932 Greenway High School, Coleraine, Minnesota
  • College:
  • Highest Rank: S SGT (Staff Sergeant)
  • Branch: Army
  • Other Branch:
  • Date Sworn In: August 15, 1942
  • Place Sworn In:
  • Date of Discharge: February 3, 1946
  • Place of Discharge:
  • Military Awards:

  • Military Highlights:
    WW II Draft Registration Cards – 10/16/1940 – 03/31/1947
    State: Minnesota
    Name: Milan Nick Dimich
    Race: White
    Age: 28
    Birth Date: February 2, 1912
    Birth Place: Bovey, Minnesota
    Residence Place: Bovey, Itasca, Minnesota, USA
    Registration Date: October 16, 1940
    Employer: Nick Dimich, Bovey, Itasca, Minnesota
    Weight: 170
    Height: 5-11
    Complexion: Dark
    Eye Color: Brown
    Hair Color: Brown
    Next of Kin: Nick Alec Dimich, father, Bovey, Itasca, Minnesota

    Newspaper article: Bovey Press, Bovey, Minnesota – 16 October 1942 – “Dear Club Members: I sure will say “ditto” when I hear from you because I certainly enjoy getting letters from you even if I’m so close to home. A person seems to keep in close relationship when writing letters back and forth. I hope all the other service men feel the same way about it. Well, I still got my chin up in the air and hope to keep it there for the duration and ever after. I like my work in the Commissary and along with my other military training I’m getting along fine. One can beat this army game if he only makes up his mind to. This darn weather is something I have never seen before in my life at this time of the year and I’m telling you that we have to keep moving in order to keep warm. It’s warmer today than usual. Maybe will get our Indian summer after all, I hope. I got a letter from Mike Bozanich, Jr. who is a Lieutenant now and he is getting married this Saturday in St. Paul. I’m sorry that I can’t accept his invitation to the wedding as I have to work and it is impossible to get off, although I wrote him and his bride-to-be a nice letter, which I think will express my feelings towards them and their future. Well, folks, I think that is all I can write about this time, and hoping to hear from you again, I remain as ever, Milan Dimich”

    Newspaper article – Bovey Press, Bovey, Minnesota – December 18, 1942 – “Dear Members: I received your Christmas box which you sent to me and was very thankful to get it. It’s nice to know that there is someone back home thinking about you. I think the men in service certainly appreciate hearing from the Service Men’s Club in Bovey. The weather here at Camp Ripley is nice and I think we will have a white Christmas after all. I won’t be home for the 25th because all passes and furloughs are limited to a certain percent, but will sure and try to come home for January 7th. It’s lucky to be able to celebrate two Christmases, isn’t it? We are going to have a big Christmas dinner here at Camp and what I mean, they sure put on a spread on holiday chows. I am still doing a great deal of interior guard duty and M.P. work, which is rugged at times, but not bad work either. I received a carton of cigarettes from the Bovey Fire Department a couple of weeks ago and wrote them a letter thanking them for it. I’ve been with them quite a few years. As yet I haven’t heard from any of my Moose brothers. How are they coming along? I am feeling fine and hope you are all the same, hoping to hear from you again some time. I wish you and everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Regards to all, Milan Dimich.”

    Newspaper article: Bovey Press, Bovey, Minnesota – March 12, 1943 – “Bovey service Men’s Club: I know that I should have written to you before, but somehow have neglected doing so. Lately I have been pretty busy with my work in the commissary. We are going on field rations at the first of March and there are a lot of incidentals to study up on and it takes time. The weather here at Camp Ripley has been wonderful lately. More like spring, the snow is melting rapidly and I’m getting the spring fever already. I wish to thank Mrs. Coughlin for the nice letter she wrote me, and will try and answer it when I’m able to. I’ve been reading Ann’s articles in the Bovey Press and wish to thank her very much for keeping us in contact with the boys in service. Ann, you should have been a journalist instead of a Soda Jerker. I received a letter from that old pal of mine, Art Lerohl. He seems to be doing all right. Keep it up, Art, and we’ll be home together again soon. As yet I haven’t heard from Forrest Foss. I wonder if he found a gold mine and filed a claim. Could be. I was down to Fort Snelling last week and who should I meet up with but Clarence Leksen, another of our Bovey boys. He’s looking fine and says that he’ll be up in Camp Ripley about the first of the month. Good going Clarence, we’re glad to have you. We need more representation from our good old town of Bovey. Well, folks, I wish to thank you for the kind consideration of your corresponding with me and wish you all a lot of luck. Hoping to hear from you again, I remain as ever, ‘Mitchie’ Dimich.”

    Newspaper article: Bovey Press, Bovey, Minnesota – December 3, 1943 – “Dear Horace: I have been at this Prison War Camp one month now and it’s a little bit different than a regular army camp. There are mostly prisoners here. The camp will hold 3,000 prisoners, of which we have 500 now that came in last nite, and about 400 of us soldiers. It’s really a nice setup for them. The prisoners of war are all young men or boys between the ages of 17 and 20. By the looks of them, they sure went thru something. It seems to me they like this side of the pond better than the other. The climate here in this part of Nebraska is fine, only for the wind and dust, outside of that it’s pretty nice. I see by the paper that Carl Paul is coming to some camp in Nebraska. If I can have his address, I’ll write to him. Well, Horace, I think my time is up for now and will write again some other rime. Regards to all at home in Bovey. Thank you, Milan N. Dimich.”

    Newspaper article: Bovey Press, Bovey, Minnesota – May 19, 1944 – “Indianola, Nebraska, January 6, 1944. Bovey Service Club, Dear Members: Just a few lines to let you know that I received the Reader’s Digest and certainly appreciate the magazine. I want to thank you very much for it. I have been rather busy lately and haven’t had much time to do any writing, therefore is the reason why you haven’t heard from me for such a long time. The weather here is wonderful. We haven’t any snow as yet, but the people around here say that it gets pretty cold in January, then lets up in a short while. I see by the Press that many of the boys are still coming home on furloughs. I hope it continues, because it also keeps up the morale on the home front. Well, I think I must sign off now, thanking you for the nice gift. As ever, S-Sgt. Milan Dimich.”

  • Wars Involved:
    World War II

  • MIA / POW:

  • Civilian Life:
    Milan Dimich was a life-long resident of Itasca County. He ran a store in Bovey for many years before retiring in 1972. He was a commander of the American Legion post for two years, and was a member of the Bovey Fire Department, Bovey Water & Light Board, and was a director of the Farmers Day Association. He was a president of the Serbian Federation, Canisteo Masonic Lodge, Shriners, and was a member of the old Bovey Commercial Club. He was on the board of the St. Vasilije Serbian Orthodox church and was the founder of a Citizen’s Band radio club.

    Milan Dimich died in Grand Rapids, Minnesota and is buried in Lakeview Cemetery, Coleraine, Minnesota (Serbian section - Block 45). He is survived by his wife Helen; two brothers, Dr. Samuel N. Dimich and Peter N. Dimich; three nephews; and one niece.

  • Tribal Affiliation(s):

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