PIERRE, S.D. — A program that names highway bridges in honor of South Dakotans who gave their lives while defending our nation in the U.S. Armed Forces will be bigger than usual this year.
There will be 19 Fallen Heroes bridge dedications in 2025. They include six planned for November 11, on Veterans Day.
The South Dakota Transportation Commission gave its approval to the 2025 group on Thursday.
Mike Vehle of Mitchell serves on the state commission. He has gone to several previous Fallen Heroes ceremonies in his area.
“They’re very moving,” Vehle said. He encouraged others on the commission to try to attend in their areas.
“If you can make those, I think it’s very meaningful to the family to say that we’re here and we’re supporting this,” Vehle said.
Then-Gov. Kristi Noem began the Fallen Heroes program in 2019. It honors those who were killed in action or are classified as missing in action. Families apply and a state committee makes selections each April.
The state Department of Transportation, the state Department of Veteran Affairs and the state Department of the Military then coordinate with families on their choices of bridges and dates for ceremonies.
At each location DOT places two highway signs, prominently memorializing the honoree. There are now 60 bridges so marked.
The 19 who will be added this year are:
— SGT Dirk Abbas, Marshall County (Marine Corps, 1952)
— PFC Mark Shields, Buffalo County (Army, 1950)
— PVT Leroy Goosen, Sully County (Army, 1952)
— 1LT Larry Barbee, Spink County (Army, 1969)
— PFC Fred Larson, Campbell County (Army, 1970)
— PFC Peter Ommen, Lawrence County (Marine Corps, 1967)
— PFC Ronald Dexter, Grant County (Marine Corps, 1966)
— PVT Richard Miller, Aurora County (Army, 1969)
— SP4 Thomas Ziegler, Tripp County (Army, 1971)
— PVT Frank Holcombe, Turner County (Army, 1918)
— PVT Elmer Albertson, Harding County (Army, 1918)
— CPL Henry Kluess, Clark County (Army, 1944)
— SSGT Ervin Rieck, Brown County (Army, 1945)
— PVT Marvin Gunderson, Turner County (Army, 1945)
— MM2 Milton Muller, McCook County (Navy, 1943)
— SGT Alvin Erpenbach, Davison County (Army, 1944)
— CPL Harvey Henle, Miner County (Army, 1944)
— PO2 Porter Rich, Kingsbury County (Navy, 1941)
— PFC Leland Nielson, Yankton County (Army, 1945)
