Relatives of the late U.S. Army Corp. Harvey Henle unveil a bridge dedication sign honoring him on Nov. 11, 2025. The ceremony was in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; the bridge named for Henle is on state Highway 11, about 2 miles north of Brandon. (Photo by Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)
SIOUX FALLS — Greg Learing appreciates that when drivers cross a bridge near Parker, they might think of his uncle, Army Pvt. Marvin Gunderson, who was killed in action 80 years ago during World War II.
The bridge is one of six that the state of South Dakota named for World War II veterans Tuesday on Veterans Day.
“When folks drive by, that’s somebody’s loved one, and it’s a good way to keep their memory alive,” said Learing, a retired Air Force veteran.
All six of the veterans who were honored lost their lives in combat. The ceremony at the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance was a continuation of the state’s Fallen Heroes Bridge Dedication program. It was launched in 2019 by then-Gov. Kristi Noem’s administration to dedicate bridges to South Dakotans who were killed in action or classified as missing in action.
Gov. Larry Rhoden attended Tuesday’s ceremony.
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction,” Rhoden said, quoting former President Ronald Reagan. “We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected and handed on for them to do the same.”
The program has a committee that meets annually in April and selects veterans to honor and bridges to dedicate. An application form is available online.
The state’s Department of Veterans Affairs said more than 50 bridges had been named in honor of South Dakota veterans before Tuesday’s ceremony. The department said more than 3,000 South Dakotans have died while serving in the military.
Bridge dedications
The South Dakota veterans honored on Tuesday:
- Navy Water Tender Second Class Porter Rich: Served on several battleships and was killed aboard the USS Oklahoma during the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941, the same year he was married and his son was born. The Porter L. Rich Bridge is on U.S. Highway 14, about 2 miles east of De Smet.
- Navy Machinist’s Mate Second Class Milton Muller: Served on the USS Leary and died when the ship was torpedoed in the North Atlantic on Christmas 1943; his body was never recovered. The Milton L. Muller Bridge is on state Highway 38 bridge, east of Montrose.
- Army Cpl. Harvey Henle: The paratrooper jumped into Normandy on D-Day and was killed by sniper fire in France 10 days later. The Harvey H. Henle Bridge is on state Highway 11, about 2 miles north of Brandon.
- Army Sgt. Alvin Erpenbach: Fought in North Africa and Italy, and was twice wounded, the latter being a landmine that killed him in 1944. The Alvin W. Erpenbach Bridge is on state Highway 42, about 8 miles west of Ethan.
- Army Pvt. Marvin Gunderson: Landed on Okinawa, Japan, in 1945 and was killed in action two days later. The Marvin L. Gunderson Bridge is on state Highway 19, north of Parker.
- Army Pfc. Leland Nielson: Was stationed in the Philippines and was wounded by a Japanese sniper in 1945 and died of his injuries the next day. The Leland L. Nielsen Bridge is 11 miles north of Volin on state Highway 19.
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