Brave sacrifices of fallen Mitchell area soldiers remembered during Memorial Day ceremony
May 27—MITCHELL — The Mitchell community remembered the brave men and women who fought and died while serving in the U.S. military by gathering on Memorial Day at the resting place of local fallen soldiers.
During the Memorial Day ceremony at Servicemen's Cemetery, former South Dakota Senator Mike Vehle delivered a moving speech that told the stories of area military men who died in combat.
Vehle shared stories of the late Air Force pilot Tommy Callies and Army Sgt. Greg Wagner.
Flying an F-4 jet, Callies, a Howard native, was shot down in 1969 by enemy fire in a Vietnam province during the Vietnam War. While Callies' body was never found, Vehle said his "brave sacrifice" will live on forever.
Wagner was killed on May 8, 2006 by an improvised explosive device (IED) in a Baghdad, Iraq, neighborhood. Prior to his death, Wagner capped off an decorated military career, earning himself a Bronze Star medal and a Purple Heart — one of the most coveted U.S. military medals. The Alexandria native climbed the military ranks to become a staff sergeant in the 665th Maintenance Company, which was based out of Mitchell.
Callies and Wagner are among the few fallen South Dakota soldiers who have a bridge named after them. The Greg Wagner Bridge is located just east of Mitchell along Highway 38, while the Tommy Callies Bridge sits along Highway 34. Wagner and Callies' bridges were part of South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem's bridge dedication initiative honoring fallen military men and women.
Vehle attended Wagner and Callies' bridge dedication ceremonies and said the packed gymnasiums filled with friends, family and community members showed their sacrifices were indeed "worth it."
While Memorial Day is a time to remember and honor those who died fighting for the freedom and values of America, Vehle said honoring the fallen should not be reserved for just one day of the year.
"We need to be eternally grateful for the sacrifices these brave men and women have made, which allows us to be gathered here today," Vehle said.
In his closing remarks, Vehle challenged the crowd gathered at the Servicemen's Memorial Cemetery to be a "useful citizen" and respect the values of the United States of America.
In 1988, Bonita Schuh became the first woman in the U.S. Army National Guard to receive a coveted honor when she was named the Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year.
More than three decades have passed since Schuh was honored with the award, and she found herself receiving yet another award during Monday's Memorial Day ceremony.
Retired Army veteran Maylon Schuh was also on the receiving end of another award for his dedicated military service. Schuh holds a Soldier's Medal, which he earned in 1973 for his courageous acts during the Vietnam War.
On Monday, Maylon and Bonita Schuh received Army Commendation medals for their distinguished service and outstanding achievements. An active soldier with the local South Dakota National Guard's 665th Maintenance Company presented Maylon and Bonita Schuh with their awards.
