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 at the resting place of local fallen soldiers on Memorial Day.
During the Memorial Day ceremony at the Servicemen’s Cemetery, former senator from South Dakota Mike Vehle gave a moving speech telling the stories of soldiers from the region who died in battle.
Vehle shared stories of the late Air Force pilot Tommy Callies and Army Sgt. Greg Wagner.
A native of Howard, Callies flew an F-4 jet and was shot down by enemy fire in a Vietnam province in 1969 during the Vietnam War. Although 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 neighborhood of Baghdad, Iraq. Prior to his death, Wagner completed a distinguished military career, earning a Bronze Star Medal and a Purple Heart – one of the most coveted U.S. military medals. The Alexandria native rose through the military ranks to become a staff sergeant with the 665th Maintenance Company, based out of Mitchell.
Callies and Wagner are among the few fallen South Dakota soldiers for whom a bridge is named. The Greg Wagner Bridge is located just east of Mitchell along Highway 38, while the Tommy Callies Bridge is located along Highway 34. The Wagner and Callies bridges were part of South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s bridge dedication initiative honoring fallen servicemen and women.
Vehle attended Wagner and Callies’ bridge dedication ceremonies and said the packed gymnasiums filled with friends, family and community members showed that their sacrifices were indeed “worth it.”
While Memorial Day is a time to remember and honor those who died fighting for America’s freedom and values, Vehle said honoring the fallen should not be reserved for just one day of the year.
“We must be eternally grateful for the sacrifices these brave men and women made that allowed 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 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.
More than three decades have passed since Schuh was honored with the award, and she received another award during Monday’s Memorial Day ceremony.
Retired Army veteran Maylon Schuh also received another award for his dedicated military service. Schuh has a Soldier’s Medal, which he earned in 1973 for his courageous actions during the Vietnam War.
On Monday, Maylon and Bonita Schuh received Army Commendation medals for their distinguished service and outstanding achievements. An active-duty soldier from the local 665th Maintenance Company of the South Dakota National Guard presented Maylon and Bonita Schuh with their awards.
