To our fallen. (Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Mitchell: propane, car, medical center)

[debey]

We are Home sweet Home! ~extending a humble "thank you", to the people across the Great State, of South Dakota, for supporting the Banner Project, and our Heroes Families.

[Jammie]

Debey, I'm glad you made it home safely and it sounds like everything went fine. It was all of our thoughts and prayers that helped.

[Chris19]

I have been to the warand veterans memorials in DC along with a few in Pierre and find them to be very good tributes to the great men and women who have given their lives, time, and efforts towards preserving our freedoms and fighting for our great nation. Ones that I have found to be the most striking include the WWII Memmorial and the wall (for Veitnam War soldiers).

Debey, it is good that you came back safely and was good work that you did.

[debey]

Here's a pic, of "The Hall of Banners"

[debey]

Originally Posted by rjl78

The B1-B flyby was amazing. It rattled my house pretty well. It was something that made me proud to be an american.

[ElkHunter]

I've finally got a chance to update the list. Sadly, here it is.

IRAQ

Spc. Daniel D. Bartels
22
Headquarters Troop, 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team
Huron, South Dakota
Died of a non-combat related cause in Mosul, Iraq, on October 19, 2005

Pfc. Gunnar D. Becker
19
Company B, 2nd Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment, 1st Infantry Division
Forestburg, South Dakoka
Died of non-combat related injuries in Mosul, Iraq, on January 13, 2005

Sgt. Jeremiah J. Boehmer
22
Company C, 562nd Engineer Battalion, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team
Parkston, South Dakota
One of two soldiers killed when a roadside bomb detonated near their Stryker Engineer Squad Vehicle in Husayniya, Iraq, on February 5, 2006

Lance Cpl. Jeremy L. Bohlman
21
Headquarters & Service Company, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Died from hostile action in Anbar province, Iraq, on June 7, 2004

Staff Sgt. Cory W. Brooks
32
Company A, 153rd Engineer Battalion, South Dakota Army National Guard
Philip, South Dakota
Died of non-combat related injuries in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 24, 2004

Staff Sgt. Daniel M. Cuka
27
Battery C, 1st Battalion, 147th Field Artillery Regiment, South Dakota Army National Guard
Yankton, South Dakota
One of two soldiers killed when a roadside bomb detonated near their Humvee during convoy operations in Baghdad, Iraq, on December 4, 2005

Pfc. Michael R. Deuel
21
Company B, 2nd Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division
Nemo, South Dakota
Killed in a drive-by attack while on guard duty at a propane distribution center in Baghdad, Iraq, on June 18, 2003

Pfc. Sheldon R. Hawk Eagle
21
1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
Grand Forks, North Dakota / Eagle Butte South Dakota
Killed when two 101st Airborne Division UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters collided in mid-air over Mosul, Iraq, on November 15, 2003

Chief Warrant Officer Hans N. Gukeisen
31
571st Air Medical Company, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
Lead, South Dakota
Killed when the UH-60 Black Hawk medical helicopter he was aboard crashed in the Tigris River near Samarra, Iraq, on May 9, 2003

Spc. Patrick W. Herried
29
B Troop, 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Killed when a roadside bomb detonated near his Stryker military vehicle during patrol operations on Rawah, Iraq, on February 6, 2006

Spc. Allen D. Kokesh Jr.
21
Battery C, 1st Battalion, 147th Field Artillery Regiment, South Dakota Army National Guard
Yankton, South Dakota
Died at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, on February 7, 2006, of injuries sustained when a roadside bomb detonated near his Humvee on December 4, 2005

Cpl. Brett L. Lundstrom
22
2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine
Stafford, Virginia / Rapid City, South Dakota
Killed by small-arms fire during combat operations near Falluja, Iraq, on January 7, 2006


1st Lt. Thomas M. Martin
27
1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division
Ward, Arkansas / Huron South Dakota
Died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small-arms fire during combat operations in Busayifi, Iraq, on October 14, 2007

Staff Sgt. Jason W. Montefering
27
K Troop, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
Parkston, South Dakota
Died when a roadside bomb detonated near his Bradley Fighting Vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq, on July 24, 2005

Spc. Dennis B. Morgan
22
153rd Engineer Battalion, South Dakota Army National Guard
Valentine, Nebraska / New Underwood, South Dakota
Killed when his armored personnel carrier hit a roadside bomb in Iskandariyah, Iraq, on April 17, 2004

Chief Warrant Officer Paul J. Pillen
28
Detachment 3, Company A, 249th Aviation Battalion, South Dakota Army National Guard
Keystone, South Dakota
Died of a non-combat related cause in Salwa, Kuwait, on October 17, 2005

Staff Sgt. Robb L. Rolfing
29
2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group
Milton, Massachusetts / South Dakota
Died of wound sustained from enemy small-arms fire in Baghdad, Iraq, on June 30, 2007

Chief Warrant Officer Scott A. Saboe
33
Company A, 4th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
Willow Lake, South Dakota
Killed when two 101st Airborne Division UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters collided in mid-air over Mosul, Iraq, on November 15, 2003

Sgt. 1st Class Richard L. Schild
40
1st Battalion, 147th Field Artillery Regiment, South Dakota Army National Guard
Tabor, South Dakota
One of two soldiers killed when a roadside bomb detonated near their Humvee during convoy operations in Baghdad, Iraq, on December 4, 2005

Capt. Christopher F. Soelzer
26
Headquarters Company, 5th Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer Brigade
South Dakota
Killed when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb on Highway 1 near Samarra, Iraq, on December 24, 2003

Staff Sgt. Zachary B. Tomczak
24
2nd Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
Huron, South Dakota
Died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small-arms fire in Baghdad, Iraq, on September 25, 2007

Staff Sgt. Jeremy D. Vrooman
28
2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Died of wounds when a homemade bomb exploded while his unit was conducting combat operations in Kn'an, Iraq, on July 15, 2008

Staff Sgt. Gregory A. Wagner
35
1st Battalion, 147th Field Artillery, South Dakota Army National Guard
Mitchell, South Dakota
Died of injuries sustained when a homemade missile struck his Humvee during combat operation in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 8, 2006

Staff Sgt. Leroy O. Webster
28
3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Died after being shot while on a dismounted patrol near Kirkuk, Iraq, on April 25, 2009

Lance Cpl. Joseph T. Welke
20
Company I, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force
Rapid City, South Dakota
Welke died on November 20, 2004 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, from wounds received as a result of enemy action on November 19 in Anbar province, Iraq.


Afghanistan

Cpl. Tanner J. O'Leary
23
1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
Eagle Butte, South Dakota
Died of wounds suffered when a homemade bomb exploded in Musa Qal'eh, Afghanistan, on December 9, 2007

Spc. Estell L. Turner
43
1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Died July 2, 2008, at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered a roadside bomb in Malikheyl, Afghanistan, on June 28, 2008

Sgt. Eduviges G. (Preciado) Wolf
24
704th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
Hawthorne, California / Farmer, South Dakota
Died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked her vehicle with a rocket propelled grenade in Kunar province, Afghanistan, on October 25, 2009

Senior Airman Jonathan A. V. Yelner
24
28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
Lafayette, California / Ellsworth, South Dakota
Died of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered a roadside bomb near Bagram, Afghanistan, on April 29, 2008

If I am missing anybody, please let me know via DM and I will research and add them to the list. One thing I will say, thankfully, we have no names on the MIA/Prisoner list.

[svrooman]

Elkhunter, you forgot one very important fallen soldier - U.S. Army PFC Sheldon Hawk Eagle of Eagle Butte. He was killed in 2003 in Iraq in a helicopter crash. He was given the highest honors at his funeral. Sheldon achieved Warrior status. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. Please add him in!

[svrooman]

I'm replying here, because I can't figure out any other way to do it! Sheldon is indeed buried in South Dakota. I have a website for you to check - it's www.tsalagi-atsilvsgi.net, then click on "tribute to PFC Sheldon Hawk Eagle". This is a most honorable tribute website to Sheldon. To find other websites devoted to him, google PFC Sheldon Hawk Eagle. There are several. We have a connection to Sheldon actually. We're the parents of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jeremy Vrooman, KIA 7/15/08, Kn'an, Iraq. Sheldon and Jeremy are cousins of sorts. Sheldon's sister Frankie was married to a cousin of Bruce's, (Jeremy's Dad), and we share the same last name. It's a ways down the line, but a cousin's a cousin! Anyway, both Sheldon and Jeremy are on two of the banners that are traveling around South Dakota.

Here's a few more to check out: 1LT Thomas Martin, (Huron), CPL Brett Lundstrom, (Rapid City), SrA Jonathan Antonio Vega Yelner, (Ellsworth), SGT Dennis Morgan (New Underwood). We are in contact with Martin's and Vega's parents.

[ElkHunter]

I regret that I missed those folks on the list. But I draw the data off the military list and it shows where they enlisted as their home town. In many cases they enlist elsewhere, or move their home of records.

All have been added and you'll notice that they have listed both "homes". Thank you very much for helping me out.

[svrooman]

Great job! I thank you, and so do all the Gold Star families of South Dakota's fallen heroes!