“I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” – Nathan Hale
This sentiment, expressed by Nathan Hale, one of our country’s earliest patriots, has echoed and re-echoed in the hearts and lives of thousands upon thousands of Americans in the centuries that followed his life and his death while serving our country. The idea that liberty is more precious than life has reverberated in the call to defend the freedom that we hold dear, and thousands of Americans have indeed given their lives to follow that call and fight for this freedom.
In all, 3,073 South Dakotans have made this ultimate sacrifice since World War I. In 2019, SD governor Kristi Noem and the SD Department of Veterans Affairs, SD Military Department and the SD Department of Transportation launched a program to remember and publicly honor these servicemen and women, aptly called the Fallen Heroes Bridge Dedication Program.