Bridge Dedication to Honor Fallen Korean War Soldier PVT LeRoy Goosen

Northeast Radio SD News - Onida, SD - The South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs will host a bridge dedication ceremony on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at 1:45 p.m. CT at Sully Buttes High School in Onida. The event will honor U.S. Army Private LeRoy Goosen, a South Dakota native who was killed in action during the Korean War.

The dedication is part of the Fallen Heroes Bridge Dedication Program, a statewide initiative launched during the Noem-Rhoden Administration and expanded under Governor Rhoden. In collaboration with the Departments of Military, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs, the program creates lasting tributes that connect communities to their history and honor the sacrifices made for freedom.

The SD HWY-1804 bridge over Okobojo Creek, located south of Onida, will be officially named the PVT LeRoy Goosen Bridge.

PVT Goosen enlisted in the U.S. Army in January 1952, training at Camp Breckenridge, Kentucky, alongside two fellow hometown recruits. He was deployed to Korea in July 1952, where he served as a machine gunner with the 17th Infantry Regiment, part of the 7th Infantry Division. On October 8, 1952, exactly 73 years before the upcoming ceremony, Goosen was killed during a heavy artillery barrage.

“Through these bridges, their stories remain a vital part of South Dakota’s heritage and a constant reminder of the freedoms we cherish,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jeremiah Schneider, who will speak at the event.

The public is invited to attend the ceremony and pay tribute to PVT Goosen’s legacy.