Remember Our Fallen Heroes

The top picture is from the American military cemetery at Meuse-Argonne River in France.  It was such a major victory for allied forces during WWI that a small town in Miner County, South Dakota changed its name from St. Mary's to Argonne.  The second picture is of the American cemetary at St. Mihiel.  We forget how many South Dakotans perished in WWI.  For an idea of how many served, go see the memorial in front of the courthouse in Winner, SD in Tripp County.  Not to confuse wars, but Memorial Day is, of course, a product of the Civil War and the advocacy of the Grand Army of the Republic.  The Civil War and the GAR were extremely important in the world views of the early founders of South Dakota.  The GAR was very powerful and we ended up with counties such as Lincoln, Union, Grant, Meade, McPherson and towns such as Gettysburg, Appomattox, Shiloh...